May 31 2007

Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End

Published by Fence under Moving Pictures

Dir: Gore Verbinksi
Writ: Ted Elliott & Terry Rossio

  • Johnny Depp … Jack Sparrow
  • Geoffrey Rush … Barbossa
  • Orlando Bloom … Will Turner
  • Keira Knightley … Elizabeth Swann
  • Jack Davenport … Norrington
  • Bill Nighy … Davy Jones
  • Mackenzie Crook … Ragetti
  • Stellan SkarsgÃ¥rd … ‘Bootstrap’ Bill Turner
  • Naomie Harris … Tia Dalma
  • Chow Yun-Fat … Captain Sao Feng
  • Keith Richards … Captain Teague

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Surprisingly I liked this. I loved the first, but was bored during the second, so I wasn’t expecting great things from the third in the series. Maybe this was the reason I liked it, low expectations and all, but whatever the cause I’m glad.

It isn’t as good as the first; I don’t think I’d be bothered to rewatch it. Maybe if it showed up on telly, or I wanted to waste three hours, but I wouldn’t be pushed either way. Still it more than did its job of entertaining me throughout the film. And earned a few laughs as well. So thumbs up I think.

And then there is the whole look and feel of the film. It is fab. Honestly. I loved Davy Jones’ locker, and the hallucinations of Jack Sparrows. Fantastic. Surreal and trippy, but wonderful.

That being said, there were bits I didn’t like, but then again what film is perfect. Especially if it has Keira Knightly in it? I’m not a fan, but she did okay, nothing to complain about[1] I feel kinda the same about Orlando Bloom, I’m not a huge fan, but he did the job, although he really wasn’t in it all that much, despite being a principle character.

Yes, there is too much going on, and plots that go nowhere, and senselessness, but it doesn’t really matter. Jack is cool. Pirates are piratey. So it is all good.

Yo, ho, haul together,
hoist the Colors high…
Heave ho, thieves and beggars,
never say we die.

And while I’m here; the opening was a bit dark wasn’t it? I mean, the hangings of huge numbers of people, including children, but cunningly filmed so it only got a 12s rating.

IMDb | Stainless Steel Droppings | BlogCritics | Done Waiting |

Linknotes:
  1. apart from her being so skinny, my god a sword is fatter than her, but whatever ↩
Tags: battles, Bill Nighy, Chow Yun-Fat, Geoffrey Rush, ghosts, Gore Verbinksi, Jack Davenport, Johnny Depp, Keira Knightley, Keith Richards, Mackenzie CrookStellan Skarsgård, marine warfare, Naomie Harris, ocean, Orlando Bloom, pirates, Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End, POTC, sea, sff, Ted Elliott, Terry Rossio

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Jan 20 2007

The Liveship Traders

Published by Fence under Books

Author: Robin Hobb

    Books in series:

  1. Ship of Magic
  2. The Mad Ship
  3. Ship of Destiny

DDC: 813.54
reread with ffseries

She wondered what it would have been like to be perfect.

Image of Ship of MagicI really love Hobb’s writing. And while I slightly prefer her Fitz books I do love this Liveship trilogy too.

I can’t say too much about the plot as I don’t want to spoil any of the three books, but essentially it revolves around the Vestrit family. They are one of the Old Trader families in Bingtown, a settlement under the control of the Satrap, but not an integral part of the Empire. In recent years an influx of “New Traders” has been upsetting the balance of power in the town, especially as many have brought their slaves and the slave trade to Bingtown. Althea, the younger daughter of the Vestrits had always thought that she would inherit their ship when her father passed on, but she had never thought it would be so soon. And when the ship instead goes to her older sister and husband Althea is outraged, and promises to herself that she will do whatever it takes to get her ship back. For the Vivacia is not a normal ship, made of wizardwood it quickens after three generations of a family have died aboard and becomes a Liveship, capable of talking, thinking and acting for herself. Althea’s father is the third generation to die on Vivacia’s deck. This is another reason Althea objects to the plans to turn her into a slaver in order to try and make money.

Image of The Mad ShipAnd then there is the pirate Kennit, he has recently started to hunt down slaveships, killing the crews and freeing the slaves, earning himself quite a reputation and a following. He has always wanted a Liveship, and Vivacia looks ideal for his purposes.

The third strand of this storyline is that of the sea serpents. For countless years they have roamed the sea, but now something has changed.

And I haven’t even started discussing Malta, Althea’s neice, or the Wild Rain Traders.

Image of Ship of DestinyThe blurb on the back compares these books to the Aubrey and Maturin series, if they were fantasy novels, and I suppose as two well written adventure series about ships and sailors they have a certain amount in common. I prefer the Liveships though. Mainly because of the characters. You might not always like Hobb’s characters, in fact I’d have doubts over anyone who actually liked Kennit as a person, but there is no doubt that he is an intriguing character. All of the main characters have faults and failings, none are the all conquering hero, and the story is all the better for this sort of reality.

Just be prepared, Hobb never lets her characters have an easy life.

Tags: 813.54, 9 Stars, character driven, magic, ocean, Robin Hobb, sailors, series, sff, Ship of Destiny, Ship of Magic, Six Duchies 'verse, The Liveship Traders, The Mad Ship

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