AT WORLD'S END is an exercise in excess, boasting a running time of nearly three hours and a labyrinthine map of double- and triple-crosses. Characters return from the dead and change allegiances with ease, thanks to the magic of Tia Dalma (Naomie Harris) and the pirate code of ethics--or lack thereof. Though the third film in the series is filled with action and special effects befitting any blockbuster, it's the performances that make the movie memorable. Depp has earned an Oscar nod for his role as Jack, but he's not the only one who shines. With Jack locked away, the film sits on the strong shoulders of Rush, as well as Stellan Skarsgard as Bootstrap Bill and the brilliant British actor Bill Nighy as Davy Jones. Despite having to act behind a mess of CGI tentacles, Nighy nearly steals the show, as in the previous films UNDERWORLD and LOVE ACTUALLY. This is literally and figuratively the darkest entry in director Gore Verbinski's trilogy, as the film trades the sunny skies of the Caribbean for the world's most treacherous seas. There's plenty of rum-soaked humor, but it's balanced by betrayal and sacrifice.