Upstaged by all the froth and frenzy
Johnny Depp as Jack Sparrow in “Pirates of the Caribbean”
The latest “Pirates of the Caribbean” film, “Salazar’s Revenge,” is a cautionary example of the risks hit film franchise owners take when they keep extending their basic storytelling from one sequel to the next, for injudicious fun and profit.
This time around, ghost soldiers led by Jack Sparrow’s old foe, Armando Salazar, escape and resolve to kill all pirates.
To survive, Sparrow looks for the powerful Trident of Poseidon, which can break the deadliest curses.
That does sound like a whole lot of freaky and feisty fun—but, the new “chapter” hedges its bets too much by adding all sorts of subplots and colorful characters to keep viewers avidly watching.
The unfortunate result is a big, loud mess that does delight and regale viewers at times, but ends up feeling too hectic, unfocused and “TH.”
The biggest drawback to this “take no prisoners” approach is the lovable Jack Sparrow’s being upstaged by all the froth and frenzy.
That really is too bad because Sparrow’s droll orneriness and irascibility are the main reasons why the “Pirates” franchise became a long-running hit, in the first place.
The latest installment’s overcrowded look and development leave Sparrow in the lurch and unable to fly and soar—and that will never do.
To his credit, Johnny Depp as Sparrow tries to be as delightfully devious and smarmy as ever. But, when you have to share valuable screen time with dozens of other screen dervishes, there’s just so much you can do.
We still enjoyed the palpitating proceedings, but we missed Sparrow’s being clearly and antsily in charge. Why distract and confuse the goose that’s been laying all those golden eggs for the franchise for over a decade?
If new sequels must be made because franchise owners want to keep laughing all the way to the bank, they should keep their hugely empathetic protagonist in full fulcrum position, and just use new characters and subplots to spice up and enliven the antic action.
To be sure, the new “Pirates” chapter still manages to end right side up.
After confusing and confounding viewers during its first half, its long denouement finally restores Sparrow’s supremacy, and showcases his many creative moves to use the powerful Poseidon trident and totem to set things right, and free himself and everyone else from the various curses that keep them in thrall.
This radical turn of magical events brings out the best in the film’s makers, as well, because they have to come up with stunning visualizations to convincingly pull the anticurse plot twist off.
Yes, the final denouement is overlong, but it is spectacularly impressive, with “split” oceans being made whole again, ghosts and skeletons reacquiring flesh and life—etc.!
