Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides
Director : Rob Marshall
There's this wonderful scene just before the interval, a mermaid-pirates fight scene that is unlike anything you'd ever have seen in movies. Shot artistically, it is definitely one of the best sequences of the movie. So the film's good, right? Now if you're discussing 'POTC 4' and you're just talking about one, ONE spectacular scene in the movie, you know something's wrong.
Which is the exact feeling you get as the minutes tick by and you go deeper and deeper into what is definitely the dullest film in the POTC series ever since it made its spectacular debut in 2003. Taking over from Gore Verbinski, Director Rob Marshall robs the film completely of all the pace and excitement that was a POTC trademark. So while Verbinski had the audience always in the thick of all the action happening, Marshall gives us a gallery view of the movie - which makes On Stranger Tides, really, an average film. Of course, there's Johnny Depp who livens up the screen every now and then. But sagged with a lethargic and slow script, he himself sleep walks through most of the film. Nonetheless, he carries the film and eventually, is the saving grace.
The story takes off roughly from where 'The World's End' left it. Everyone's in search of the Fountain of Youth - The Spanish, the English (captained by Barbosa) and the feared pirate Blackbeard. A romantic reunion happens, as Captain Jack Sparrow meets his ex-flame Angela(Penelope Cruz). Angela happens to be BlackBeard's daughter and together, the entire bandwagon goes through mermaid-infested waters and dark forests to reach the Fountain of Youth.
A major drawback of 'On Stranger Tides' is the absence of many of the characters that developed themselves over the last 3 movies. So while we have an overdose of new characters, the characters of Will(Bloom), Elizabeth(Knightly) and Davy Jones(Bill Nighy), among others, are sorely missed. Bloom and Keira weren't exactly the quality of Depp in the movies, but having become an integral part of the series, their absence robs it of the familiarity. The script itself lacks a certain urgency and the film proceeds at a leisurely pace with very little happening. Sure, the mermaids make for an interesting addition to the franchise. But its not enough, considering the high benchmark set by the previous 3 films. Also, the story is much simpler here and the complications that made the previous films so intriguing, are completely absent here.
Of the performances, Ian McShane does decent enough for himself as the menacing and feared Blackbeard. Having little to do, Penelope Cruz as Angela brings in the glamour to the film and does good enough for herself too. Geoffrey Rush as Barbosa carries forward his character albeit in a brilliant way and is one of the few imports from the previous installments. However it truly is Johnny Depp and Johnny Depp alone, as the charming Captain Jack Sparrow, who carry the film forward all the way. Bogged down by a dull script, Depp infuses life into the most lifeless shots and the film, truly and utterly, belongs to him.
Definitely the worst POTC movie yet. I'd give it a 2/5.
Disappointing.
There's this wonderful scene just before the interval, a mermaid-pirates fight scene that is unlike anything you'd ever have seen in movies. Shot artistically, it is definitely one of the best sequences of the movie. So the film's good, right? Now if you're discussing 'POTC 4' and you're just talking about one, ONE spectacular scene in the movie, you know something's wrong.
Which is the exact feeling you get as the minutes tick by and you go deeper and deeper into what is definitely the dullest film in the POTC series ever since it made its spectacular debut in 2003. Taking over from Gore Verbinski, Director Rob Marshall robs the film completely of all the pace and excitement that was a POTC trademark. So while Verbinski had the audience always in the thick of all the action happening, Marshall gives us a gallery view of the movie - which makes On Stranger Tides, really, an average film. Of course, there's Johnny Depp who livens up the screen every now and then. But sagged with a lethargic and slow script, he himself sleep walks through most of the film. Nonetheless, he carries the film and eventually, is the saving grace.
The story takes off roughly from where 'The World's End' left it. Everyone's in search of the Fountain of Youth - The Spanish, the English (captained by Barbosa) and the feared pirate Blackbeard. A romantic reunion happens, as Captain Jack Sparrow meets his ex-flame Angela(Penelope Cruz). Angela happens to be BlackBeard's daughter and together, the entire bandwagon goes through mermaid-infested waters and dark forests to reach the Fountain of Youth.
A major drawback of 'On Stranger Tides' is the absence of many of the characters that developed themselves over the last 3 movies. So while we have an overdose of new characters, the characters of Will(Bloom), Elizabeth(Knightly) and Davy Jones(Bill Nighy), among others, are sorely missed. Bloom and Keira weren't exactly the quality of Depp in the movies, but having become an integral part of the series, their absence robs it of the familiarity. The script itself lacks a certain urgency and the film proceeds at a leisurely pace with very little happening. Sure, the mermaids make for an interesting addition to the franchise. But its not enough, considering the high benchmark set by the previous 3 films. Also, the story is much simpler here and the complications that made the previous films so intriguing, are completely absent here.
Of the performances, Ian McShane does decent enough for himself as the menacing and feared Blackbeard. Having little to do, Penelope Cruz as Angela brings in the glamour to the film and does good enough for herself too. Geoffrey Rush as Barbosa carries forward his character albeit in a brilliant way and is one of the few imports from the previous installments. However it truly is Johnny Depp and Johnny Depp alone, as the charming Captain Jack Sparrow, who carry the film forward all the way. Bogged down by a dull script, Depp infuses life into the most lifeless shots and the film, truly and utterly, belongs to him.
Definitely the worst POTC movie yet. I'd give it a 2/5.
Disappointing.
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Shoot!