Game Johnny is the only reason for this installment

Rating: 7/10 (1 June 2011)

PIRATES OF THE Caribbean : ON STRANGER TIDES (2011) **1/2 Johnny Depp, Penelope Cruz, Ian McShane, Geoffrey Rush, Kevin McNally, Sam Claflin, Astrid Berges-Frisbey, Richard Griffiths, Greg Ellis (cameo: Keith Richards) Depp returns for his fourth outing as the swanning pirate Captain Jack Sparrow in Disney's ongoing juggernaut of adventures this time in search of The Fountain of Youth and facing the father of his ex (Cruz), the nefarious Blackbeard (stereotypical casting of the glowering McShane) and in cahoots with 'frienemy' Barbosa (a gleefully upstaging Rush). While there are a few moments of inspired hilarity (i.e. opening gambit involving British army, King George (Griffiths) and Sparrow's quest for a crème puff (!) new-to-the-franchise-helmsman Rob Marshall seems in over his head with a bit too much (i.e. waterlogged pacing) or not enough (man-hungry mermaids!) for the most part, yet not nearly captivating enough.