Set Sails For Calmer Waters!

Rating: 8/10 (25 May 2017)

Avast ye scurvy scoundrels, it be Captain Robbie of the S.S. Review, sailing the seas of the cinema in search of the treasure known as a good movie. Alas, this weekend Admiral Bruckheimer's armada set out on a fifth voyage with Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp)
taking the wheel once more. Will this adventure be smooth sailing and reward us with a crown jewel, or will we be drowned in the sea of sorrow at another hand me down adventure? Yo Ho, Yo Ho, A pirate's life for me, drink up me hardies, sit on your captain's chair and read my thoughts on Pirates of The Caribbean 5: Dead Men Tell No Tales.
Summary: When it comes to the plot of these movies, one never knows if they'll find gold or mere rocks. The fifth installment is fortunately back on the path to good storytelling, focusing on the characters instead of well immortality. Among the number of scallywags, we get some background on about five of the cast, each with a unique angle to help them stand out. While certainly not the best story, it is miles above the mess number four was.
The story is a nice component, but the acting is really the aspect that brings the pirate's life to welllife. Newcomers like Brenton Thwaites and Kaya Scodelario are a welcome addition that have spunk, class, and a number of other qualities that many will latch onto, (especially the cute factor) and they aren't bad to look at either. Scaring is way into another antagonistic role, Javier Bardem brings his bag of tricks back to the screen, including the suave accent and cantor that oozes evil. Of course the main two you are probably coming to see are Geoffrey Rush and Johnny Depp, the legendary captains we fell in love with in the first movie. Rush is incredible, bringing the sea saltiness and arrogance that is the famous Captain of the Black Pearl. Depp on the other hand is as enigmatic as ever, capturing the goofiness, lackadaisical attitude of Sparrow with a dash of heroic charm. Together, the two actors lead not only the character development, but the comedy. Yes Pirates 5 certainly has the laughs in spades, using every in their arsenal to get a chuckle. I loved the clever word play, idiotic banter, and comedic timing in this movie, which helped relieve the darker aspects of the film.
Of course, it wouldn't be a pirate's movie without incredible special effects. Yes Disney and Bruckheimer combined their studios to bring the magic back to the screen. Chaotic maelstroms expand across the vast screen, as ships sail across dead infested waters, firing explosive cannons at the specters that haunt the blue. The journey is certainly beautifully illustrated in a mix of art and excitement, all under the unifying banner of the epic orchestra work we all have come to love.
Summary: Alas, despite the jewels that sparkle in the distance, the story still needs some work. With five main stories, each a different motif to quest for the elusive item, the plot gets spread thin and deprived of real sustenance into the character's history. Sure, one of the stories has more bite than the others, but this Pirates took a hit in the rich depth we have come to expect. Therefore, the bland characters were lacking at times and not as strong as I had hoped.
Even more bland are the action scenes that they tried to bring to the movie. Don't get me wrong, there are some beautifully animated battlegrounds in the movie, it's just that they lack the same sting I feel in love with. Where were the epic sword fights between two swashbuckling men amidst dangerous landscapes? Where were the notorious ship to ship battles where a well- placed cannonball and evasive maneuver meant the difference between life and death? And where was the suspense and thrills that kept me on edge all those previous installments? I'm not sure, but Pirates 5's action scenes were malnourished forms of battle I loved, with many scenes reduced to pan over shots of extras fighting CGI enhanced ghosts. A few scenes were gaining the potential to be awesome, but comedic relief set in and reduced it to some quick ended scuffle that quickly turned to running. Glad to know our pirates could have run track.
And finally, the cameos. While certainly a great tool for nostalgia, most of the cameos were shallow shout outs to the characters we have wondered about. It allows for some neat little tie ups at times, but these less than 5 minutes screen appearances were missed potential. Only Paul McCartney, the legendary beetle, was able to pull off an appearance that was worthy of being included well done Paul.
VERDICT:
Pirates 5 took a step in the right direction with its returned to character driven story, comedic style, and special effects that scream pirates. However, it still has room to improve to get back to the glory of the first film. It's unbalanced at placed, and lacks the excitement of the battles, or an exciting conclusion at all to wrap up the supposed final entry. Seems they wanted more of a comedy than anything else, and one will certainly enjoy the laughs, and most likely the movie, if you go in for the comedy over everything else. Worth a trip to theaters? I'm sure you would still go regardless what I said, but the special effects are certainly worthy of the theater's sound and video. Yet you could still hold off on this film and check it out at RedBox, because this finale sets up the series for yet another installment. Finale chapter my butt!
Scores:
Action/Adventure/Fantasy: 8.0 Movie Overall: 7.0