Steady as she goes.

Rating: 7/10 (3 April 2020)

'Pirates Of The Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (2011)' is much simpler than its two predecessors, a stand-alone adventure that wraps up all its arcs by the time it's over. It feels of a smaller scale, reminiscent of adventure movies like 'Raiders Of The Lost Ark (1981)', and it benefits from it. It isn't confusing or bloated like 'Pirates Of The Caribbean: At World's End (2007)', but it also isn't quite as well-conceived. There's just a sense that the thing is sort of sub-par compared to the three films before it. Still, that doesn't mean it isn't a ton of fun. It's about as enjoyable as 'Pirates Of The Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (2006)' and its aforementioned 'part two', becoming a swashbuckling roller-coaster ride once it gets underway. It looks great, with a unique aesthetic and plenty of not-too-CG extravaganza, and its writing is on point, familiar but fresh. The flick's returning characters are as good as ever, given slightly new spins to blow the off their cobwebs, and the new introductions are as compelling and scene-chewing as is expected (well, most of them, anyway). The piece feels kind of like an odd extension to the trilogy and it isn't as memorable as any of its predecessors, but it's very entertaining nevertheless. 7/10