Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides

Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides

This Pirates of the Caribbean film really brings it back to the style of the first film.  Yes, it is absurd in that has mermaids, zombies, and voodoo, but it is a stand alone film.  It leaves itself plenty open for sequel, but it doesn’t require one.  If Johnny Depp and Penelope Cruz decide not to come back and do another film, it isn’t a big deal, even though Penelope Cruz’s character would make sense in a sequel, she can even be replaced as there are a number of ways that it can go.  This was fun like the first one, a bit absurd, but very strong in terms of a stand alone summer sort of film.  With as bad as the summer films could have been, they have turned out quite nicely thus far.

The story is that of Jack Sparrow trying to make is way to the Fountain of Youth.  Not because he really wants to, all he really wants is The Black Pearl back (yet again), but Angelica (Penelope Cruz), basically kidnaps him to work for her father, Blackbeard, on his ship and to get him to the fountain of youth because it has been prophesied that he will be killed by the one legged man, Barbossa, who managed to escape from the Black Pearl before Blackbeard captured it.  Barbossa knows that Blackbeard is going after this, so he slides himself in with the British government in order to have a ship to go after Blackbeard and the fountain of youth.  At the same time, a Spanish general goes after it as well.  Leading to a three way race to get two silver chalices and a mermaids tear.  Much confusion, betrayal, and randomness happens on the way to the fountain of youth.

The acting is what you expect from a Pirates of the Caribbean film.  Johnny Depp slides back into his role of Captain Jack Sparrow very nicely, and it was kind of refreshing to not have Orlando Bloom and Keira Knightley playing opposite him in the lead roles.  Penelope Cruz does a good job of stepping in as a sweet lady who Jack had corrupted and Ian McShane does a good job stepping in as Blackbeard, neither performance is astounding, but they are as good if not better than those of Bloom and Knightley.  Geoffrey Rush comes back as Barbossa, and he really does a very good job as Barbossa.  There are a few other characters that are brought back, but for the most part, there aren’t any other strongly memorable performances.  Keith Richards makes another guest appearance which is okay, but really could have been done without.

In terms of the level of competence in the film making, the direction by Rob Marshall is good, and the screenplay, while having some very absurd elements to it, is strong.  They manage to add in zombies and mermaids very well.  The voodoo aspect gets a bit shaky at a couple of points as Blackbeard is able to control parts of his ship with just his sword, I felt like that was over the top, but the voodoo doll of Jack Sparrow was a nice touch and didn’t seem too strange at all.  The score, by Hans Zimmer, was good as always and was similar to the previous ones which makes all the films have the same feel quite nicely.

Overall this was an entertaining film.  It won’t get a ton of critical love because there isn’t anything all that special about it, but it is a summer film, and it is rare that summer films, like Thor and the Pirates films, get all that much love.  I’d place this as the second best pirates film, and while I did enjoy the second and the third, even with their absurdity (and you have to view them as a single film), this fourth one is much closer to the first than either the second or third were.

Entertainment Grade: A-

Critical Grade: C

Overall Grade: B+

Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl

Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl

After seeing all three of the films on TV on my day off (5th of July), I decided it was time to review probably the greatest pirate film series of all times.  With enough excitement and humor to keep anyone entertained, Pirates of the Caribbean jumps off the screen.  Captain Jack Sparrow is one of the most memorable characters of the current generation of film.

The story revolves around Jack Sparrow, adeptly played by Johnny Depp, as a pirate who is trying to get back his ship, the Black Pearl, after his crew had mutinied him.  That is the very very basics of it.  It starts off with him trying to steal a ship so that he can run down his own ship.  He ends up being captured after he rescued Elizabeth Swan, daughter of the governor, who had fallen off of the ramparts of a fortress into the water because her corset was too tight.  When his pirate ship attacks the village, not to get back Captain Jack Sparrow but to find the owner of a piece of cursed gold, Elizabeth Swan is captured and Will Turner comes to Jack for help in getting her back.  Jack, has his own plans about regaining his ship, and he works those along with what Will wants into getting away from the colony and back out at see where they track down the Black Pearl, not without a fair number of difficulties.

Johnny Depp completely steals the show in this film.  His mannerisms and brilliant scheming in a confusing manner make this film.  If these films were considered “Oscar worthy” Depp could have easily won a best actor.  The supporting cast around him does a pretty solid job as well.  Keira Knightley looks beautiful in the role of Elizabeth Swan, and while it isn’t as good an acting performance from her as in Atonement or Pride and Prejudice, it is still an entertaining performance, and a great performance wasn’t needed, because it would be hard to compete against Jack Sparrow.  Orlando Bloom takes on the role of Will Turner.  I’m not that big a fan of Bloom’s acting, he seems more like a pretty face for the girls (which isn’t all that needed with Johnny Depp in the film) and that seems pretty common with most of his roles.  Bloom doesn’t detract from the film, he just isn’t nearly as talented as Depp or Knightley are.  Geoffrey Rush is the other big name in the film, and he takes on the role of Captain Barbossa, the man who led the mutiny against Jack Sparrow.  He really seems pirate like, whereas Sparrow is a character who is a little more out there, Rush plays Barbossa as a strong blood and guts pirate who only cares about gold and pillaging.  There are a number of other fun performances by some of the side characters, but it is simply too many to get into.  Besides Bloom who seems quite wooden (as normal) there aren’t many weak links in terms of acting.

Gore Verbinski does a great job with this film.  It feels like a fun period piece, it isn’t frumpy and he keeps the action going.  It helps when you get a performance like Depp’s, but he gets good performances out of the whole cast.  And visually he keeps the action going throughout the whole film.  Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio have to be commended as well for creating a very entertaining story, and while the next two films don’t live up to this standard, this one is one of the better purely entertaining films out there.

This film just comes together in nearly every facet.  The story is fun and entertaining, the direction is very good, and the performances are great and in some cases what legends are made of.  Thankfully the next two don’t disappoint (when viewed as a single film) and I look forward to seeing Depp back in the role of Jack Sparrow in 2011 as he searches for the Fountain of Youth.

Entertainment Grade: A+

Critical Grade: B+

Overall Grade: A