Pirates Of The Caribbean: On Stranger Tides [Blu-ray]

If you ever needed proof why you shouldn't listen to critics, the Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, part 4 in the series, is it. Part 2 and part 3 received quite a thrashing from critics despite still cashing in pretty big at the box office. So, there's no reason why they would treat part 4 any different. But that's just it. It is different. Without Orlando Bloom and Keira Knightley, whom you won't even miss having in this film, you should expect a new storyline and new characters and that's exactly what you get. Barbossa and Gibbs are back, but other than Captain Jack, Jack the Monkey, and even a cameo from Jack's father (Keith Richards), you have a whole new cast of characters.

The film picks up with the same plot where the last one left off, with the Fountain of Youth being the focus. Captain Jack escapes the gallows with Gibbs only to discover someone is impersonating him and getting a crew together to go find the fountain. The imposter turns out to be Angelica Teach (Penelope Cruz), the daughter of Blackbeard (Ian McShane) who wants to find the fountain to save her father from a doomed prophecy.

Angelica and Jack apparently have a past love interest together and she tricks him into joining the crew because she knows he has the map and that he's been to the fountain. But to get the spell of the fountain to work, they'll have to collect certain items that are needed, including the tear of a mermaid. So, the movie becomes a race for Blackbeard's crew, the Spanish, and the English, to collect the items needed and get to the fountain first!

Blackbeard is a colorful and well played evil pirate. You can expect the same entertainment that you got from Davy Jones and Barbossa in the previous films. Cruz definitely holds her own in the cast of men. Depp is Jack through and through, prancing about and always cleverly escaping trouble. And Geoffrey Rush as Barbossa again is up to his old conniving tricks, undercover on the English side, despite having a peg leg now.

The movie provides lots of fast paced action mainly in the form of sword fights and doesn't rely heavily on special effects like the last film. And then there are the mermaids! The intense and evil beauties which provide a large part of entertainment in the middle of the film, and even a small romantic subplot that grabs your attention.

There's an equal amount of time spent on land and at sea, and although the movie had a slow start as it set up the plot, I would almost say this one was better than the last one. If you are a fan of the other films, you will definitely be entertained and think that this film is a great addition to the series.

Here's a little history: according to the book `DisneyWars', the execs at the studio were appalled by the rushes coming back during filming on Curse of The Black Pearl - Depp and Rush were vying to see who could produce the biggest, campest, most flamboyant performance - from their POV though, they were apparently having a great time. It clearly comes across watching them, that they're having FUN. The addition of Bill Nighy introduced another wonderfully camp OTT performance - and again, he seemed to be simply having FUN.

Which brings us to Stranger Tides, and my biggest complaint, which is that everyone's just `going through the motions' and picking up the pay cheque. I would strangle small puppy dogs for the chance of appearing in a pirate movie, and yet this lot approach it as another day at the office. The biggest disappointment is Ian McShane - did he actually watch any of the previous movies ? - who clearly didn't understand that flamboyance was the order of the day. Instead, he brought to the character of Black Beard, all the menace and venom of Lovejoy perusing a Victorian wardrobe.

No less wooden than the wardrobe, was Penelope Cruz, though I did feel some sympathy for her, as she'd only been cast as there was a rather tenuous Spanish plot device (thank God the fountain of youth wasn't in Lapp land).

The action sequences are adequate, but hardly inspired, and the storyline thin to say the least. Even these gripes could have been eased by good performances by actors clearly committed to the movie.

Ultimately though, Black Beard should have saved this movie - a perfect `baddy' with so much potential to steal the movie; a measure of how tame his portrayal is, is that one of the `true facts' we know from the real life Black Beard, is that he intertwined burning tapers in his beard while in battle, to appear more terrifying to his enemies. This image is never used in Stranger Tides - a strange decision, as it enforces the point that the real life Black Beard is a bigger character than his cinematic portrayal. A totally wasted opportunity.

I've seen Pirates of The Carribbean 4: On Stranger Tides, twice now at the cinema (once in 3D and once in 2D) and I have to say I love it. I know not everyone will agree, but for me, Pirates 4 is my favourite out of all of its predecessors. I didn't rate 2 much, and 3 was a bit too complex, but this installment more than makes up for the dissapointment of the last two. In this installment, you have not 1, not 2, but 3 notorious Pirates, all bidding for the same thing; to the find the passage to the Fabled Fountain of Youth. For Jack Sparrow, who is as hilariously mad, 'evil' and funny as ever, its the thrill of the search, for Blackbeard, its all about saving his soul from the one-legged man who is phophesised to kill him, and for Barbosa, now a Privateer in the Kings Navy, its all about extracting revenge on Blackbeard for taking his beloved Pearl - and his leg. With two crews, three pirates, plus the Spanish, all racing to get to the fountain first, there are many hilarious high-jinx and mad-cap mutanies along the way, and Sparrow as usual, finds himself forced to swap sides during the course of film, resulting in much mayhem and mirth.

But before they reach the fountain the crew have to precure one vital ingrediant - the tear of a Mermaid. Easier said than done as it turns out that the Mermaids,(One of whom is model and actress Gemma Ward), far from being mythical and magical, are vicious and deadly, and who will slay the skin from any Sailor who crosses their path. With he help of unwitting Missionary Philip Swift (The gorgeous Sam Claflin) they finally manage trap a Mermaid, and proceed to the Fountain. With Penelope Cruz as Blackbeards daughter and Sparrows old flame, Angelica, also aboard, their mission can only spell trouble, especially as they don't bank on Phillip falling in love with the beautiful Mermaid, Syrena (The stunning Astrid Burges-Frisbey). Eventually reaching the fabled fountain, Blackbeard comes face to face with his old advasary Barbosa, and a fight to the death ensues, with Sparrow as usual manipulating and twisting the eventual outcome to his own hilarious advantage.

The film ends yet again, on a bit of a cliff-hanger and you just know there has to be a number 5 to tie up all the loose ends. Although Keira Knightly and Orlando Bloom are not in this film, I didn't really miss them much to be honest, and Sam Claflin and Astrid Berges-Frisbey as the stalwart missionary and the beautiful Mermaid do a great job of replacing Will and Elizabeths previous romantic element in the film. In fact, I was dissapointed that their touching little love story didn't get more air-time as it was one of my favourite elements of the film. I can only hope that if a 5/6 does materialise (as rumours suggest they will) that we get to see a full exploration of their characters in the next installments.

This film is deliciously dark and scary in places, but retains its wonderful wit and humour along the way. It looks spectacular in 3D (Johnny Depp in 3D = Yum) but is just as good in 2D. I can't wait for this to come out so I can buy it. There is also an added scene at the end again, if you wait for the credits to end, which more than paves the way for a number 5 to materialise. Please Disney - Give us more Pirates - I for one haven't had my fill yet.