Heroes Will Turner and Elizabeth Swann allied with Captain Barbossa are in a quest to free Captain Jack Sparrow from his mind-bending trap in Davy Jones' locker - while the terrifying ghost ship, The Flying Dutchman and Davy Jones, under the control of the East India Trading Company, wreak havoc across the Seven Seas. Navigating through treachery, betrayal and wild waters, they must forge their way to exotic Singapore and confront the cunning Chinese pirate Sao Feng. Now headed beyond the very ends of the earth, each must ultimately choose a side in a final, titanic battle - as not only their lives and fortunes, but the entire future of the freedom-loving Pirate way, hangs in the balance.

Avast there, all ye swabs! It's swashbuckling time again with Capt Jack Sparrow and his pirates of the Caribbean. Since this instalment was shot back-to-back with "Pirates 2", the action opens right smack in the lair of Singapore pirate Capt Sao Feng (Chow Yun-fat) where we find Will Turner (Orlando Bloom), Elizabeth Swann (Keira Knightley) and Capt Barbossa (Geoffrey Rush) persuading the Oriental buccaneer to join them in their quest to rescue Jack (Johnny Depp) from his mind-altering imprisonment in Davy Jones' Locker.

The slippery Sao Feng happens to have the chart to the World's End where Jack is trapped - and there is no time to lose as Lord Beckett (Tom Hollander) of the East India Company (EIC) and Davy Jones (Bill Nighy) himself are hot on their tail.

Other attractions in this sequel, originally modelled after the Disneyland ride, include the convening of a Brethren's Court of the world's nine pirate lords; the 'resurrection' of the mythical sea nymph Calypso; the usual betrayals and treacheries; plus lots of sea-battle showdowns among Jack's ship, the Black Pearl, Davy Jones' Flying Dutchman and the vessels of the EIC.

POTC fans who are looking for special effects thrills and spills will not be disappointed as director Gore Verbinski seems to have put every dollar of his US$300 million (RM1.05 billion) budget to good use. Yeah, the scripters have left no coral unturned to explore and expose every pirate and sea-faring myth and legend. The computer-generated visuals, like the army of rock-like crabs and raging storms, just boggle our minds. Indeed, there is so much to marvel at that some times, when the movie goes into its narrative mode, we lose the 'wow factor' effects and feel the drag.

Verbinski has no less than 15 plot-lines to thread through and they can get rather tedious to sit through and confusing to keep track of. Don't be surprised if you find your mind wandering from the proceedings halfway through the action. There is only so much fun that we can digest in those butt-numbing 168 minutes.

Also, I can't help thinking that Verbinski has targeted this sequel to coincide with Father's Day celebrations (in June) as some of the plot lines involve the paternal relationships of the leads. Will Turner, for example, reveals a secret quest to rescue his father (Stellan Skarsgard) from the clutches of Davy Jones'; Elizabeth casts a life-line to her late Dad (Jonathan Pryce) at World's End; and Jack finally meets his Old Man Teague (the controversial Keith Richards of The Rolling Stones) who somehow ends up strumming a guitar (for no conceivable reason).

Among the cast, Chow Yun-fat stands out as the newcomer to the franchise but he is in no way outstanding. He is allowed to ham his way through the proceedings. Depp, as usual, is fun to watch as he slurs his lines and struts his way around. Knightley, who gets more screen time in this instalment, only manages to show her limitations as an action star: pretty to look at but difficult to root for. However, the most memorable supporting star award goes to the little monkey who gets the laughs every time it appears.

Watching this 'three-quel', we have no doubt that Verbinski and crew are still passionate about their yo-ho-ho franchise. There is already talk about a fourth movie being planned. Let's hope that the film-makers don't go overboard with their passion and leave us stranded in a plot-muddle again.

The previous movie, "Pirates of the Caribbean 2: Dead Man's Chest", left off with the return of the scurvy Captain Barbossa (Geoffrey Rush) when Will Turner (Orlando Bloom) and Elizabeth Swann (Keira Knightley) found that they needed his help to obtain a navigational chart to save Jack Sparrow from Davy Jones' Locker. The enigmatic chart is located in Singapore, in the hands of a ruthless pirate named Captain Sao Feng (Chow Yun-fat), who leads a band of Chinese pirates.

Singapore is indeed a dark place in "Pirates of the Caribbean 3". The streets are laden with every imaginable dirt and grime and you can see it in every crease on the actor's face. Its magnificent setting provides great ambience and is a testament to the imagination of the crew behind this movie. Every background from here on is great to look at. Nothing falls short of grabbing your attention.

Chow portrays an arresting figure of a pirate, or more significantly, as one of the Pirate Lords of the Brethren Court. As a new addition to the movie's line-up, he bodes well with the other characters and although he is a hard-boiled man, Sao Feng is tender on the inside. He is neither an ally nor enemy and he personifies a certain humble integrity that Chow graces ever so mildly. Sadly, as much as we would all love to see an Asian pirate gallivanting on-screen in one of the most celebrated blockbusters ever, Sao Feng is granted very little screen time to develop into anything worth remembering.

Every tiny detail is exceptionally tailored - from the scars on the actors' face to the million stone crabs on the white powder beach - the movie's creativity is simply a wonder to look at. The multifarious diversity of the costumes and character design is intrinsic to the story as well as the cinematography. In this department, the movie certainly doesn't disappoint.

Jack Sparrow, while trapped in Davy Jones' Locker, is battling his own self-manifested demons. Although it doesn't defer him to ridiculous extents, the scenes of his confusion is rather, well, confusing. Tia Dalma, one of Jack's friends who journeys with Will and Elizabeth to rescue him, describes Davy Jones' Locker as a place of unimaginable 'punishment'. However, the only 'punishment' that tortures him is the 'evil' and 'good' imaginary miniature Jack Sparrows on both sides of his shoulders (as well as in the midst of his unruly hair) who whispers contradictions in his ear to cloud his judgment. Here, we find that the 'mind-bending trap' in the movie's earlier released synopsis is neither mind-bending nor a trap at all. Hallucinations aside, Davy Jones' Locker seems to be quite a pleasant place.

After rescuing Jack, the crew of Will Turner, Elizabeth Swann and Captain Barbossa sail off on board the Black Pearl towards a wicked turn of events that includes the unveiling of the 'real' Calypso, Davy Jones' sweetheart who betrayed his love in the past. The cinematic battle between the two ships, the Black Pearl and the Flying Dutchman, is truly a choreography that's in a league of its own. It is here where (and when) you will find one of the most unconventional nuptials you will ever see in movie history - a risk that could either make the entire scene look like complete genius or just downright cliche.

The long-standing cast have stamped their mark over their characters. After three movies together, they have certainly engraved their faces to the "Pirates" franchise. Each one has developed a certain quality that's very fond to the movie and it is by far, the strongest of the three.

The plot is a roller-coaster ride - one diversion and you'll lose focus, thwarting the enjoyment of the rest of the movie. With all the pirate lingo thrown in to boot, there's a chance that you might not understand the movie at all. So pick up the nearest pirate dictionary, brush up on your pirate lingo and you ought to be on your way to an excellent show.