In general, Pirates 3 is a cop-out of a third installment. While it’s hefty on budget, it’s slim on quality entertainment. Proof positive of this fact is the Captain Jack hallucination scene; while it’s distinctive and well-directed on its own, it’s also boring and out-of-place amongst the storyline. This sequence comes off more as a short film randomly thrown into the mix than a means of introduction and character development.

To put it lightly, At World’s End is an overly long disappointment; its near three-hour running time could have easily been trimmed down to two. While the film sporadically impresses and delights, it also simultaneously stabs what the first two films managed to accomplish in the heart.

Post script: Don’t miss the footage after the end credits. There is a flash-forward to the future, and one would think that this ten-year jump in narrative closes off the possibility of any more sequels being made. Maybe not. Who knows? In my opinion, there is one more story to tell. That story is how the pirates arrived at Disney World in Florida. Ironically, that’s where Captain Jack seems to be headed at the end with his map in hand.