PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: ON STRANGER TIDES

US, 2011, 140 minutes. Colour.
Johnny Depp, Penelope Cruz, Geoffrey Rush, Ian Mc Shane, Kevin Mc Nally, Sam Claflin, Astrid Berges- Frisbey, Stephen Graham, Keith Richards, Richard Griffiths, Gemma Ward, Roger Alan, Judi Dench.
Directed by Rob Marshall.

Who would have thought eight years ago that we would still be seeing Johnny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow, the most oddball pirate in screen history? But, he entered into the cinema audience consciousness and, judging by the final scenes of this episode and a tantalising 20 seconds with Penelope Cruz after the final credits, he looks ready to set sail for a fifth Pirates movie.

This one is more straightforwardly piratical than the previous outings – and, perhaps the better for it. No monsters and Davy Jones Locker or ghosts returning from the dead. This is more in the Treasure Island vein, journeys to find a particular treasure lost at the Fountain of Life. In fact, there are three ships in pursuit: the Spanish, an English expedition captained by Barbossa who shows no signs or indications of having been dead before, and an ambitious galleon with Blackbeard.

At the press preview, there was a power surge and we had to wait fifteen minutes for the lamp to cool before setting sail again. A resident wit who fancies his humorous comments on movies did a run through of the predictability of all the plot elements. Actually, he turned out to be quite wrong. You may think some events will happen, and some of them do, but not in the way we might have expected.

The opening sets a rollicking tone, set in London where Jack Sparrow impersonates a judge to orchestrate a plan to free fellow pirate, Gibbs, from the gallows. All goes well – for a time. Jack is hauled before the king (a fey parody by Richard Griffiths) who wants to get his hands on the Fountain of Life – and who has a captain and a ship commissioned: Captain Barbossa himself trying to become respectable. Audiences should be alert to Judi Dench’s amusing thirty second appearance as a society lady in a carriage.

Jack encounters his past love Angelica (a fiery Penelope Cruz) but is shanghaied and finds himself on Blackbeard’s ship, inciting a mutiny claiming that Blackbeard is not on board. Actually, Blackbeard was having some introverted time and, refreshed, appears again as a cruelly greedy pirate king (and Ian Mc Shane obviously relishes playing the role).

They do get to the island of the Fountain of Youth (with Hawaiian locations). There are all kinds of adventures and mix-ups with Jack, Barbossa, Angelica, Blackbeard and the Spanish, as well as some long sequences with mermaids who are a mixture of sirens and vampires.

We can’t say all’s well that ends well, because there are too many advance notices that the ending is temporary and there will be more to come. With Johnny Depp afire as Jack, both with throwaway lines and cowardly courage, with Barbossa re-invigorated and Angelica given plenty of motivation to make a comeback, audience enjoyment continues...

1. From theme park ride to entertainment to a franchise? The success of the Pirates films?

2. The popularity, the pirate stories, swashbuckling, the colourful history, action, comedy and Jack Sparrow, the presence of Johnny Depp.

3. The previous films and the emphasis on history, the pirates, the shift to legends, monsters, Davy Jones’ locker? The unreality – and the special effects?

4. This episode, more straightforward, the Treasure Island kind of story, action? The trailer indications at the end? The final scene with Angelica? The rousing score?

5. The prologue, the Fountain of Life, the Spanish ship, the message, the expeditions? Motivation?

6. London and the 18th century, colourful, the range of people, the sets and costumes, Gibbs and his arrest, in the court, the officials of the court, the judge? Jack Sparrow disguised as the judge? The court behaviour, the real judge tied up? Getting Gibbs out, going into the wagon, paying off the driver – only to find that he had been paid off to go to Hampton Court? The soldiers? Jack being ingenious but not always bright?

7. The king, his interest in the Fountain of Life, obese, his effete manner? His advisers? Jack, waiting, the cake? The arrival of Barbossa, his being respectable at the court of the king? Jack and his escape, the gymnastics, the hangings, out the window, on the coaches, the encounter with the society lady, the kiss, stealing her earring? His freedom? Gibbs taking the map?

8. Going to the inn, the meeting with Angelica, the long swordfight? The story of their past? The rumours that he wanted a ship and a crew? His being shanghaied? Scrubbing the decks, encountering Angelica, the alleged presence of Blackbeard, his explaining the reasons for a mutiny, the fights, Blackbeard’s appearance?

9. Blackbeard and his reputation, his appearance, his look? His defeat of Barbossa? The loss of the black pearl? His wanting to find the Fountain of Life? Angelica claiming to be his daughter? His cruelty, the men, the expedition to the Fountain of Life?

10. Barbossa and his respectable voyage, the expedition, Gibbs destroying the map, keeping alive, his explanations and guidance? The British military? The Spanish galleons sailing past but not accosting the British? Following them to the island? The encounter with the mermaids, the destruction of the boat and crew? The small group on the island? Barbossa’s motivation, his wanting revenge on Blackbeard? The loss of his leg?

11. Blackbeard and the arrival, the mission, the group on land, the missionary and his place on the boat, in the expedition? The encounter with the mermaids, the group in the boat waiting for them, their attack, the mermaids behaving like sirens, then vampires? Capturing Syrena? Philip and his attraction towards Syrena? Saving her? Blackbeard and the confrontation, seeming to kill Philip? Syrena’s reaction, her tear? Philip and his apology? His return? The capture of Syrena, tying her up? Her dying? Philip coming to her rescue?

12. The trek, arrival at the cliff, Angelica and the pistols, Blackbeard’s bluff? Jack and his diving? Encountering Barbossa, his plans, the chalices, stealing them from the Spanish, their capture, Jack being smart, his manoeuvres?

13. The Spanish, their mission to destroy the chalices and not make the Fountain of Life available? The Spanish treasure?

14. Jack, the ritual, the tear, Blackbeard and his wanting the benefit of the Fountain of Life, Angelica and the cut on her hand, healing?

15. Barbossa, attack, the confrontation with Blackbeard? The fight, Blackbeard’s death?

16. Syrena, her return for Philip, taking him to the depths of the sea?

17. The minor characters, the sailors, Gibbs and his role in the previous stories? Scrum and his place on the ship? Enchanted by the mermaids? Keith Richards’ guest spot as Captain Jack’s father? The other pirates, the military, the Spaniards?

18. Jack taking Angelica to the island? Abandoning her – and her getting her revenge with the voodoo doll?