Pirates Of The Caribbean At World's End Pirates Of The Caribbean: At World's End: Original Walt Disney Records Soundtrack CD

Composer: Hans Zimmer.
Personnel: Geoffrey Alch, Samela Beasom, Delores Clay, Lawrence Cummings, Robert Hovencamp, Chris Allport, Jessica Elisabeth, Ned Wertimer, Jim Raycroft (vocals); Hila Plitmann (soprano); Gore Verbinski (guitar); Heitor Teixeira Pereira (banjo); Julie Gigante (violin); Michael Levine , Lili Haydn (fiddle); Brian Dembow (viola); Martin Tillman, Stephen Erdody (cello); Jim Walker , Geri Rotella (flute); Chris Bleth (duduk); Frank Marocco (accordion); James Kanter (clarinet); Phil Ayling (oboe); Michael O'Donovan (bassoon); Charles Loper (trombone); Doug Tornquist (tuba); Jim Thatcher (horns); Tom Raney, Simon Phillips (percussion).
Audio Mixers: Al Clay; Alan Meyerson.
Liner Note Author: Mark Wherry.
Recording information: Fox Scoring Stage; Sony Scoring Stage; Todd Ao Scoring Stage.
Unknown Contributor Role: Karen Hua-Qi Han.
As with 2006's PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: DEAD MAN'S CHEST, renowned composer Hans Zimmer once again contributes a dynamic orchestral score to the third installment of the swashbuckling adventure series, AT WORLD'S END. Zimmer's string-laden pieces effectively enhance the blockbuster film's dark, dire tone (see the dramatic, Asian-tinged "Singapore"), though there are moments of levity, as with the playful, carnival-like "Multiple Jacks."
As the Pirates of the Caribbean trilogy has unfolded, the films' quirky characters have become even more of a draw than the action and special effects. The music for the films has followed suit, although not at the same pace: Hans Zimmer's score for the final film, Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End has a few moments of whimsy, spooky drama and exotic flavor mixed with more typical, churning musical backdrops for the action set pieces. With sawing strings and huge brass and choral sections, tracks such as "At Wit's End," "I Don't Think Now Is the Best Time," and "I See Dead People in Boats" are no doubt serviceable in the film's context, but separated from it, they're too repetitive and overwhelming to be enjoyable. However, "Up Is Down"'s Celtic flair makes it more interesting than many of the other amped-up tracks, while the chanted shanty "Hoist the Colours" and mischievous, sinister "Multiple Jacks" prove that the score's quieter moments are the most entertaining. It's also too bad that Keith Richards, who plays Captain Jack Sparrow's pirate dad, isn't featured somehow in the music -- it's a missed opportunity that makes this send-off for Captain Jack and his maties just a little less satisfying. ~ Heather Phares