Throwback Thursday Review: 'Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides'

Sorry for the delayed review but this week I'm wrapping up my series of Pirates of the Caribbean reviews with my thoughts on Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides. Next week I'll be revving up my Throwback Thursday Review of Cars in preparation for the threequel. Other reviews you can expect to see over the course of May and June include Throwback Thursday Reviews over The Mummy (1999), Cars 2, Transformers: Age of Extinction, and Despicable Me 2 in addition to new reviews over Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales, Wonder Woman, The Mummy (2017), Cars 3, Transformers: The Last Knight, Baby Driver, and Despicable Me 3.

'Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides' Review

Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides sets sail with Captain Jack Sparrow, but there's a catch, he's both ship-less and crew-less this time around. When Sparrow catches wind of an imposter recruiting for a voyage in search of the fabled Fountain of Youth, he investigates only to discover former flame and daughter of Blackbeard, Angelica. Sparrow soon finds himself onboard Blackbeard's notorious vessel, the Queen Anne's Revenge, and learns that Blackbeard's hellbent on finding the fountain for fear of a prophecy that promises he will be bested by a one-legged man. 

On Stranger Tides allowed Rob Marshall to take up the helm of the franchise previously captained by Gore Verbinski. Marshall simplifies things but that only results in a restrained Pirates flick that rarely delivers the gung-ho and epic spectacle showcased in previous outings. On Stranger Tides has its moments but suffers from average action, poor pacing, flat characters, a stale story and lack of connective tissue to the original trilogy. 

At times, On Stranger Tides is able to recapture the wacky, wistful spirit of the preceding chapters but these moments are few and far between, largely quartered to the film's first act. The chase sequence throughout London and pub duel are enough to entertain audiences for a solid thirty minutes, but after our characters reach the water, there's not much to see aside from a savage scheme to capture a mermaid. On Stranger Tides lacks the epic set-pieces and inventive action to keep audiences engaged for the long voyage ahead.

On Stranger Tides marks the fourth Pirates screenplay to be penned by Ted Elliot and Terry Rossio, who you'd suspect would have charted a careful course after four movies. However, the duo concoct a story that simply didn't need to be told. Elliot and Rossio tied a neat, nice bow for the finale of At World's End but find difficulty unraveling things to send Captain Jack off to make another billion for the Mouse House. The plot connects to previous Pirates movies by the single thread that Jack was searching for the Fountain of Youth and has little else to tie things together, going as far to trapping the Black Pearl's plucky pirate crew in a bottle so they're also out of the picture. 

Elliot and Rossio struggle in regards to characterization. Jack Sparrow works best as a character when when contrasted against full fledged heroes. Sparrow's the comedic supporting anti-hero so that juxtaposition is necessary to bring out any growth for his character, otherwise he's the same rugged rogue when everything's all said and done. However, On Stranger Tides places Sparrow front and center as the lead protagonist and doesn't bring any courageous souls as a source of variation. The screenplay even fails to give any characters much of an arc, considering almost all of them end up where they started to some extent. Elsewhere, Hans Zimmer composed yet another spectacular swashbuckling score that has some Latin flair thanks to guitarist couple Rodrigo y Gabriela.

The cast is composed of both veteran privateers and fresh sea dogs this time around since most of the original cast bowed out for this installment. Johnny Depp's portrayal of Captain Jack Sparrow as the silly sailor never fails to amuse but he definitely seems to be on the verge of running aground. Depp's turn feels a tad worn-out and is more of the same that you've come to expect from the savvy scoundrel, the unexpected. Opposite Depp, Penélope Cruz is introduced as Sparrow's by-gone lover Angelica and projects a veil of mystery around her character, making her an interesting addition. While the two of them remain among the film's more entertaining pairings, it's a little will they/won't they with the relationship. This grows so tedious that viewers will be completely confused where either character stands when things are over with since their motivations flippantly flop around. 

Ian McShane brings a grounded gravitas to Blackbeard but fails to make his mark in the halls of the franchise's sinful scoundrels. Blackbeard just doesn't have the meaty malevolency that an accomplished antagonist needs so he's not particularly memorable once the credits start rolling. The reappearing rogues encompass Geoffrey Rush and Kevin McNally as former pirate, now British naval privateer Barbossa and dependable first mate Gibbs. Despite his changed allegiance to the Queen's navy, Rush exhibits all the seaside scurvy you can possibly imagine from Barbossa and is certainly one of the film's higher marks. 

