Ok, so I've seen the movie twice now. Once in 3D and once without.
The movie starts in an extremely entertaining way, thrusting you right in the middle of events that have taken place after the third installment. Gibbs has been mistaken for Captain Jack Sparrow and apprehended by the British. There's a very humorous scene where Jack portrays the English Judge, complete with wig, white mustache and beard, granny glasses, and....eyeliner.
This, of course, leads into a meeting with King George the III, and the reintroduction of Barbosa, now employed by the king and missing a leg. It turns out that he was behind the capture of Jack because he knows that Jack can lead them to the fountain of youth via his compass and stolen map. It also turns out that the Spanish are mounting an expedition for the same prize via a man caught in a fishing net who was, not only still alive, but clutching detailed maps of the fountain. There's also made mention that ANOTHER Jack Sparrow is signing up a crew to go after the fountain which turns out to be Cruise dressed up as Jack. There's a well choreographed chase/escape scene out of the palace and onto the streets of London that leads Jack into another encounter with Keith Richards in yet another Cameo. (Who just happens to be in the EXACT right place at the right time to save Jack at the last possible second from a British soldier...and who then conveniently disappears Scooby Do style as soon as their brief conversation is done.) This of course leads into Jacks encounter with Cruise, a sword fight, kissing, more sword fighting, another oh so lucky escape, and then Jack waking up on Blackbeard's Ship. It turns out that Cruise/Angelica is Blackbeard's daughter.
This is the point of the movie that starts to get confusing.
Blackbeard need to get to the fountain of youth (because one of his zombified crewmen, who can see the future, told him that he will die very soon at the hands of a one-legged man) and somehow knows all about the rituals, which is why Angelica was recruiting a crew, but neither one have ever been there and know where they're going. Thankfully, they happened into Jack who apparently HAS been there, but didn't know about the rituals, and either couldn't get the fountain to work or couldn't find it. OR...was just lying about the whole thing. It isn't explained. If Blackbeard and Angelica hadn't happened upon Jack, whom they didn't expect to run into, how would they have gotten there? Did they know about the Spanish? It isn't expained.
THEN, Barbosa uses Gibbs, who is now in possession of the circle map from Pirates 3, to help him and the English find the fountain of youth before the Spanish do...but he's also after Jack Sparrow for insulting the King....but it turns out that he's really not after the fountain of youth at all, and has no real allegiance to the British, he wants revenge on Blackbeard for sinking The Pearl (who we find out that Blackbeard has imprisoned in a bottle (????!)). It's never explained HOW Barbosa KNOWS that Blackbeard is going to be looking for the fountain. It's also not explained how Barbosa and Gibbs know exactly what to do, where to go, and know of the ritual needed for the fountain. It seems that everybody knows about the ritual EXCEPT Jack. It must be common knowledge I suppose because the movie never explains this.
It was if the producers had a couple really good scenes in mind for certain characters, but couldn't quite figure out how to get them there and have it make sense.
There's a great scene with beautiful, yet deadly Mermaids and a cool scene at the end, but too many things are left unexplained. For instance, Blackbeard seems to be a very supernatural character and a master of Voodoo. He also has a magic sword that has the ability to control rope. Ian McShane does a great job as the character, but I never really felt that Blackbeard was portrayed as quite evil enough. He's supposed to be the baddest of the bad, but his character, at times, feels intentionally dialed down. Oh, his ship also spits fire. Yep, a ship made from wood has two super duper flame throws attached to it.
Cruise and her massive nose are ok, but don't have great chemistry with Jack.
There's also an embarrassingly bad scene involving a very fake looking digital snake that had no point being in the movie.
The best scenes are between Jack and Barbosa, especially the scene where Barbosa explains to jack about his leg and the loss of The Pearl.
The ending is good, but a little over the top effects wise, and ultimately leaves room for a sequel.
Overall, I give it a B.
The movie starts in an extremely entertaining way, thrusting you right in the middle of events that have taken place after the third installment. Gibbs has been mistaken for Captain Jack Sparrow and apprehended by the British. There's a very humorous scene where Jack portrays the English Judge, complete with wig, white mustache and beard, granny glasses, and....eyeliner.
This, of course, leads into a meeting with King George the III, and the reintroduction of Barbosa, now employed by the king and missing a leg. It turns out that he was behind the capture of Jack because he knows that Jack can lead them to the fountain of youth via his compass and stolen map. It also turns out that the Spanish are mounting an expedition for the same prize via a man caught in a fishing net who was, not only still alive, but clutching detailed maps of the fountain. There's also made mention that ANOTHER Jack Sparrow is signing up a crew to go after the fountain which turns out to be Cruise dressed up as Jack. There's a well choreographed chase/escape scene out of the palace and onto the streets of London that leads Jack into another encounter with Keith Richards in yet another Cameo. (Who just happens to be in the EXACT right place at the right time to save Jack at the last possible second from a British soldier...and who then conveniently disappears Scooby Do style as soon as their brief conversation is done.) This of course leads into Jacks encounter with Cruise, a sword fight, kissing, more sword fighting, another oh so lucky escape, and then Jack waking up on Blackbeard's Ship. It turns out that Cruise/Angelica is Blackbeard's daughter.
This is the point of the movie that starts to get confusing.
Blackbeard need to get to the fountain of youth (because one of his zombified crewmen, who can see the future, told him that he will die very soon at the hands of a one-legged man) and somehow knows all about the rituals, which is why Angelica was recruiting a crew, but neither one have ever been there and know where they're going. Thankfully, they happened into Jack who apparently HAS been there, but didn't know about the rituals, and either couldn't get the fountain to work or couldn't find it. OR...was just lying about the whole thing. It isn't explained. If Blackbeard and Angelica hadn't happened upon Jack, whom they didn't expect to run into, how would they have gotten there? Did they know about the Spanish? It isn't expained.
THEN, Barbosa uses Gibbs, who is now in possession of the circle map from Pirates 3, to help him and the English find the fountain of youth before the Spanish do...but he's also after Jack Sparrow for insulting the King....but it turns out that he's really not after the fountain of youth at all, and has no real allegiance to the British, he wants revenge on Blackbeard for sinking The Pearl (who we find out that Blackbeard has imprisoned in a bottle (????!)). It's never explained HOW Barbosa KNOWS that Blackbeard is going to be looking for the fountain. It's also not explained how Barbosa and Gibbs know exactly what to do, where to go, and know of the ritual needed for the fountain. It seems that everybody knows about the ritual EXCEPT Jack. It must be common knowledge I suppose because the movie never explains this.
It was if the producers had a couple really good scenes in mind for certain characters, but couldn't quite figure out how to get them there and have it make sense.
There's a great scene with beautiful, yet deadly Mermaids and a cool scene at the end, but too many things are left unexplained. For instance, Blackbeard seems to be a very supernatural character and a master of Voodoo. He also has a magic sword that has the ability to control rope. Ian McShane does a great job as the character, but I never really felt that Blackbeard was portrayed as quite evil enough. He's supposed to be the baddest of the bad, but his character, at times, feels intentionally dialed down. Oh, his ship also spits fire. Yep, a ship made from wood has two super duper flame throws attached to it.
Cruise and her massive nose are ok, but don't have great chemistry with Jack.
There's also an embarrassingly bad scene involving a very fake looking digital snake that had no point being in the movie.
The best scenes are between Jack and Barbosa, especially the scene where Barbosa explains to jack about his leg and the loss of The Pearl.
The ending is good, but a little over the top effects wise, and ultimately leaves room for a sequel.
Overall, I give it a B.