Jack is sharp, the story is flat

Rating: 7/10 (23 May 2011)

VERY glad that the Captain Sparrow is back front and center! POC 3 was a disappointment because of the lack of screen time for Mr. Depp. This time the magic was in Jack performing sleight-of-hand (or foot, actually) rather than the grand cg illusions of POC 3. The escape from the palace and through the London streets was vintage Pirates--fast funny and thrilling.
Too bad the story was slow, witless and dull. It was a mistake to try to mix "real" history (the story of Blackbeard) with the Pirates' wonderfully weird mythos of pirates and their laws and customs.
Mr. Bloom's swordplay was sorely missed. The hand-to-hand combat scenes were slow and clumsy. Once again, Mr. Depp's footwork in the palm trees almost saved the day.
He so elegantly threw away the funniest lines, as usual. Especially nice were his "counting names and naming fingers," and quip about the Spanish convent. The rest of the cast, especially Ms. Cruz, should take a few lessons. Even Mr. Rush telegraphs most of his amusing lines.
Captain Sparrow is back in form, but the story and supporting cast were not shipshape. And where was that most important player--the dog?