Johnny Deep returns as Captain Jack Sparrow in the latest adventure of the film series. Is the film any good?
PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: ON STRANGER TIDES
WALT DISNEY PICTURES
Rating: PG
RUNTIME: 125 minutes
Cast: Johnny Depp, Penelope Cruz, Ian McShane, Astirid Berges-Frisbey, Sam Claflin, and Geoffrey Rush
Director: Rob Marshall
Producer: Jerry Bruckheimer
Studio Synopsis:
Produced by Jerry Bruckheimer and directed by Rob Marshall, “Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides” captures the fun, excitement and humor that ignited the hit franchise—this time in Disney Digital 3D™.
Johnny Depp returns to his iconic role of Captain Jack Sparrow in this action-packed adventure that finds him crossing paths (and swords) with the enigmatic Angelica (Penélope Cruz). When she forces him aboard the “Queen Anne’s Revenge,” the ship of the legendary pirate Blackbeard (Ian McShane), Jack finds himself on an unexpected journey to the fabled Fountain of Youth. Along the way Jack must use all his wiles to deal with the barbarous Blackbeard and his crew of zombies, Angelica, the ravishing pirate with whom he shares a dubious past, and the beautiful, enchanting mermaids whose masterful cunning can lure even the most seasoned sailor to his doom. The international cast includes franchise vets Geoffrey Rush as the indestructible Captain Hector Barbossa and Kevin R. McNally as Captain Jack’s longtime comrade Joshamee Gibbs, plus Sam Claflin as a stalwart missionary and Astrid Bergès-Frisbey as a mysterious mermaid.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wukFJEvke7E[/youtube]
J.P.’s Take:
Pirates, zombies, mermaids and the fountain of youth OH MY! That’s what fans can expect in Disney’s 4th installment of the “Pirates of the Caribbean” franchise.
In “Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides,“Johnny Depp reprises his iconic role of Captain Jack Sparrow, while director Rob Marshall takes over the duties replacing Gore Verbinski, who helmed the first three.
This time around Sparrow comes across new comers Angelica (Penelope Cruz) and the infamous Blackbeard (Ian McShane) in the search of the fountain of youth. “Stranger Tides” has come full circle, boasting the same humorous antics from the entire cast and swashbuckling adventurous spirit as 2003’s “The Curse of the Black Pearl.” The only significant difference here is a few new cast members and the “back to basics” tone. Gone are the superfluous stunts and over the top moments to muck up the story. “POTC 4” becomes a much more intimate tale, thanks to producer Jerry Bruckheimer, who has decided to remove the chaos from the story to focus on the characters’ journey. However, that doesn’t mean it’s any less adventurous; in fact, it’s just as enjoyable as the three before it … without being bloated with tons of special effects and long action sequences.
Some of the most memorable scenes for me were where Captain Jack, Barbossa (Geoffrey Rush) and Blackbeard encounter the mermaids. They call them to the surface utilizing an old oil burning light house, in order to capture one of them to harvest a tear. The chilling thing about that scene is the under water shots as they swarm to the surface. Viewers will discover that these are no ordinary mermaids; they harbor a deadly secret as well. That moment actually gave me the chills.
Depp is on top of his games as the flamboyant Captain Sparrow, for which he channels several characters at once. He’s pretty much conjures up the sarcasm of Groucho Marx and Bugs Bunny with a Keith Richards sense of style.
Speaking of Keith Richards, he once again makes an appearance as Captain Teague, father of Jack Sparrow. New leading lady Penelope Cruz enters the scene as both the love interest to the Captain, as well as the underhanded villain. I like Cruz’s spunky approach to the character of Angelica, and she blends in nicely with the rest of the cast. Astrid Bergès-Frisbey plays the captured mermaid Syrena, who gives a fragile performance. Bergès-Frisbey has such sweet innocent expressions and performs most of the time without speaking; she really gleamed on screen.
My only gripe about this film is that it can get tiring to watch midway through — but that’s to be expected of a 2 hour plus film. ”On Stranger Tides” is smaller in comparison to its predecessors, yet it won’t let fans down in terms of the fun factor. And as usual, you must stay in your seat for a little surprise, which suggests a possible 5th sequel. Not bad for a movie made from a theme park ride. I’m a fan all the way.