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Release Date: March 1st, 2011 Movie Release Year: 2011

Pirates of the Caribbean Trilogy

Overview -
OVERALL:
For Fans Only
Rating Breakdown
STORY
VIDEO
AUDIO
SPECIAL FEATURES
Tech Specs & Release Details
Technical Specs:
7 Discs
Video Resolution/Codec:
1080p/MPEG-4 AVC
Length:
0
Aspect Ratio(s):
2.40:1
Audio Formats:
Spanish Dolby Digital 5.1
Subtitles/Captions:
English SDH, French, Spanish
Special Features:
See previous single-disc reivews.
Release Date:
March 1st, 2011

Storyline: Our Reviewer's Take

Ranking:

'Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl'

It may be hard to fathom in retrospect, but 'Pirates of the Caribbean' was never supposed to happen. When it was first announced that Disney was turning its beloved theme park attraction into a motion picture, it was met with plenty of skepticism. How do you turn a cheesy, '50s-era boat ride into a blockbuster movie franchise? What's more, aside from Johnny Depp (who was not yet the Oscar-nominated box office draw he is today), there were no other A-list stars in the cast, only relatively unknown British actors with funny names like Keira Knightley and Orlando Bloom. Indeed, 'Pirates of the Caribbean' seemed like a recipe for disaster.

Now 'Pirates of the Caribbean' has earned its place as one of the biggest phenomenons in recent cinema history. 'The Curse of the Black Pearl' ended up reaping over $500 million in worldwide booty (the follow-up 'Dead Man's Chest' made even more), and Bloom, Knightley and especially Depp are now household names. Even more miraculous, 'The Curse of the Black Pearl' is one of the few recent high-concept Hollywood insta-blockbusters that saw both critical and commercial love in equal measure -- the reviews were almost as good as the grosses.

Given such success, it was with some trepidation that I sat down to revisit 'The Curse of the Black Pearl.' Everyone is familiar with that feeling of disappointment when your favorite old blockbuster just doesn't hold up on repeat viewing. Yet it only took a few minutes for any fears I had to evaporate. 'The Curse of the Black Pearl' remains a rousing, grand adventure, but -- even more important -- it's a reminder that Hollywood entertainment flicks can still take genuine risks. In hindsight, it seems like all the pre-production naysaying may be what really charged up the juices of the filmmakers to take a silly idea (a theme park ride movie!) and deliver more than anyone expected. Anchored by an edgy, fearless performance by Depp as the now-iconic Captain Jack Sparrow, 'The Curse of the Black Pearl' bravely, but humorously, takes its ludicrous supernatural pirates plot seriously, and the result is a confident, enthralling spectacle. We haven't seen this kind of old-fashioned, crowd-pleasing, goofy, escapist popcorn entertainment since the glory days of early Spielberg and Lucas.

By now, everyone knows the story of 'The Curse of the Black Pearl,' so no plot synopsis is needed. Besides, the often convoluted, admittedly overlong narrative is really just a skeleton to hang an increasingly breathless series of action sequences upon anyway. Yet what is so noteworthy about the first 'Pirates' is that the humanity of its characters is never sacrificed for the sake of bombast. Depp, again, is the film's sparkplug. It was widely reported that his then-controversial approach to Sparrow -- think a fey Keith Richards, mixed in with a bit of Pepe Le Pew -- caused major jitters with the higher-ups at Disney. Yet it is Depp's willingness to figuratively (and literally) walk the plank that keeps the rest of the film on its toes. Bloom and Knightley, as hopeful lovers Will Turner and Elizabeth Swann, gamely try to keep up, driven by a competitive energy that generates a palpable, invigorating chemistry. Geoffrey Rush also goes for broke as the cursed Barbossa, the undead pirate who makes a delicious, scene-chewing baddie that's easily on par with Depp's Sparrow.

