PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: DEAD MEN TELL NO TALES – A Review by John Strange
Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp), possibly the worst pirate captain that ever blundered their way into… well, anything, is back! When you think about it, this guy has made so many enemies, only a benevolent deity with a wicked (sarcastic) sense of humor, could have kept him alive!
The writers have had a real challenge to continue to find new enemies and companions for Jack. This edition of the series brings us Henry Turner (Brenton Thwaites), the son of Will Turner (Orlando Bloom) and Elizabeth Swann (Keira Knightley). Will is cursed to remain trapped aboard the Flying Dutchman. Young Henry figures out how to get to the Dutchman to attempt to rescue his father. Will, his face the home of barnacles, make Henry understand that as long ass the curse remains in force, he can never leave the ship. Henry learns that only the trident of Poseidon can break the curse.
Thus begins Henry's quest. A quest that involves first finding Captain Jack and his compass and then the whereabouts of the trident. Along the way he interacts and involves a plethora of characters, some new and some old friends like Captain Jack's crew and Captain Hector Barbossa (Geoffrey Rush). The new are, in my mind, the main reason for watching this film.
Captain Salazar (Javier Bardem), a Spanish captain who died with the need to end all pirates but most especially, Jack Sparrow. Javier Bardem brings a life to this ghostly character in ways the series has not yet experienced. He and his crew are the most active plotline of the film as they come into the light following an incident and begin to destroy every pirate ship they can find.
Concurrent with this, Henry is following his quest which brings him to both Captain Jack and a somewhat mysterious young lady who is accused of witchcraft for following the path of science. Carina Smyth (Kaya Scodelario) is also searching for the trident of Poseidon, a task or perhaps a calling that she inherited from her father.
The action of Pirates Of The Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales is dirty, no perhaps muddy is a more fitting term. The life of a pirate does not include baths (unless they fall into the water) so the live pirates look as dirty as they act. Speaking of acting, this is one of the reasons people have always loved this series. The acting is excellent. Jack is Depp at his best, Barbossa could only be brought to life by someone of Geoffrey Rush's caliber, and the newest addition, Javier Bardem's Salazar is amazing!
The action is excellent as the two major plotlines intertwine as the action moves towards a climax that was… satisfying. Satisfying is not a word I would have expected to use for a film like this but it fits very well. Pirates Of The Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales is a nice addition to the Pirates series. I really enjoyed watching it. And it is one of the few films I have seen recently that was truly enhanced with the 3-D treatment. The rest looked nice but 3-D effect gave Pirates an added depth that was a big part of the enjoyment I felt as I sat in the auditorium. The film is just over two hours long but it doesn't feel like it. I think you will love this one as much as I did.
Directed by: Joachim Rønning, Espen Sandberg
Cast: Johnny Depp, Javier Bardem, Brenton Thwaites, Kaya Scodelario, Kevin McNally, Geoffrey Rush
MPAA Rating: PG-13 for sequences of adventure violence, and some suggestive content
Selig Rating: A
Runtime: 129 Min.
Movie Site: http://pirates.disney.com/
The Selig Rating Scale:
A – Excellent movie, well worth the price.
B – Good movie
C – OK movie
D – No need to rush. Save it for a rainy day.
F – Good that I saw it on the big screen but wish I hadn't paid for it.
