PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN : ON STRANGER TIDES - archive from 13th June 2011.

I saw 'PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN : ON STRANGER TIDES' this afternoon in 3D which did very little to enhance the experience. This is the fourth outing for the high seas legend Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) following 2007's 'At World's End' which followed 2006's 'Dead Man's Chest' and which followed the series opener in 2003 'The Curse of the Black Pearl'. Directed by Rob Marshall and Produced by Jerry Bruckheimer this film cost a ridiculous US$378M to make but grossed US$1.05B putting it in the Top 15 highest grossing movies of all time. It is worth noting that the series of four films has so far cost US$1B to make and has raked in US$3.7B in receipts - with a fifth instalment currently in production . . . with those numbers under its belt that's hardly surprising!

It must be said that this film is reasonably entertaining, and there is something quite likable about lovable rogue, ocean going scoundrel and sea faring ladies man Captain Jack and his motley crew of salty sea dog miscreants. Johnny Depp is clearly very comfortable in the role and has made Sparrow all his own,  and we see him joined by his on screen old man for the second time now Keef Richards as Captain Teague.

In this instalment Jack's nefarious past catches up with him in the shape of former lover Angelica (Penelope Cruz), who like him is on the hunt for the Fountain of Youth. Angelica is the voodoo practising daughter of Blackbeard (Ian McShane), and she is able to control the ship, 'The Queen Anne's Revenge' by wielding a magical sword that she possesses. With a zombie crew the trio set sail to seek out the legendary mythical fountain, not knowing that Barbosa (Geoffrey Rush) is also on the hunt and hot on their trail too, as is a mysterious Spanish galleon. At the same time Jack learns that The Black Pearl was in fact not sunk last time, but has been shrunken and is now displayed as a ship in a bottle together with a fleet of others seemingly in the possession of Blackbeard.

Along the way of course as they chart a course across the seven seas they must overcome adversity, pitched battles, challenges (including retrieving a mermaids tears), and revenge all interlaced with of lots of tongue in cheek humour. Many of the usual cohorts are there including Kevin McNally and Sam Claiflin, This is mildly entertaining with some ridiculous drawn out set pieces and you can easily leave your brain at the door, but hey, US$1.05B can't be wrong? Watch out for Chapter Five in this franchise due in 2017 - 'Dead Men Tell No Tales'.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-