'The Curse of the Black Pearl' is also a fantastic visual achievement. Director Gore Verbinski ('The Ring,' 'Mouse Hunt') finally found a blockbuster large enough to contain his usual stylistic excesses. The film's production design, costumes, cinematography and special effects are overblown in a wonderful way, and are just about flawless. The movie takes the key showpieces of the theme park ride and expands them handsomely into vast widescreen proportion, creating a whole new universe in the process. The film look and tone really does live up to the stirrings of our childhood imagination, just like when we first experienced the ride, yet it also finds a perfect balance between that whimsy and a darker, more adult sensibility. This is the rare instance when a huge budget was necessary, and pays off handsomely -- with every dollar right up there on the screen.

Is 'Pirates of the Caribbean' a deep film? Surely not. But who cares, when it is so much fun? I still wish it wasn't quite so long, and for me, Depp soon wore out his welcome in 'Dead Man's Chest.' But revisiting 'The Curse of the Black Pearl' is to be reminded of how a crazy concept can actually work, if you've got a filmmaking team courageous enough to stick their necks out and just go for broke. If you're worried that a return trip to the land of the pirates may be a letdown, don't be -- 'The Curse of the Black Pearl' is still one terrific ride.

4 Stars

'Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest'

Following the resounding critical and commercial success of 'Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl,' this second installment in the series had a lot to live up to. And while I loved the first film, unfortunately 'Dead Man's Chest' was everything I feared its predecessor would be -- a loud, boorish, overcomplicated, hollow theme park attraction posing as a movie. It's rather amazing that despite having an even bigger budget and the same talented cast and crew behind the camera, 'Dead Man's Chest' only proves the old adage "less is more" all too true.

When we last saw the characters of 'Pirates of the Caribbean,' things were looking pretty good for our merry band of plunderers. The evil Barbossa (Geoffrey Rush) had been vanquished, Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) was a free man, and lovers Will Turner (Orlando Bloom) & Elizabeth Swann (Keira Knightly) were all set to live happily ever after. Sure, Sparrow still had a debt to play to the legendary Davy Jones (Bill Nighy) or risk losing life and limb, but Jack's gotten out of tough jams before -- even of the supernatural variety.

As 'Dead Man's Chest' blasts off, Jack, Will and Elizabeth are thrown together yet again to defeat a new enemy -- the slimy, tentacled Jones (truly a CGI wonder of oozy realism). In order to lift his curse, Jack must find the key to the contents of the Dead Man's Chest and deliver it to Jones, the Captain of the Flying Dutchman, a legendary spectre of a pirate ship. Along the way, Jack will nearly fall prey to a band of cannibals, while Elizabeth will have to go solo in a bid to rescue Will from Jones' even more wretched minions. But that's nothing compared to the fabled Kraken, a giant sea creature that Jones wants to keep fed and happy -- even if it means tossing Jack right into its dripping jaws. Needless to say, along the way we can expect plenty of sword fights, swashbuckling, sparring banter and Jack's usual selfish shenanigans.

Unfortunately, all of these plot points are so convoluted that they defy such concise description. It is as if returning screenwriters Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio seemed to suddenly lose faith in their characters, despite the gargantuan success of the original film. They litter 'Dead Man's Chest' with endless subplots, narrative cul-de-sacs and unnecessary action sequences -- most of which have little to do with (nor do they carry any consequences for) our heroes. For example, the entire 20-odd-minute sequence involving Sparrow and an island of cannibals could have been completely chucked from the movie and have had zero impact on the overall plot. Same goes for the disappointing climax, which offers little resolution aside from setting up another sequel.

But by far the biggest disappointment in 'Dead Man's Chest' is Depp himself. Though Captain Jack Sparrow was certainly a major character in 'Curse of the Black Pearl,' his role was primarily there to support the story of Will and Elizabeth, which gave that film a genuine sense of heart and emotion. But following Depp's Oscar-nominated turn in the original (and the huge response he garnered from audiences), Captain Jack was promoted to star in 'Dead Man's Chest,' which just about ruins the charm of the character. Where Depp's fey performance in 'Curse' was subversive and sublime (Disney execs reportedly almost had a coronary when the first few days of dailies came in), now he's just pandering to the cheap seats. It's hammy, obvious and gimmicky. There is no longer any hint of danger, or that spark of excitement in waiting to see what Depp is going to do next. It all feels a bit predictable and hollow, and -- like 'Dead Man's Chest' itself -- panders to our expectations instead of challenging them.

