In this film, we see the continued adventures of the beloved Captain Jack Sparrow(Johnny Depp) in this case, his search for the fountain of youth. Sparrow becomes involuntarily tangled in a three-way race to the fountain. Because he possessed a map to the fabled place, Jack is hijacked by Black Beard ( Ian McShane) in his attempt to outrun his prophesied doom. As always, Captain Barbosa ( Geofrey Rush) causes trouble as he too searches for the fountain of youth. The Spanish fleet set the pace of this race and although out of sight for most of the movie, always seem to be one step ahead. The film includes the expected physical comedy mixed with one-liners and blurry lines between friend and foe. With the absence of Elizabeth Swan and Will Turner, or as I liked to call them ‘dead weight,’ we are presented with a new female lead in Angelica (Penelope Cruz) who is both alluring and capable, the admirable combination we saw in the Elizabeth Swan of the first film.
The storyline of this film is very reminiscent of the first few films. This case seems to be a simplified or watered=down version. This film lacked some of the scope that the first few films possessed and makes the film seem a little anti-climactic. We have come to expect large sweeping sea voyages and many exotic and dangerous destinations. In this film, we really only get one destination after what seems like a short jaunt by ship. Although several specific and rare ingredients are needed to gain access to the fountain, all are found on the island itself. By the time the fountain is found it seems as though anyone could have done it. And there is evidence that many people already have. We have also come to expect a recurring and beloved cast of characters. With the exception of Gibbs, Barbosa and Jack himself, none of the characters have returned. All of these aspects combined makes the viewer feel as though something is missing.
Visually, the film is just as stunning as the first three. I do feel, however, that if less time was wasted
on weird chase scenes, then more could be dedicated to the quest itself. The mixture of dark and macabre with the fun and carefree tones of the franchise are still in tact. It is difficult to tell when the actions of Captain Jack are merely for comedic value, or if they pan out to be the essential part of his major plan.
My opinion in a nutshell:
Entertainment: 6- Although I thought this movie was really fun, it didn’t live up to the original film and doesn’t provide anything new for the viewer.
Award-worthy: 3- the production value is excellent in this film, but the writing seemed sloppy and overall the film seemed like a lazy attempt to squeeze a bit more money out of their franchise.
