Knightley is thrust to the fore in this third film, usurping both Bloom and Depp and flings herself into the melee with impressive sword fights. Bloom postures and pouts with fervour, while Depp press-gangs the few decent one-liners. Supporting performances are drowned out by Hans Zimmer’s bombastic orchestral score. The romance between Elizabeth and Will is soaked through with sappiness, resolved in the midst of the titanic final battle in a manner that will have even the most ardent fan screaming “Plausibility overboard!” In truth, Gore Verbinski’s film can weather an entire armada of critical drubbing: Dead Man’s Chest became only the third film in history to gross in excess of $1bn worldwide. Audiences adore Depp’s swaggering anti-hero and the cliffhanger finish of the second film will attract cinemagoers in their droves, quite possibly shattering box office records. Unfortunately, once the initial storm of excitement and anticipation blows itself out, At World’s End will be dead in the water. | 