Still, 'Dead Man's Chest' is worth seeing on Blu-ray, if only for the spectacle of it all. The film's technical specs are absolutely second-to-none. Aside from the obvious CGI overload of the Kraken, the rest of the film seamlessly merges the practical with the digital. The fantastic sets, costumes, production design and stunts are all a sight to behold -- there are numerous sequences in 'Dead Man's Chest' that, taken on their own terms, are truly breathtaking. Though it may lack any sense of narrative drive or urgency, Sparrow's escape from the cannibals is exquisitely staged, and the climactic sword fight on an out-of-control water wheel ranks as one of the finest scenes of its type ever seen in cinema.

Unfortunately, all the sound and fury signifies little. Cluttered, overlong and lacking characters to genuinely care about, 'Dead Man's Chest' is the equivalent of sugar shock. See it only to be wowed by Hollywood craftsmen working at the top of their game. But compared to the fun and adventure of 'The Curse of the Black Pearl,' 'Dead Man's Chest' can only rate as a major disappointment.

1.5 Stars

'Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End'

After the freshness and sheer exuberance of 'Curse of the Black Pearl,' there was no place for a sequel to go but down, which is exactly where 'Dead Man's Chest' went. Noisy and chaotic, it was overstuffed with unnecessary subplots to the point of being virtually incomprehensible, failing to even resolve itself with any satisfaction, trading a clear-cut resolution for a lame cliffhanger ending right out of a Z-grade '40s serial. Such a weak second chapter didn't exactly inspire confidence in a third, so by the time 'Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End' rolled into theaters last summer, I didn't even bother to buy a ticket.

Now that I've had a chance to see the film on Blu-ray, I can say that while 'At World's End' doesn't come anywhere near matching the good-natured charm of 'Black Pearl,' it's a great improvement over 'Dead Man's Chest,' and it finally steers the storyline back on track. It's truly a relief that the filmmakers resisted the urge to torque up the action even further, and instead refocused their energies on the core characters we loved in the first movie.

What's best about 'At World's End' is that it finally puts Depp back in his place as Captain Jack Sparrow. Although only a supporting character in 'Black Pearl,' he proved such a hit with audiences that he was promoted to star of 'Dead Man's Chest.' But like a 'Star Wars' movie starring C-3P0 but without Luke Skywalker, the comedic foil doesn't work without the straight man to play off of, and the supposed leads of 'Black Pearl' (Orlando Bloom's Will Turner and Keira Knightley's Elizabeth Swann) were so pushed into the background in 'Dead Man's Chest' that the film had absolutely zero emotional weight. By contrast, 'At World's End' doesn't even bother to introduce Sparrow for over a half an hour, and it's a brave choice that pays great narrative dividends. The spotlight is now back on the core romance between Will and Elizabeth, so once again we have a story that is at least one of consequence (even if it is a bit of a remake of the first film).

The renewed sense of thematic purpose also helps the performances. Will and Elizabeth now have something to fight for, and the performances from Bloom and especially Knightley have a vigor not seen since the original film. Depp, too, seems to realize he may have overdone the postmodern irony of his character in 'Dead Man's Chest,' and seems to play up Sparrow's more vulnerable qualities here instead. Just as in 'Black Pearl,' the trio feels like a team in pursuit of a common goal again, and it's that camaraderie that saves 'At World's End' from being the soulless, mechanical thrill ride that was 'Dead Man's Chest.'

All of this is not to say that 'At World's End' doesn't suffer from plenty of creative cannibalism. Screenwriters Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio left so many loose ends dangling in 'Dead Man's Chest' that the first half of 'At World's End' feels like an extended ending -- only when Jack Sparrow is rescued from purgatory can the characters and plot finally move forward, and boy, does take a while to get there. Also repetitive and tiresome is returning director Gore Verbinksi's staging of familiar action motifs from past installments -- just how many sword fights in various locations can we see in one movie series, anyway? To be fair, the film's extended "maelstrom" battle between multiple pirate ships around a swirling vortex is utterly fantastic, but it only reminds us that the rest of the film doesn't possess nearly the same level of inventiveness. Typical of the later chapters of many movie trilogies, both 'Dead Man's Chest' and 'At World's End' have trouble distinguishing between pastiche and plagiarism, and much just feels too familiar.

