All good things come in three: The summer of triplets

It is an old superstition that good luck, or bad, happens in threes. This summer, number three sequels are everywhere, so entertainment-minded moviegoers have triple the effect.

Hollywood has always had sequels but they seem to take over summers now. Here are quick reviews on three number three sequels.

Pirates 3

Disney and Johnny Depp continue the enormously successful pirate movie series with "Pirates of the Caribbean 3: At World's End." The third movie completes a cycle of sorts with the first two movies, but sets up the series for another round, of course.

This movie is darker, with more action and less comedy, than the previous two. We knew it was trending that way but I miss the swashbuckling fun, and would guess that at least some others feel the same way. Still there is plenty of excitement and plenty of spectacular special effects.

The second Pirates movie hardly even had an end, so "Pirates of the Caribbean 3: At World's End" picks up immediately with Elizabeth Swan (Keira Knightly), Will Turner (Orlando Bloom) and Captain Barbosa (Geoffrey Rush) in a seedy and sinister Asian underworld, on the trail of Capt. Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp).

Geoffrey Rush steals the show in many instances, although Depp is still good. Keira Knightly and Orlando Bloom's characters have gone through such changes from the first film, that they sort of walk through this. The Rolling Stones' Keith Richards, Johnny Depp's inspiration for his Jack Sparrow, makes his long-anticipated appearance late, as a menacing pirate and Jack Sparrow's dad.

The story is dark, even sinister, with more tragic touches than comic ones, especially for the young couple. It does neatly tie up the storyline, although more than a few things have little logic to them.

But this one is not really about the characters, and only somewhat about the plot. It is about the action and effects, which appear in boatloads and are really top notch, of course.

If what you liked most about these pirate movies was the action and effects, you will not be disappointed. If you like the comedy more, offerings are slimmer this time. Doubtless, the swashbuckling Jack Sparrow will likely go on new adventures, but maybe a little further afield from the playful antics of the first pirate hit.

Spiderman 3

The third Spider-Man movie is darker that the previous ones as well, but here the effect is more interesting, with deeper characters and reflection on ethical dilemmas.

Spider-Man 3 opens with Peter Parker feeling pretty cocky. He has the girl of his dreams, no super villains in sight, a great job at the newspaper and everyone loves Spidey. You know it can not last, and sure enough, a couple of events set things in motion.

One of these is the arrival of a space vehicle with an oily black goo from outside the solar system, which clings to living things and transforms them into shells to do its unpleasant bidding. A chance event also transforms an escaped convict into a creature of shifting sand but enormous strength, the Sandman. And there is still Peter Parker's old buddy Harry, the son of vanquished nemesis, the Goblin, and all their issues.

Then there is Mary Jane, whose career has hit a rough patch and is feeling overlooked as Spider-Man basks in his fame.

This Spider-Man movie is much more character and plot-driven, and less about action. Although Spidey ends up with three villains to deal with, the film's focus is more on the characters, their interpersonal relationships and Peter Parker's internal struggles between impulses to good and evil.

This sequel also focuses on the relationship between Peter Parker and Mary Jane, giving it a surprisingly realistic and even romantic tone. While this new tact is handled with unexpected skill, both these factors are likely to make the film less popular with the hardcore comic fans and more popular with more general audiences, especially women.

Action fans will still find lots of eye-popping special effects and terrific battles between the web-slinger and his evil adversaries. But things are a little less cut and dried, which sharpens the suspense.

Purists are likely less pleased with the one, which compresses years of storyline into one film and burns through three villains at one go. But audiences who are more fans of the movies than the comics will be entertained, and the sequel's plot ties up story lines running from the first Spider-Man movie, making it easier for the movie series to take off in another direction, or even weather a change of cast, which has been rumored to be coming.

Shrek 3

The third Shrek movie maintains the same high entertainment quality but skews a bit more into grown-up humor with more jokes that will sail over little heads.

In Shrek 3, Shrek and Fiona are faced with the unappealing, for ogres at least, prospect of becoming the king and queen of Far Far Away, when Fiona's father passes away. Having had a taste of court life while Fiona's father was ill, Shrek has no intention of taking on the position for life.

He is faced with finding a more suitable and eager successor to the throne. While Shrek embarks on that quest, Fiona and her ladies in waiting, Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella and Rapunzel, have to cope with a coup attempt by a scheming, rejected Prince Charming.

The focus of the comedy action is much more on the ladies than on Eddie Murphy's Donkey or Antonio Banderas' Puss in Boots, a let-down for fans of each.

Still there are plenty of humor and Hollywood references, along with the fairy tale jokes.

Like the previous two films, the story line is good and the characters remarkably believable and likeable.

Mike Myers works his magic once again with his multilayered Shrek.

Once again, Shrek is worth the money.