Numbers obtained from IMDb and Rotten Tomatoes on June 2, 2017.
My rating IMDb Rotten Tomatoes
Critics Audience Critics Audience
8/10 39/100 7.1/10 29% 71%
In 2003, something unprecedented happened: a film based on a park attraction became a blockbuster and gave origin to one of the biggest movie franchises to date. One of the main reasons for this was Johnny Depp, who completely change the type of “hero” usually portrait in Disney movies. His Captain Jack Sparrow, full of ambiguities and hidden agendas, was what gave direction to Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl.
Fourteen years later, it is safe to say that Captain Jack Sparrow is back on Dead Men Tell No Tales, even if he’s had his ups and downs on the 3 movies before this one.
The fifth installment of the Pirates franchise is better than its predecessor and brings back some elements of the first one, much to the fans delight. It is important to point out, however, that Dead Men Tell No Tales is unlikely to please the audience who isn’t familiar with the other 4 movies or who doesn’t like the franchise. It is clearly meant for fans of the characters and of their stories.
One character that returns right in the beginning of the film is Will Turner (Orlando Bloom), now forever trapped to the Flying Dutchman and only allowed to step on land once every 10 years. His son, Henry Turner (Brenton Thwaites), is determined to find a way to break the curse and free his father.
Years go by and now Henry Turner is looking for Jack Sparrow to ask for his help to find the Trident of Poseidon – the only thing able to break all sea curses. During his search, he finds a half-dead Captain Salazar (Javier Bardem), who seeks revenge against Jack Sparrow for events from their pasts. Captain Salazar and his crew always kill everyone they find but for one, so the survivor can tell the tale.
Henry eventually finds Jack (in a scene that resembles the actual ride at the Disney Parks) and Carina Smyth (Kaya Scodelario), who is also interested in obtaining the Trident. Captain Barbossa (Geoffrey Rush), of course, gets in their way and is responsible for both comic and sweet moments in the film.
Keira Knightley also reprises her role as Elizabeth Swann, even if too briefly, and Sir Paul McCartney has a delightful cameo, originally intended to Keith Richards (the replacement happened due to conflicting schedules).
The humor is back in great scale in this film and the storyline is simpler than the previous ones, making it easier to follow. But what definitely stands out is the special effects, which make Captain Salazar and his crew even scarier and more appealing to watch.
The score is also perfect, giving the film a great and exciting pace. It has to be noted that Hans Zimmer, who was responsible for the score in the previous movies, is not listed for this one. But Geoff Zanelli, who was involved in assisting Hans, does a great job and follows to the letter the tradition of the thrilling Pirates score.
One last thing to mention in favor of Dead Men Tell No Tales is the running time: it’s the shortest one of the franchise, which makes it more agreeable to everyone and prevents useless scenes. There is also a post-credit scene in this one.
Long story short, this Pirates is a great addition to the franchise and is bound to bring moments of joy, laughter, and excitement to those who always root for Jack Sparrow to conquer the horizon.