Depp has stated recently that he's open to the idea of the continuing the adventures of Captain Jack in future films, and given the profits generated by the first three installments, it's hard not to imagine that Disney wouldn't love to mine the 'Pirates' franchise for even more gold. But I sure hope they don't. 'At World's End' is a perfectly fine, if flawed, capper to a franchise that has (in my opinion) pretty much worn out its welcome. After three films and nearly nine hours worth of buccaneers and buried booty, the only time I ever want to see Johnny Depp dressed up as Captain Jack Sparrow again is on the actual 'Pirates of the Caribbean' ride at Disneyland.

3 Stars

The Disc: Vital Stats

The same exact Blu-ray releases that have been put out for these movies have just been repackaged in a newer cardboard sleeve with a new extra seventh disc tacked on for good measure. Not wanting to at least create a completely new package for the discs, Disney instead opted to essentially paste the brand new disc on the outer cover with a slip in case. It looks tacky and thrown together. Not a good look for a set that costs upwards of fifty bucks.

Video Review

Ranking:

'Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl'

'Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl' was one of the most eagerly-awaited catalog releases to hit Blu-ray. The stakes were high for Disney, but to their credit, they completely hit it out of the park. This is truly a stunning visual presentation.

The superlatives of this 2.40:1 widescreen 1080p/AVC MPEG-4 transfer are many. Disney has opted, of course, for a BD-50 dual-layer disc, so there are plenty of bits to go around. The result is an image of wonderful depth and realism. 'Curse of the Black Pearl' is almost equal parts bright daylight scenes and deep, dark interiors, and I was really amazed how adroitly both are rendered. The supple contrast and rich, inky blacks give the image fantastic pop. Shadow delineation matches any reference benchmark yet set, with even the darkest blacks still revealing small, subtle details and fine textures.

Colors are exemplary, as well. 'Curse of the Black Pearl' is often awash in wonderful orange hues and striking midnight blues, and the entire color palette is boldly rendered. Fleshtones are natural and accurate, and colors clean and free from any noise. The source is also in tip-top shape -- I was surprised to find that this transfer is not grainy, especially given all the nighttime sequences. There are also no worries with compression artifacts, even on solid, static patches of color -- the presentation is always as firm as an anchor. This is a five-star transfer, no contest.

5 Stars

'Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest'

I watched 'Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest' immediately after 'Curse of the Black Pearl,' and it was a very tough act to follow. As I gushed in my review, 'Pearl' looks fantastic on Blu-ray. Happily, when it comes to picture quality, 'Dead Man's Chest' is every bit 'Pearl's equal -- in fact, it's even a bit more impressive in some respects. Though both films share a completely consistent visual look, 'Dead Man's Chest' is filled with even more spectacular nighttime setpieces and all manner of squishy, half-rotted supernatural creatures. This transfer is more than up to the challenge, setting a new benchmark for detail and dimensionality.

As with 'Curse of the Black Pearl,' Disney presents 'Dead Man's Chest' in 2.35:1 widescreen and 1080p/AVC MPEG-4 video. The source is absolutely pristine, with nary a speck of dirt or blemish to be found. Film grain just doesn't seem to exist, yet this is a picture that always looks incredibly life-like and natural. Colors are beautifully rendered, from the rich orange hues of the sun-drenched exteriors to the rock solid midnight blues of the Jolly Roger. Shadow delineation is extraordinary -- every last, oozy, puss-filled tentacle of Davy Jones is visible. Whatever its other virtues, 'Dead Man's Chest,' is a tour de force of production design and seamless integration of CGI, and both are done massively proud here.

