Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides

Of the entire Pirates of the Caribbean series, only the first film deserves any real recognition, as it represented a quite original blend of adventure, pirate spectacle, romance, and fantasy fairy tale, which rightly impressed audiences worldwide and brought generous profits to the producers. The subsequent installments only tried to squeeze as much as possible from the concept and relied on the classic formula and the support of blockbusters, i.e., a gigantic budget that would cover the script's weaknesses, stars in leading roles that would attract public interest, and of course, the advertising potential of the well-known series. I agree with the idea that the fourth installment represents a departure from the previous concept of an adventure spectacle toward pure comedy, led by Johnny Depp. He is the alpha and omega around which everything revolves, and surprisingly, along with a series of special effects and gags, that's enough to earn the film three stars. This is a classic popcorn movie that serves for immediate relaxation, allowing a couple to indulge in themselves for a while, munching on popcorn or drinking cola, without missing out on anything essential. Overall impression: 55%. Surprisingly, despite its numerous shortcomings, it is a little better than the overly stylized third installation in terms of motifs and production design... (18/10/2011)

Yes, after a noticeably over-the-top second film (and I didn’t have the strength see the third film), it's a fairly brisk and honest piece of adventure. Unfortunately, it's hard to shake the impression that rather than an action movie, Marshall made a little girlish historical fetish that made teeth disappear for all the ruffles and a nice design. When a movie pushes them out in a mermaid hunt scene, it's a very sympathetic dark fairy tale. Otherwise, it's more like a hanger for pretty scenery, sympathetic actors and ultra-stupid dialogues that even Depp's clown grins won't save. The more serious the film tries to be in places, the less the whiff of an old pirate farce fits into it (especially the opening London scene is rough). When I add it all up - nice costumes, eye pleasing design, an ever-more edible Penélope, a very edible mermaid and, on the other hand, a poor script, hackneyed choreography and a bunch of useless scenes. No, the fourth Pirates of the Caribbean cannot offend, but is unfortunately also cannot excite. (16/05/2011)

Given the discreet aura of unsuccessful sequels, which unfairly burdened the second and third parts, a change on multiple fronts was probably the only solution. Gone is the escalating complexity of various intrigues or last-minute pulling of key characters out of the hat. And although I have always enjoyed this approach, I must admit that returning to the classic pirate escapade, in which Jack Sparrow mainly pulls the strings in key moments, is an idea worth all the money. Marshall's academic pedigree successfully builds upon Verbinski's legacy. (21/09/2011)

Ten minutes before the end of On Stranger Tides, I remembered that I was wearing 3D glasses and that the film was (probably) in 3D (it was an IMAX projection). And the only thing I will remember from this a month later is the mermaid scene. The rest is just fluff, exploiting the success of the franchise, the actors and Hans Zimmer’s music. I’m only giving it three stars because the film is playful and harmless. In terms of viewer experience, though, it deserves only two stars because it’s boring. How come so many makers of B-movies know how to come up with innovative and refreshing ideas, and the Hollywood elite behind this doesn’t? (19/05/2011)

The first part of the Pirates series that managed without pathos. Liberated from the original trilogy, the fourth part offers a new adventure, new stories, new locations, and thanks to Penélope Cruz, it's finally a feast for the eyes (and ears, because she uses her Spanish accent). The previous films were just effectively assembled grand images, whereas this was finally a pleasant and entertaining spectacle. (20/11/2022)