"Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales" Review

Title: Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales

Directed by: Joachim Rønning and Espen Sandberg

Written by: Jeff Nathanson

Year: 2017


Here we have a franchise that refuses to die as long as it turns a profit. Who knew that a blockbuster based on a ride would spawn a five-film series? The first Pirates film, The Curse of the Black Pearl is a great adventure flick. At best, Dead Man's Chest and At World's End are dismissive fun. But I think that On Stranger Tides is utter garbage. Although, with promising teasers, I walked into Dead Men Tell No Tales with low expectations and the slightest of hopes. Can this latest nautical adventure save its saga from sinking, or is it dead in the water?

The ghostly Captain Salazar and his crew have escaped their cavernous prison and are now killing every pirate they come across at sea, searching for Jack Sparrow to exact their revenge. Jack needs to find Poseidon's trident to deal with the renewed foes, but he will need the help of some unlikely heroes.

Let's get the obvious out of the way: yes, Johnny Depp is excellent as Jack Sparrow. And yes, it is the exact same performance he has been doing for years, be it a Pirates film or otherwise. Truthfully, Depp is a world-class talent, and his Jack Sparrow is an iconic character. But after five movies, the act has gotten old. Joining him are series newcomers Brenton Thwaites and Kaya Scodelario. The former plays Will Turner's (Orlando Bloom's character) son, and he is perfectly serviceable in the role. But Scodelario is the more interesting character and turns in a more impressive performance. Geoffrey Rush returns as fan-favorite Hector Barbossa, slipping into the character as naturally as possible. Javier Bardem as Captain Salazar makes for a noteworthy villain, but is unfortunately sidelined for more of Jack's comedic antics.

With each passing film, the stories seem to get more convoluted, and Dead Men Tell No Tales follows that trend. I feel that the first two flicks hit the perfect balance of fictional history and fantasy. But the last couple have overextended in the latter department. I can buy the ghost pirates, but the inclusion of Poseidon's trident, the ship that essentially eats boats, and other variables have pushed me over the edge. In addition, I just didn't care for the direction of the storytelling. There was no investment felt and the climax is too over-the-top. Of course, there were interesting moments scattered about, but nothing consistently gripping.

The only part of the plot that really hooked me was the flashback detailing why Salazar seeks to kill Jack Sparrow. This was handled very well. Not that I wanted to know how Jack came into possession of the Black Pearl (named the Wicked Wench at the time), but it provided some excellent world-building and lore. More grounded stories like that would benefit the franchise. It proves that we don't need some ludicrous plot MacGuffin to grab our attention; just good stories.

One thing I cannot fault this film for, or any other picture in the series for that matter, is its production values. The atmosphere and environments are terrifically realized and transport the viewer to the picturesque Caribbean effortlessly. The sets are impeccably made, with great attention to detail. The visual effects for the ghost pirates seem a little unfinished, but ironically that works in the film's favor. This grants the specters an other-worldly appearance. The de-aging effect for the young Jack Sparrow sequence is also well done.

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales had potential, but wastes it at almost every turn. The franchise has substituted the subtlety of its first film for bombastic action set pieces (which are not half bad in this latest movie) and tangled, overambitious plotlines. Though the cast is actually very good all around and it is always nice to be transported to this wonderful world, this newest feature fails to reignite the fire that burned so brightly in 2003. The overly elaborate and excessively fantastical plot is unimpressive and it feels as if we have tread these waters before, and no amount of vicious ghost sharks will distract me from that. Being no more than mediocre dumb fun, I suggest you steer your ship in another direction.

Grade: C