I expected more

Rating: 6/10 (16 January 2018)

Well I enjoyed the cinematography which apparently is an indicator that I didn't quite have the time of my life watching the 5th instalment. I base this mainly on the sloppy plot that was rife with not only obvious plot holes (two different and unexplained origins of Jack's compass) but limp surprise plot twists (the whole daughter thing). For such a previously satisfying franchise I felt like a disappointed parent at a bad parent's evening, to start with the name Smyth is like the most generic surname in the western world, point of fact it was used in #1 to demonstrate that no questions need be asked about Jack when he steps into port, and yet the name rings a dim, and utterly random bell in his rum soaked brain. I don't think so. Secondly, when compared to the 4th sequel I found the humour in this one too desperate, there were too many people tied to masts and Jack's wit was severely lacking. However, the most unforgivable sin was Jack himself, he was too drunk and was subjugated to a side-lien character at best.
While I'm here I may as well mention some other irritations, though briefly (thankfully). The Red Coats, there was some potential to a scene reminiscent to #3 when there was some pretty damn good double crosses and bargains struck, but instead they were eaten by Salazar's weird floating crocodile ship, a waste of a good bad guy (Wenham) if you ask me. And where were Will and Elizabeth for the entire film, because there is no way that they would sit at the side lines and wait around for everyone else (their son no less) to save them. I think those characters could have been capitalised on a little more.
Not all complaining though, there were a couple of laughs, the opening scenes set up the film very well, I thought that there was good chemistry between pretty much all of the character dynamics and the bad guys were appropriately creepy (even before he died, that Salazar was not a friendly guy).
And damn. You just have to love the soundtrack.