The supplementary supporting characters include Sam Claflin's devout Christ follower Phillip and Astrid Bergès-Frisbey's melodious mermaid Syrena. The two were clearly meant to fill in the star crossed lover slot left open by the absence of Will Turner and Elizabeth Swann but their relationship falls flat. The relationship isn't built on much of a foundation and feels crammed into the proceedings for the sake of having a love story. If that weren't enough, both actors are deliver one-note performances so neither of their characters feel fleshed out whatsoever. 

In summary, On Stranger Tides isn't without its merits but they're few and far between this bloated sequel. Rob Marshall's effort to simplify things only made the franchise all the more convoluted as there's simply too many new characters for audiences to invest in any persona. Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides pathetically paddles behind its predecessors, desperately seeking hold of any thread it can to keep the franchise afloat. 

Film Assessment: D

Throwback Thursday Review: 'Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End'

I apologize for the delay on this review as I had final exams to prepare for but this week I'm reviewing Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End to continue my series of Pirates of the Caribbean reviews voyaging towards Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales. Next week I'll review Spider-Man 3 to tie into Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 as a Marvel release and go towards my series of Spider-Man reviews leading up to Spider-Man: Homecoming. In the next three weeks you can expect plenty of reviews including a Triple-R of Guardians of the Galaxy in the next few days, Throwback Thursday Reviews over Despicable Me and Prometheus and reviews of new releases encompassing The Circle, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, and King Arthur: Legend of the Sword, and Alien: Covenant.

'Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End' Review

Nominated For: Best Visual Effects and Best Makeup.

Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End furthers the swashbuckling seafarer saga shortly after the events of Dead Man's Chest. William Turner and Elizabeth Swann are joined this time by a resurrected Captain Barbossa and the crew of the Black Pearl on a voyage to the world's end so they can retrieve an estranged Jack Sparrow from Davy Jones' Locker for a final confrontation with Jones, Lord Beckett, and the West India Trading Company's fleet. 

Director Gore Verbinski returned for one last go-around at sea and definitely delivered on spectacle, seeing as the stormy sea skirmish alone makes for an epic engagement with plenty of memorable moments. Verbinski certainly sought to make this film in the vein of other epic threequels like Return of the King or Return Of The Jedi and succeeded in upping the ante of the action. This is only enhanced by the wonderful work from Verbinski's technical crew that bring the sights and sounds of the kooky Caribbean to life including cinematographer, production and costume designers, vfx artists, sound design team, and composer Hans Zimmer.

Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio maintain their position headlining the screenplay for the franchise and successfully tie up loose ends from the Pirate predecessors even if the flow of the story has to suffer a bit along the way. Admittedly, the plot is rather convoluted at times and it becomes difficult to keep track of all the double crossings but Elliot and Rossio do a fine job unravelling things enough to provide satisfying pay-offs to all the dangling story threads that originated with Curse of the Black Pearl. I presume that this installment was originally intended to cap off a trilogy, yet the ending sets the stage for On Stranger Tides, so there's no telling if it was made with a fourth film in mind or if that decision was made after the box office receipts came in.

What At World's End lacks in coherence, it makes up for with entertainment value, so despite a runtime of two hours and forty-nine minutes At World's End is a well-paced buccaneer blockbuster. Johnny Depp's back parading about with the savvy Sparrow-schtick we've come to know and love, stretching his sea legs to play multiple Jack Sparrows in some bizarre dream sequences and hallucinations. Orlando Bloom projects forth courage and confidence as Will Turner, while Keira Knightley's Elizabeth Swann completes the transition from former damsel to Pirate Lord thanks to her valor and quick-thinking. 

In the meantime, Geoffrey Rush chews up the scenery now that he's back as the scoundrel pirate Captain Barbossa, Tom Hollander plays the clean-cut British menace Lord Beckett, and Bill Nighy's Davy Jones commands the gravitas of an accomplished antagonistic force. Remaining supporting cast members Kevin McNally, Jack Davenport, Johnathan Pryce, Stellan Skarsgård, and Naomi Harris reprise their respective roles to fill out the cast as faithful first mate, the composed British naval officer, dignified governor, devoted servant of the Flying Dutchman, and a supernatural sorceress.