This disc is also a great test case for the considerable upgrade Blu-ray can offer over standard-def DVD. Though the standard-def transfer of 'Dead Man's Chest' was certainly superior to the noisy, edgy 'Curse of the Black Pearl' DVD, both are blown out of the water by their high-def counterparts. Depth is never less than eye-popping -- I don't think a single shot in 'Dead Man's Chest' looks anything less than three-dimensional. The image is smooth, free of edge enhancement and other obnoxious digital processing tricks, and contrast is not at all jacked up resulting in blown-out whites or lessened fine detail. In short, 'Dead Man's Chest' is the kind of top-tier next-gen presentation we all hope for when a studio unleashes a highly-anticipated blockbuster title on high-def.

5 Stars

'Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End'

'Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End' on Blu-ray has a lot to live up to. It follows both 'Curse of the Black Pearl' and 'Dead's Man Chest,' which I found to be two truly demo-worthy transfers that easily rank among the best-looking discs I've ever seen on the format. Although Disney does not mar that legacy with 'At World's End,' it's not quite as perfect a high-def presentation as the first two films, and for some may even rank as a minor disappointment.

Disney again offers a 1080p/AVC MPEG-4 encode for 'At World's End.' As the film was shot concurrently with 'Dead Man's Chest,' both transfers have an identical visual look. The source is pristine, with no blemishes or defects. There is some film grain present, but it's hardly intrusive. Colors are very well rendered, with 'At World's End' again awash in deep midnight blues and intense uses of orange (it's rare that there's a scene in a 'Pirates of the Caribbean' movie without a flickering torch). Some scenes do have an intentional blue or green cast, but fleshtones are as accurate as can be expected.

As with 'Curse of the Black Pearl' and 'Dead Man's Chest,' shadow delineation on 'At World's End' is extraordinary. It truly is the most impressive technical aspect of these transfers for me, with even the darkest areas of the image always revealing some sort of neat little detail. Depth and detail remain extraordinary as well, with every pore and cragged tooth of the actors apparent (sometimes painfully). The presentation also remains fantastically sharp - I don't think a single shot in 'At World's End' displays a hint of softness.

Unfortunately, I don't feel I can give 'At World's End' the same five-star video rating I gave 'Curse of the Black Pearl' and 'Dead Man's Chest,' because I found a few inconsistencies a bit too hard to ignore. Noise is the biggest problem -- I noticed it at times on fleshtones, as well as areas of static color. Even more troublesome, it can be glaringly obvious on areas of bright white, such as the entire surreal sequence with Depp playing multiple versions of Captain Jack Sparrow. Blacks also waver, with a few scenes looking quite flat and lacking in depth. Although these are not fatal problems considering the beauty of the rest of the presentation, 'At World's End' left me only very satisfied, and not blown away as I was with the first two 'Pirates' flicks on Blu-ray.

4 Stars

Audio Review

Ranking:

'Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl'

The audio package on 'Curse of the Black Pearl' is also a stunner. Disney offers up an English PCM 5.1 surround track (48kHz/24-bit/6.9mpbs) and this one makes a great case for across-the-board studio support of uncompressed sound formats. Loud and pummeling, but a totally fun ride, 'Curse of the Black Pearl' made my home theater rig very, very happy.

The most immediately noticeable characteristic of the film's sound design is simply how intense it is. Right from the opening scene -- with the flashback on the ship in a middle of a storm -- the surrounds are fully and forcefully engaged. I've heard plenty of great soundtracks with all manner of discrete effects, but the sustained wall of sound produced by 'Curse of the Black Pearl' is absolutely up there with the most engaging and wholly immersive home theater presentations I've had the pleasure to enjoy. Imaging between channels, the sense of palpable realism to the dynamics and the excellent balance of music and effects -- this one delivers a 360-degree soundfield that really is just about as close to perfection as you're likely to get outside of a state-of-the-art cinema.

'Curse of the Black Pearl,' however, is not just content to knock us out with its big action sequences. I place just as much emphasis on atmosphere as bombast. Some of my favorite sequences in 'Black Pearl' are quieter ones. I loved all of the pseudo-horror movie moments on Barbossa's supernatural ship, from the individualization of specific instruments in the score (which deliver a great, eerie ambiance) to the fine attention to subtle detail, such as the creaks and moans of the floorboards, which are directed with pinpoint accuracy to individual rear channels. Excellent.

