*** ½

Each of the Pirates films has a distinctive tone separating them from each other with prominently placed brushstrokes.

Heavy on story Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003) impressed with well-timed humour and design.

The sequel, Dead Man’s Chest (2006), was more playful and straight entertainment value.

The serious tone of At World’s End is like watching the value placed on saving friends at the beginning of Return of the Jedi. It’s a mission with a clear and important purpose, more of a straight adventure tale.

The three different approaches make for nice changes in tempo.

Director Gore Verbinski is the Steven Spielberg and George Lucas for a new generation of movie goers, and those older will see elements of those director’s famous films retold with a pirate’s legendary sense of humour.

At World’s End is a good mix of humour, brilliant spectacle, special effects, and action – including a worth-waiting-for climatic sea battle – but the storyline is pretty obvious and the middle is talky requiring sustained concentration.

The performances, which were great in Curse of the Black Pearl, are better than they were in Dead Man’s Chest, which took the polish off, but Rolling Stones’ Keith Richard’s much talked about cameo saunters.

It continues where the last film finished. The heart of Davy Jones, who ruled the Caribbean seas, is now in the hands of the East India Trading Company. With it, they can control their sea bearing trading routes.

Jones and Lord Beckett work together with an armada and a pirate ship, called the Flying Dutchman, to advance against their adversary who needs Captain Jack Sparrow, banished to the depths of the netherworld. With him, they must do battle with Sparrow’s ship the Black Pearl in tow.

There are supernatural aspects, themes of eternal punishment and the quest for immortality and courage; father and son bond is pivotal; violence is mostly action-packed style with a few more gruesome moments. All in all, it is hard to put down for its omissions, including lulls, because the series is too likeable to debunk.