“Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides” is the fourth installment in the popular movie franchise based on Disney’s amusement park ride. The first film was enjoyable, but needlessly complex scripts wrought with double and triple crosses weighed down parts two and three and sucked most of the joy out of the series. The movies were still worth seeing, though, thanks to spirited performances by Johnny Depp and Geoffrey Rush and impressive special effects.
Regardless, my expectations for “On Stranger Tides” were low, partly because it seemed as though Disney was simply milking a cash cow, but also due to the company’s use of Rob Marshall as director. Prior to helming “Pirates 4,” Marshall directed two musicals: “Chicago” and “Nine.” As good as “Chicago” was, I could not imagine what possessed Disney to hire him to direct a summer blockbuster.
And for the first hour or so, I got what was I was expecting. Depp and Rush return as Captain Jack Sparrow and Barbossa, respectively, but out of the gate, their performances seemed clumsy and lifeless. Worse, the actor who plays King George II goes too far in portraying the man as a cartoonish buffoon. My concern was that Marshall and the cast had failed to connect.
Marshall seemed to be missing beats with the action, too. The movie opens with Jack arriving in London to hunt down an impersonator who’s gathering a crew to search for the legendary Fountain of Youth. While there, he rescues his former first mate, Gibbs, who was about to be executed for piracy, but then the two men are captured and brought before the king, who wants Jack to guide an expedition to the fountain.
Jack escapes again, and the king’s soldiers pursue him through the streets of the city. What should have been an exciting, adrenaline filled chase had a leaden feel, as though Marshall had filmed the scene at one-quarter speed.
The script also seemed prone to relying on coincidence. For example, Jack avoids capture by grabbing the sign of a tavern as the carriage on which he’s riding passes by the pub. One soldier spots him, however, and draws his gun to make the kill. At that moment, Jack’s dad pops out of the bar and shoots him.
It’s a good thing Jack grabbed that particular sign. Then, in another boon, his dad tells him everything he needs to know about the Fountain.
Jack soon discovers that a former lover and the daughter of the ruthless pirate Blackbeard is the one who’s been impersonating him. Named Angelica, she wants to find the fountain to save her dad. Through a series of contrived events, she and Jack end up on Blackbeard’s boat, racing Barbossa and the Spanish to reach the fountain first.
Thankfully, once everyone is on the water, the story picks up steam and the performances improve. Although “On Stanger Tides” takes place on a smaller scale than the second and third movies, there are some memorable sequences, including a mermaid attack on open waters and a scene on a Spanish galleon hanging off the edge of a cliff.
In the latter sequence, Sparrow and Barbossa must keep the weight in the captain’s quarters perfectly balanced to avoid sending the boat careening to the ground.
In addition, Penelope Cruz breathes fresh air into the series with her performance as Angelica. Not only is Cruz alluring and beautiful but she also delivers what every scene needs, whether it’s humor, drama, or ferocity. As a result, Angelica makes a great foil for Sparrow.
“On Stranger Tides” does other things well, too. For starters, the story is the most lucid in the series; it sets a clear course for the fountain and never wavers from its goal. The end is satisfying, too, in the same way an Indiana Jones film pays off once Indy finds the object for which he’s looking. And while the movie doesn’t have any money shots, Marshall does a good job of putting together action scenes that are easy to follow. The set and costume design are solid, too, especially the grimy streets of 18th Century London.
My only quibble about “On Stranger Tides” as a whole is that the scenes at night are poorly lit and have a murky look. That surprised me since the same director of photography has worked on all four films.
“Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides” has taken a beating in the press and from moviegoers. Perhaps people are expecting too much. While it’s not a classic, it’s well made, adventurous, and fun, and it treats established characters with respect. What more could one want from a summer movie based on an amusement park ride?
Rated PG-13 for sequences of violence, some frightening images, sensuality and innuendo. Three stars out of four. Email David Laprad at dlaprad@hamiltoncountyherald.com.