Javier Bardem in PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: DEAD MEN TELL NO TALES. Courtesy of Walt Disney Pictures.
Courtney Howard // Film Critic
I don’t know about you but it feels like the 5th PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN film, DEAD MEN TELL NO TALES, has been in productions for aaaaaages. From the initial announcement there would be a fifth movie, to casting news, to the directing announcement (the KON-TIKI directing duo!), to the behind-the-scenes kerfluffles regarding star Johnny Depp’s pooches, to the inevitable marketing roll out, everything has been following a predictable path.
What can’t be predicted is if this sequel in the hugely successful series will actually capture our attention as much as the first PIRATES film did. Judging by the trailer alone, that answer is maaaaaybe….? Take a look.
It’s a pretty bold move that everybody’s favorite Jack Sparrow is absent from this teaser, no? Technically he appears on a wanted poster – but still… This well-cut teaser does what it should do – grab our attention with epic chills, making the hair on the back of our necks stand up. It mostly sails on Javier Bardem’s intense creepazoid factor – an act we’ve seen him do solidly in NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN and SKYFALL. According to IMDB, this chapter shows Sparrow (Depp) on a quest to find the trident of Poseidon. What he wants to do with it is anyone’s guess. I’m betting that while on this journey to attain this thing he shouldn’t have, he wakes up Captain Salazar (Bardem) by mistake and all Hell breaks loose. Shiver me timbers!
Another big thing this film has going for it is the directors, Espen Sandberg and Joachim Rønning, are pretty awesome at capturing adventure on a massively entertaining and engaging epic scale. The thing that makes me a tad skeptical is that this iteration comes courtesy of writer Jeff Nathanson, whose work includes the less that entertaining and engaging sequels INDIANA JONES AND THE CRYSTAL SKULL (story by credit), RUSH HOUR 2 & 3 and SPEED 2: CRUISE CONTROL. #justsayin
PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: DEAD MEN TELL NO TALES is in theaters May 26 2017.
