Buckle-swashed!

Rating: 9/10 (23 May 2011)

As this film had received some poor reviews in the press, I wasn't expecting too much. However, I was very pleasantly surprised! The story got off to a romping good start, was well paced, lots of Pirate Action, good sword fights, swinging on chandeliers etc , just what you want from a Pirate movie! The mermaids were also excellent. I saw it in 3D - and my only gripe is some of the action sequences were cut too fast. Fast-edits can work well in 2D, but in 3D can be disorientating.
Johnny Depp, Geoffrey Rush and Kevin McNally were all on excellent form, as were new shipmates Penélope Cruz and Ian McShane. McShane's Blackbeard was a worthy foil for Jack Sparrow and Barbossa. Worth mentioning, this Edward Teach bore no similarity to the friendly cap'n in Disney's 1968 movie Blackbeard's Ghost. Good to see Keith Richards - and also Richard Griffiths as King George. Don't believe any poor reviews. Hoist the Jolly Roger!