In their fourth adventure, Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) and Captain Hector Barbossa (Geoffrey Rush) embark on a quest to find the elusive Fountain of Youth. Also stars Penelope Cruz, Gemma Ward and Judi Dench. Screening in 3D.
Sparrow crosses paths with a woman from his past, Angelica (Cruz) - but is this love or is she a con artist using him to find the Fountain of Youth for herself? When she forces him aboard the Queen Anne's Revenge, the ship of the formidable Blackbeard (Ian McShane), Jack's thrust into an adventure in which he doesn't know who to fear more: the pirate or the woman?
Based on the pirate novel On Stranger Tides by Tim Powers and the first in the Disney series not to be directed by Gore Verbinski. This time it's Rob Marshall (Nine, Chicago) at the helm.
Part four of the Pirates franchise spends a little too long idling in the doldrums but excursions into fresh waters keep this latest installment afloat. Watch out though, that hull is springing leaks and it’s unlikely she’ll last any further voyages. Much like a trans-Atlantic crossing, you’d better be sure you’re up to the lengthy challenge before ye board this wooden vessel.
The good: part four has lost the incessant pouting of Keira Knightley and Orlando Bloom; there’s an awesomely spooky sequence where some nasty mermaids move in for the kill; there’s Blackbeard’s fearsome black magic; there’s some very nifty action, lavish production design (director Rob Marshall has a background in musical theatre) and the effects are all top notch. And Geoffrey Rush has a peg leg.
The not so good: 130 minutes is too long for a pirate movie; Ian McShane is surprisingly underpowered as the villain; Johnny Depp’s Captain Jack is just along for the ride without much to do; the film lacks both the narrative drive and freshness of the first. Benefiting from the decision to begin anew after the existing trilogy is a good idea.
This is a darker, more soulful entry with some fun set pieces. But it’s definitely wearying and no amount of candle-lit exposition can make a slight plot interesting. Time to lay anchor for good?
By Andrew Hedley, Flicks.co.nz
This is a movie franchise that you either love or hate I for one am a huge fan of the P.O.C movies and always love to see what captn Jack will be getting up to never was a fan of Johnny Depp until the Pirates films as well as Rango This is another great Pirates film to be watching me matey's
hard to beat the other movies and they didnt manage to get close, feel letdown.
This one was pretty average compared with the other 3. it wasnt the same without Elizabeth and will either. Oh well, Johnny Depp was crazy as ever
Loved the movie! It realised the third movie's mistake of over complicating the script and affects in the wake of a MASSIVE budget. I do feel the movie relied a bit TOO much on the strength on Johnny Depps characturisation of Jack Sparrow and it could've been a bit better had it focused just a tad more on the other characters - Geoffrey Rush is STELLAR and though I fell 'depp'ly in lone with Depp during the first run of POTC, I do believe that Geoffrey's character deserved more limelight than it did. I was greatful for one (unlike most) that Kiera and Orlando to be seen, however I was half expecting a cameo where you see Orlando's character meeting his wife and ten year old child in the background of the movie (Which could've been wicked!) Penelope does a great job, I was expecting her role to be "Damsel in distress with one or two interesting lines, and a whole lot of pointless". I was happily surprised to find her role enchanting and exciting for me to watch, with maybe only one or two pathetic lines but nothing more! All in all: good movie, really. Just a bit too Depp-struck for my cup of tea, Also - there is an extra part at the end, but honestly not worth sitting through the credits for : SPOILER ALERT: Penelope's character finds Johnny Depp's voo doo doll on the beach. That's it - nothing else.
This series is definitely improved without Keira Knightly and Legolas, It would make for a pretty good sequel to Pirates 1, if you try forget about the incredibly lacking 2nd and 3rd films. Has it's moments, overall pretty enjoyable, 3D isn't quite as great as some of the other films out there.
For me, it's too much of a muchness.
This is stodgy direction, without any flourish or swagger, in the service of a film with nothing on its mind but pulling in the most money for the least expended effort.
An overly complicated plot and poorly thought-out characters detract from the flashes of charm that Cap'n Jack still emits. Despite quality set-pieces and the best efforts of the cast, this is dull and crossbones.
A poorly scripted film has its forked tongue sticking out of both cheeks.
Captain Jack Sparrow is back in excellent form for his fourth adventure in Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, which is more serious in the hands of a new director, Rob Marshall, and thanks to Penelope Cruz it's also a good deal sexier.
We've been told the NZ release date for this flick is Thursday, 19th May 2011.
Release date: May 19th 2011.
We haven't received times for this movie in this location yet. However these are updated as cinemas announce them, so check back soon. Hopefully the lovely cinemas in your location will choose to play it shortly. ~Ed.
