Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales, but Disney does, over and over again

Pirates of the Caribbean - Salazar's Revenge

In a mix of old and new faces, old and new jokes, and old and new story lines, we are invited to experience yet another story about Captain Jack Sparrow.

Walt Disney’s Pirates of the Caribbean: Salazar’s Revenge (or, as it’s known in the United States, Dead Men Tell No Tales), features down on his luck Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) feeling the winds of ill-fortune blowing even more strongly when deadly ghost sailors led by his old nemesis, the malicious Captain Salazar (Javier Bardem), escape from the Devil’s Triangle. Jack’s only hope of survival lies in seeking out the legendary Trident of Poseidon, but to find it he must forge an uneasy alliance with a brilliant and beautiful astronomer and a headstrong young man in the British navy. Sounds about right and familiar.

Pirates of the Caribbean: Salazar's Revenge

If you are a fan of the franchise, you will certainly enjoy this film as it’s a fitting finale for this beloved swashbuckling saga. There are moments of eye-rolling sighs, as the film spits out every anecdote you expect to see from the story. Luckily there are enough captivating and visually strong scenes that will make any movie-goer to softly go ‘argh’ with joy.

Dead Men Tell No Tales is directed by Joachim Rønning and Espen Sandberg (both worked on Kon Tiki, 2012), which kicks off strong revealing our new young male lead Henry, (Brenton Thwaites) as the son of Orlando Bloom’s Will Turner, and who is on a quest to save his father, by also seeking the Trident of Poseidon.

 

Pirates of the Caribbean: Salazar's Revenge

The story takes place 20 years after the events of the previous trilogy, with Jack Sparrow still bumbling along and narrowly escaping acts of revenge from other pirates. This time around the haunted scalawag is Armando Salazar, a Spanish Navy captain who was sent to his death by a young Jack Sparrow and has sought vengeance ever since.

The pace is slightly faster, alongside a ‘supersize-me’ of all other elements: bigger waves, more chaotic explosions, topped with the magic of sailing, sword fighting and seeking adventure. For those merely seeking a full-blown pirate adventure with good company will walk away satisfied. The film looks gorgeous, and the action is well-staged and coherent. But for the sake of Disney and Depp’s dignity, let’s hope it is the finale they promise.


Pirates of the Caribbean: Salazar’s Revenge is directed by Joachim Rønning and Espen Sandberg, stars Johnny Depp, Geoffrey Rush, Javier Bardem, Brenton Thwaites, and Kaya Scodelario. It is in cinemas from 26 May 2017.