PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: DEAD MEN TELL NO TALES

US, 2017, 129 minutes, Colour.
Johnny Depp, Geoffrey Rush, Javier Bardem, Brenton Thwaits, Kaya Scodelario, Kevin R. Mc Nally, Golshifteh Farahani, David Wenham, Stephen Graham, Bruce Spence, Orlando Bloom, Keira Knightley.
Directed by Joachim Ronning, Espen Sandberg.

What more is there to say about the Pirates of the Caribbean? After all, this is the fifth episode. Probably the main thing is “more of the same�.

One of the things to remember about the series is that it is based on a theme park from Disneyland so that the films are the visual, moving pictures version of the popular ride. It is interesting to note that many of the critics feel exasperated that the series does not aspire to greater art, forgetting that the intention of the films is “a bit of fun�. And that’s what it provides, not particularly demanding, but reintroducing us to Captain Jack Sparrow, Captain Borbossa, and the Pirates’ life.

What is new about this particular episode is that the central character is Henry, the son of Will Turner and Elizabeth Swann. At first, we see him as a young boy, venturing out in a boat, going down on the anchor to find his father doomed to spend his afterlife on The Flying Dutchman. Actually, this gives us an opportunity to see Orlando Bloom after all these years as Will. However, Will is reluctant and Henry returns to his way of life, becoming a sailor on a British ship in the West Indies. He is played by Brenton’s Thwaites (from Cairns). He goes in search of Jack Sparrow who has a compass which could lead them to the place of Neptune’s Trident, which has the power to break all spells.

During a ceremony of inaugurating a new bank on the island San Martin, presided over by the Mayor (Bruce Spence), Jack Sparrow is discovered asleep in the vault – and his men organise the stealing of the vault, except that they cannot get it through the back door of the building, and so there begins a mad pursuit around the town with the horses dragging not only the vault but the whole bank with them, a whole deal of slapstick comedy, as a lot of the town is destroyed.

There is also a young lady, Carina (Kaya Scodelario) who is being condemned as a witch because of her scientific knowledge – between the jigs and the reels, she and Jack are about to be hanged until Henry does a bit of derring-do and they escape from the vindictive police officer (David Wenham).

And, so, to sea, Johnny Depp doing his usual, even more delirious, madcap Jack Sparrow, meeting up with Geoffrey Rush’s Captain Borbossa and also meeting up with a phantom ship, a dead crew, and their Spanish Captain Salazar (Javier Bardem). Lots of swash and buckle here, boarding of ships, canons and muskets, swords and knives…

Carina can read the stars and so they can arrive at the island where the Trident is to be found – and, with a reminder of Moses parting the waters of the Red Sea, down they go into a watery chasm, dangers and all, breaking of spells, and some heroics on the part of everyone, especially a revelation about self-sacrificing Captain Borbossa.

Probably many were hankering after a glimpse of Keira Knightley when Orlando Bloom earlier returned to the film – and, without spoiling anything, she does appear again (and Orlando Bloom and Keira also appear in a short sequence for those who remain after the credits).

Just a rollicking bit fun.

1. The popularity of the series? Based on the theme park and ride? Cinema theme park and ride? Physical, emotional? Colourful? Serious, comic? The comedy pratfalls?

2. The sea, the islands, San Martin, the musical score?

3. Costumes, decor, the town, the buildings, the bank – and its being carried through the town?

4. Make up, the dead sailors, Salazar? Barbosa?

5. The stunts, action, the colliding of the ships, the boarding the ships, swords and guns?

6. Henry’s story, the young boy, son of Will and Elizabeth? The boat, the anchor, visiting his father on the Flying Dutchman, wanting to help, his father’s refusal? Growing older, seeking Jack Sparrow? His becoming a sailor, on the ship, warnings to the authority about the Triangle, imprisoned, surviving? The encounter with Salazar and the destruction of the ship? His living to tell the tale? In San Martin, the conflict with the officer? In bed, hospital, Carina as a nurse, his escape? Finding Jack, disappointed in him, in prison with him? Carina and Jack to be rescued? Her being about to be hanged, Jack to be hanged? Going to sea, the Black Pearl , Barbosa and his crew? The confrontation? Carina and the story of the Trident, her father’s book, the compass, the stars? Finding the island? The overview of the island, the lights, the red lights and stars, Barbossa giving her the stone for completion? The sea parting, the chasm? Salazar and his men within it? Carina and Salazar taking over Henry’s body? The escape, the revelation of Barbossa and the stars, her father? Henry, in love, the final rescue, redeeming his father, the happy reunion? With his mother?

7. Carina, her story, her father and his book, searching for the Trident, the stars, condemned as a witch, her escapes, about to be hanged, on the boat, with Jack Sparrow, with Barbossa? Finding the island, the stars and the stone? In the chasm, the transformation – and the discovery that Barbossa was her father? The return of his book?

8. Jack Sparrow’s story, the flashbacks to his young days, his ship, the crew, the entanglements with Barbossa? His comic style, the many pratfalls? Asleep in the bank vault, the mayor’s wife, the chase, the horses drawing the bank building through the town, his crew, reluctance? Sailing away, the encounter with Barbossa? The issue of the compass, his drinking and exchange it in the tavern? The pursuit by Salazar, the confrontation, the ships and the boarding, the battles? Going to the island, Salazar defeated? The end, Jack being the captain of the ship again, his crew?

9. Barbossa, the past, the information about the Trident, Jack Sparrow’s compass? Salazar? The conflicts, sailing to the island, the star with the final piece, his self-sacrifice, Jack, Henry and Carina on the anchor, Borbossa falling to his death – but the revelation that he was her father?

10. Salazar, Spanish, his crew, dead, wanting the compass from Jack, the conflict with Barbossa? His ghostly ship, the dead crew, the battles? Going to the island, the chasm, his being restored to humanity, the crew, but the waters flowing over them?

11. The crew, loyalties? The characters and the repartee?

12. The British, arrogance, commerce, destruction?

13. San Martin, the police official and his vindictiveness? The mayor, his speech, the band, his wife, the destruction of the bank?

14. Indications after the credits with Will and Elizabeth, to be continued?