Dynamics are predictably outstanding. Low bass extends so deep that even with just a decent subwoofer you should be able to feel some serious impact. The sense of clarity and realism to the upper ranges also is palpable. And dialogue holds up smashingly. I remember finding Johnny Depp's frequent mumblings as Jack Sparrow almost incomprehensible at the theatrical screening I saw, but I had no such problems here. Even deep, low dialogue is intelligible, and volume balance is never an issue. In short, 'Curse of the Black Pearl' is my new favorite demo soundtrack on Blu-ray.

5 Stars

'Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest'

As they did for 'The Curse of the Black Pearl,' Disney also grants 'Dead Man's Chest' an uncompressed PCM 5.1 surround track, again encoded at 48kHz/24-bit/6.9mpbs. This one is another stunner -- just about any scene in 'Dead Man's Chest' could serve as demo material for your home theater, surpassing any other soundtrack yet heard on Blu-ray.

Like its predecessor, 'Dead Man's Chest' may suffer from a bit of sonic overkill, but who cares when it is so damn entertaining? There are three or so sequences here that are just a thrill to listen to -- namely the extended cannibal capture of Jack Sparrow, the two Kraken attacks on the Jolly Roger, and in particularly the now-famous climactic sword fight on the out-of-control windmill. The transparency of the channel imaging and pinpoint-accurate placement of discrete effects can only be described as the pinnacle of epic Hollywood sound design. The sheer force and effectiveness of the 360-degree soundfield replicated here is simply stunning.

Dynamics are also outstanding. Just listen to the scene where Davy Jones plays his gigantic organ, while thundering rain and waves pound against the outside of his ship. The heft and tightness of the bass, and the rich smoothness of the high-end -- it's incredibly vivid and life-like. And as was the case with 'Pearl,' dialogue and subtle details are not lost in the din. I was shocked that I never had to make any volume adjustments during the film for dialogue, nor tone down the rears, which can often be a problem when bombastic soundtracks over-crank specific effects to unreal levels. Simply put, 'Dead Man's Chest' is a master class in how to do home theater audio properly.

5 Stars

'Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End'

Absolutely smashing. 'At World's End' easily matches 'Curse of the Black Pearl' and 'Dead Man's Chest' in the audio department. Disney has served up another uncompressed PCM 5.1 Surround track (48kHz/24-bit) that's totally gangbusters, with enough demo-worthy scenes to fill up ten other discs.

Exactly as you'd want and expect from a 'Pirates of the Caribbean' film, 'At World's End' is totally bombastic. Though not a film of wall-to-wall action like 'Dead Man's Chest,' 'At World's End' has enough outstanding sequences of its own that it's just as much of a sonic thrill. The climactic "maelstrom" battle is the absolute highlight, with the "wall of sound" effect so well executed it's hard to imagine anything better. The finesse of pans between channels and the pinpoint-accurate placement of discrete effects is absolutely first-rate, to the point where the illusion is never less than utterly transparent.

Dynamics are also outstanding. The force and tightness of low bass delivers a wallop to the subwoofer, and the rich smoothness of the high-end is wonderfully rich and vivid. Hans Zimmer's score has a more Eastern influence this time around, with a nice mix of organic and synthesized instruments, and it is rendered perfectly here, with a nice and even tone and aggressively bleed to the back channels. And as was the case with the previous two 'Pirates' Blu-rays, dialogue and subtle sonic details are never overwhelmed in the mix, and volume matching is never an issue. Disney has truly knocked it out of the park again with the sound on 'At World's End,' delivering a third 'Pirates' demo disc to add to your collection.

5 Stars

Special Features

Ranking:

In an effort to conserve space, please click on the links to refresh your knowledge about the special features that are found on these movies.

'Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl'

'Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest'

'Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End'

Final Thoughts

If you already have these movies, then the only reason to think of purchasing this new re-packaged trilogy is for the seventh disc. The deleted scenes are nice, and there's a lot of them, complete with in-depth commentary from Verbinski. Is that enough of an incentive to repurchase a $50 box-set? Maybe for some people it is, for me it isn't. I'm recommending this set for fans only, because they're the only people I think would be willing to pay for all these movies again, just to get an extra disc out of it.