A vast improvement

Rating: 6/10 (8 January 2012)

Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides returns Johnny Depp to his iconic role of Captain Jack Sparrow. After four films, the comfort with which he plays Captain Jack is easily reflected on-screen. After Gore Verbinski, director of the prior three films, declined to return, Rob Marshall ('Chicago') stepped in to direct his first Pirates movie. Marshall, bringing a fresh perspective, improves upon what went wrong with the last two films: walking sea monsters/humanoids, excessive CGI, substandard stories, and poor editing.
On Stranger Tides begins with the finding of a man's body. Suddenly the man awakens, rambling of Ponce De Leon and the Fountain of Youth. Elsewhere, Jack is attempting to help his shipmate, Joshamee Gibbs (Kevin McNally) from an impending hanging. During the daunted rescue attempt, Jack is captured by the British. King George II (Richard Griffiths) interrogates Jack on his knowledge of the Fountain of Youth. It is alternately revealed that the King had previously procured the services of Captain Barbosa, played once again by the great Geoffrey Rush, to find the Fountain. Spectacularly, Jack escapes his predicament and soon finds himself in a vulnerable position when he meets Angelica (Penẻlope Cruz). Angelica, a past lover, has need of Jack's assistance in locating the Fountain. He soon finds himself, along with her, aboard the "Queen Anne's Revenge", the famous pirating vessel belonging to the notorious Blackbeard, Angelica's father. Blackbeard is superbly played by Ian McShane, who seems quite comfortable in the role of the villain and provides a standout performance. In searching for the Fountain, a scavenger hunt ensues between all the key characters.
The Fourth Pirates movie is definitely worth seeing in theaters! No matter how disappointed you were by the second and/or third movie, this one has an actual story. Aside from a pointless subplot, with a reluctant member of Blackbeard's crew and a mermaid, the rest of the movie flows nicely. Jack is as entertaining as ever, and although some of the jokes may seem old or repetitive, it still works. Keith Richards returns as Jack's dad and has the best line in the movie. I look forward to appearances from him in future movies. Yes, you can be certain that there will be additional Pirates of the Caribbean films made. Considering the amount of money each movie makes, and in this case the addition of a quality story, Disney would be foolish not to continue. As is the new trend, there's an additional scene, post credits .save yourself the time, and don't bother. Considering the length of time it takes to watch all the credits, you will leave disappointed that you stayed for such a small reveal.
Summer Movie Grade: B-
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