‘Pirates No. 4’ still a grand swashbuckling show
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WHEN a film hits No. 4 a series, it’s in rarefied air. Even in today’s sequel-obsessed cinematic landscape, few series are sustainable past the trilogy stage, especially since No. 1 is only a hair over a decade old.
When a film achieves this, it almost certainly has exhausted its initial story arc, and so the primary hook must be the characters that inhibit it.
What’s so interesting is how unique those characters are in “Pirates of the Caribbean.” In this case, that responsibility rests on the squirrely shoulders of Johnny Depp’s Captain Jack Sparrow. What’s remarkable is just how subversive this character is.
“Pirates” is a PG-13 film in the United States, meaning its allowed to be seen by viewers 13 years old and up, unless accompanied by an adult. I’m not sure how much that applies in 2014, but let’s go with it.
It’s also what’s called a “soft” PG-13, meaning it’s much closer to being rated the more accessible “PG” than the “R” for mature audiences. After all, there’s a whole line of “Pirates” children’s books and Sparrow is considered just as much part of Disney as Mickey Mouse.
That said, Depp’s character is one of the most subversive protagonists in film, a flamboyant mixed-bag “hero” who steals kisses and gold, undercuts any sort of authority at every turn, and does so with impunity. He sashays his way with abandon, something other male action characters seldom do.
That is enough to make this film enjoyable on some level — I can sleep a bit better knowing this movie exists. That said, the rest of the movie doesn’t fair as well.
By about three-fourths into what is a long (137 minutes) film, the motivations of the characters seem lost, and they were barely discernible in the first place. By the time the mermaids are introduced, their appearance feels forced, as if there was an unspent special effects budget that had to be spent.
Still, for popcorn fare, it’s adequate, with a ship buoyed by the irrepressible character in Captain Jack Sparrow.
(Brian Offenther is a Shanghai-based freelancer.)‘Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides’ (2011)
¥ Where to see it: The Pearl, 471 Zhapu Rd
¥ When to see it: April 13, 10:15pm (part of a quadruple feature of the complete ÒPiratesÓ series starting at 1:30pm)
¥ Price: Free
¥ What to see: The 4th film in the swashbuckling series based on the Disneyland ride stars Johnny Depp as Jack Sparrow, the pirate inspired by recent Shanghai visitor/rockstar Keith Richards, and cartoon character PepŽ Le Pew. He meets up with old flame PenŽlope Cruz as Angelica, old nemesis Geoffrey Rush as Captain Barbossa, Ian McShane as the infamous Blackbeard, and a whole bunch of mermaids in a quest for the fountain of youth.
¥ BrianÕs score: 06/10
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