Dead Man Tells No Tales is the 5th instalment in the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise and Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) returns to the sea for a new adventure. This time, Jack and his crew seek the Trident of Poseidon which is known to break any curse. Like the previous films, Jack is also being pursued by an undead captain, his disastrous ship and its entire, frightening, dark crew.
Like the previous instalments, Jack is joined on this adventure by returning and new characters who surprisingly enough have some connections to the past Pirates film. This also brings me to the first positive point I would like to make. This film actually feels more of a continuation from the 3rd film and like it skips over the fourth film (which had no connection to the past films). The 3rd Pirates film left the audiences somewhat disappointed with no overall conclusion for our main characters. The Writer and Director of Dead Man Tell No Tales cleans up (as some may call it) the messy ending we’ve had previously seen as far as the main story is concerned.
When it comes to Captain Jack Sparrow I’m sure we would all agree that this character is Johnny Depp’s signature character for which he will be forever remembered. Actor Johnny Depp once again has a fun time making random jokes, being drunk and pulling those funny looks. But sadly, this is about it for Captain Jack Sparrow. While the previous films actually showed some depth to our hero and provided him with a serious outlook on situations when required, Dead Man Tell No Tales simply has Jack as a random, one-liner, funny man. From the moment we see Jack, he’s drunk and we watch Jack making horrible life choices and interrupting people with attempted wisecracks. If you think about the 1st Pirates film, sure, Jack got drunk and was funny, but he also helped characters get through the impossible and provided key advice when required. These factors for Jack are not present in this film. Jack Sparrow is on board not for his skills but because the characters around him really have no choice.
As far as other cast goes, I absolutely loved seeing the return of Australian actor Geoffrey Rush as Captain Barbossa. Other supporting cast members are sadly forgettable, with many character relationships at times feeling somewhat unbelievable. The new villain to take on the incredible captain Jack Sparrow was impressive, but again nothing we haven’t seen before.
The well known famous Pirates music score also returns, as well as many clever action scenes. Big shout out and credit to the stunt work, as the action scenes once again are funny and unpredictable. Watching Jack Sparrow during battle has him running around yelling and carrying on and yet somehow surviving each action sequence as a matter of fluke (like I said he is drunk most of the time in this film). As disappointed as I am that Jack shows little skill in a battle, the credit goes out the film’s effects which are fun and well-timed with the music.
While Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man Tell No Tales isn’t my highest rated film in the series, I will proudly say it is an improvement on the previous instalment. Having a plot that reconnects with our past characters is a story worth investing in, and the franchise tries to aim for a soft reboot for those who have followed Jack Sparrow journey’s thus far. Jack feels the clumsiest and silly we have ever seen, which at times will make you question how long does this series have to go before it walks the plank. If you stay for the credits, you will know what I mean.
5.8/10
4th June 2017
Written by Peter Walkden
WALKDEN ENTERTAINMENT
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