A good change from the previous two sequels...

Rating: 7/10 (18 June 2011)

I admit, when I first got word that another Pirates movie was in the making, I thought it was just another attempt to make more money off an aging franchise. Honestly, the only really good movie in the series is Black Pearl. Deadman's Chest was OK, but it contained a plot too complex for me to fully understand. At World's End was a disappointment (I fell asleep within the first 30 minutes of it). So the idea of a fourth Pirates didn't appeal to me since the third movie convinced me that the series was due.
However, after seeing On Stranger Tides with a group that invited me to come see it with them, I must say that I totally misjudged it. The filmmakers were smart in their choice to cut down the time of the movie and abandon Will and Elizabeth in favor of a storyline centered around our favorite pirate Captain Jack Sparrow. Instead of a continuation of the plot unfolded in the previous two movies, we are presented with an entirely different plot that is much easier to follow and less complex. The acting is good, most notably Johnny Depp who propels the entire movie as Jack. The action sequences, like in previous Pirates movies, are smooth and well choreographed. And we are left with an ending that is satisfying and somewhat humorous (you would have to see it to know what I'm talking about...).
Overall, On Stranger Tides was a good way to make up for At World's End and gives us a movie centered around Captain Jack Sparrow, whose character is responsible for the popular interest people have in the series. Definitely go see it, despite what some critics have been saying. It was a breath of fresh air...