In conclusion, At World's End brings sufficient closure to the Turner/Swann storyline (although I suspect the arc will resurge in Dead Men Tell No Tales based on the film's marketing) and makes for another entertaining oceanic escapade thanks to the talented cast and crew on board.

Film Assessment: B-

Throwback Thursday Review: 'Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest'

Sorry for the delay but this week I'm continuing my series of Pirates of the Caribbean reviews with my thoughts on Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest. I'll then take a break to resume my respective Spider-Man and Transformers reviews before I revisit Pirates of the Caribbean again. Reviews you can expect through the remainder of April include Throwback Thursday Reviews over Spider-Man 2, Transformers: Dark of the Moon, and Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End in addition to potential reviews over The Boss Baby, The Zookeeper's Wife, Going in Style, The Fate of the Furious, Free Fire, and The Circle.

'Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest' Review

Nominated For: Best Visual Effects, Best Art Direction, Best Sound Editing, and Best Sound Mixing. 

Won: Best Visual Effects.

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest continues following the exploits of the savvy Captain Jack Sparrow as the tentacular Captain of the Flying Dutchman Davy Jones seeks to uphold a briny bargain and adjoin Sparrow's soul with his collection. Therefore, the only alternative to Sparrow is to locate Jones' heart in hopes he can wield it as leverage over the supernatural seafarer. Meanwhile, Sparrow's predicament interrupts the wedding plans of Will Turner and Elizabeth Swann so they're once again embroiled into the oceanic escapades. 

Director Gore Verbinski returned to steer the franchise even further into the strange waters Curse of the Black Pearl dipped its toes into. For one, the crew of the Flying Dutchman are cursed to resemble sea creatures so there are hammerhead shark men and coral-infused anthropomorphized beings running about; and that's not even taking the mythos surrounding Davy Jones into account. 

Verbinski really relishes in the swashbuckling setting he's established as the nonsensical action sequences turn out to be even more amusing and it's always exciting to see what ruses Jack Sparrow will employ to escape precarious situations. Dead Man's Chest definitely delivered on upping the entertainment value by featuring a sword skirmish atop a traveling watermill wheel, standard ship shootouts, and a full-scale assault from the monstrous Kraken. 

The technical team behind Dead Man's Chest further enhance the proceedings with commendable cinematography, rough production design, and remarkable visual effects work depicting Jones and his crew that held up surprisingly well in the eleven years since theatrical release. Klaus Badelt left his scoring duties behind so Hans Zimmer lent his expertise in that department to compose epic emotionally-resonant character themes that meticulously matched Badelt's pre-existing sea shanties.

Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio resume their scripting duties to build upon their pre-existing sea of scalawags, furthering plot points touched upon in Curse of the Black Pearl while taking the characters in new, interesting directions. Dead Man's Chest does meander about in search of storytelling coves Curse of the Black Pearl left behind, but for the most part remains a well-paced adventure film. 

The crew is composed of fresh and familiar faces who stretch their sea legs and sail unexplored waters. Johnny Depp's back with all the silly swagger he can muster in the role of Jack Sparrow while Orlando Bloom and Keira Knightley return as star-crossed lovers Will Turner and Elizabeth Swann. Bloom and Knightley get to chart new waters for their characters as they explore morally ambiguous territory and all that accompanies life at sea.

Bill Nighy enters the fray with a motion capture portrayal of Davy Jones, barking scurvyous Scottish demands in slimy squid-like fashion and Nighy brings the necessary gravitas to stand out as a memorable roguish antagonist.

Amongst the supporting cast, Kevin McNally, Jack Davenport, and Johnathan Pryce fill out their previous roles as loyal first mate Gibbs, former naval commodore Norrington (now a broken man), and the stately Governor Weatherby Swann with Stellan Skarsgård and Naomi Harris coming onboard to play Turner's barnacled patriarch Bootstrap Bill and a voodoo sorceress Tia Dalma respectively. Overall, Dead Man's Chest is a rousing galavant across the sea that floats on the merits of its cast, technical execution, and undercurrent scoring but occasionally runs adrift in search of side stories to tell. 

