Surprisingly good - although focus was on wrong characters

Rating: 2/10 (15 June 2011)

I was surprised when I realized I was actually enjoying this movie - the latest installment of the Pirates movies. I am a fan of the first film but found that the following two did not quite add up to the sheer genius that was the first one. So I wasn't sure I would like 'On Stranger Tides' either. Also, I thought I would miss the characters of Will and Elizabeth. I didn't, as it were.
Instead I found I was far more intrigued by some of the new characters. Philip the cleric (played by Sam Claflin), mermaid Syrena (Astrid Berges-Frisbey), Scrum (Stephen Graham) and Ian McShane's Blackbeard were all interesting characters. Ian McShane had the most fleshed out character obviously, being the antagonist of the story. Stephen Graham (Scrum) filled his role of comic relief well. I was however very disappointed that Sam Claflin and Astrid Berges-Frisbey weren't given more screen time.
I found the love story between Philip and Syrena very interesting. Yes, I realize they were there solely to fill up the void of Will and Elizabeth and to add a little romance to the plot for all the pining ladies and teenage girls at home. BUT it worked! (Apparently I too am a sucker for love stories - who'd a thunk?!) Anyway, by the end of the movie I found myself more invested in Philip and Syrena's storyline and fate than any other character in the movie - even Jack Sparrow's!
I wished their characters would have had more impact on the story. I personally could see several directions where they could have taken the character of Philip; him as a captive, as a missionary and as a ways of redemption for the pirates. It was a pity the Philip/Syrena storyline was so short and ended so abruptly. I sincerely hope they bring back Sam Claflin and Astrid Berges-Frisbey's characters for the fifth installment and give the actors more to do.
Furthermore, the film in itself has everything that makes for a good movie. Action, adventure, good acting (from most), beautiful photography etc. And Johnny Depp was fantastic as Jack Sparrow - as always. You all know why so enough said about him.
Dislikes: Two words. Penélope Cruz. First, woman can't act. Second, most pointless character ever! So what, Angelica's reasons for doing what she did were that simple?! Come on! The writers could've done way better than that. And the suggested sexual tension between Angelica and Jack Sparrow just wasn't there.
To finish off, I really missed some of the old characters. Ragetti and Pintel for example. And Gibbs should've gotten more screen time.