Film Assessment: B-

Throwback Thursday Review: 'Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl'

Sorry for the delayed review but this week I'm beginning a new series of reviews over the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise starting with Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl. The reviews will be spaced out intermittently till Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales in May. In the meantime, next week I'll be reviewing The Wolverine to coincide with the release of Logan since Logan will be Hugh Jackman's final outing as Wolverine and The Wolverine is the only solo Wolverine movie I've yet to review. The next two Throwback Thursday Reviews will be over King Kong (2005) and Beauty and the Beast (1991) to tie-in with Kong: Skull Island and Beauty and the Beast (2017) respectively. Reviews over new releases you can expect over the coming weeks include A Cure for Wellness, Get Out, Table 19, Logan, Kong: Skull Island, Beauty and the Beast (2017), and The Belko Experiment.

'Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl' Review

Nominated For: Best Actor; Johnny Depp, Best Makeup, Best Sound Mixing, Best Sound Editing, and Best Visual Effects. 

Undead pirates have pillaged Port Royal and kidnapped the governor's daughter Elizabeth Swann, forcing blacksmith Will Turner to reluctantly team up with the egocentric pirate Captain Jack Sparrow and save Miss Swann from the cursed crew. Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl was inspired by the Disney theme park ride, making it a nearly unprecedented idea and risky undertaking at the time. Today we see big blockbusters based off everything from toys to video games to comics to now... *shivver me timbers* emojis... With the adaptation game hitting an all-time high, it's doesn't phase audiences to look back on the humble beginnings of a franchise approaching its fifth installment and perceive the first to be a risk. Fortunately for Disney though, the risk paid off as The Curse of the Black Pearl went on to make a substantial splash at the box office (Approximately $654.3 M worldwide) and a buccaneering blockbuster franchise was born. 

Director Gore Verbinski captained the endeavor voyaging from roller coaster-to-cinema screen, thankfully realizing a movie about pirates translated from a theme-park attraction probably shouldn't take itself too seriously. Verbinski mashes Jolly Roger escapades with strange supernatural elements to craft a fascinating fictional world for these charming corsairs to inhabit and swashbuckling sequences to occur. Verbinski's technical crew put forth majestic cinematography, remarkable visual effects, rugged production design, and weathered costume design which only add further authenticity to the briny buccaneers' background aesthetic. 

Verbinski steers the action in the right direction with conventional cutlass contests and engrossing naval engagements that traverse the tricky waters of energetic entertainment and nonsensical nautical fun. In the music department Klaus Badelt composed a swashbuckling score appropriately attuned to the grand sense of adventure and danger at play that remains a source of auditory amusement. 

The script comprised of a screen story from Ted Elliot, Terry Rossio, Stuart Beattie, Jay Wolpert and screenplay penned by Elliot and Rossio plays up privateer tropes to develop an expansive sea for these scalawags to sail. The story subverts most genre tropes with its unconventional array of characters; Elizabeth Swann's persistent in the face of danger despite being positioned as the damsel-in-distress and Jack Sparrow's in it for himself yet has a heart of gold underneath his rugged exterior. 

The cast breathing life into these scattered swashbucklers add further dimension to the characters. Orlando Bloom plays Will Turner, the typical underestimated hero of the story with charm and wit to spare while Keira Knightley embodies a capable female presence within Elizabeth Swann, ever-so-slightly transcending the damsel-hero dynamic one step at a time. Bloom and Knightley are an ideal pairing as the smoldering swordsman and lovely maiden but not quite the stars of the show when it's all said and done.  

Johnny Deep makes an excellent eccentric sea scoundrel of Jack Sparrow. Depp brings both swagger and a silliness to Sparrow, allowing him to standout from the crowd and gallivant off having stolen the show. Geoffrey Rush's Captain Barbossa is a scurvyous seadog and Rush nails the dialogue delivery. Barbossa's a standard scalawag but I feel that makes him the ideal antagonist for the story. I could watch Rush and Depp trade ruthless remarks all day long. 

Filling out the supporting cast are Kevin McNally, Jack Davenport, and Johnathan Pryce as steadfast first-mate Gibbs, straight-laced naval commodore Norrington, and the prim and proper Governor Weatherby Swann. Thanks to Verbinski's direction and the outstanding work demonstrated by his cast and crew, The Curse of the Black Pearl holds up as a visually unique and entertaining seafarers enterprise. 

Film Assessment: B