Pirates Life For Me: Pirates Of The Caribbean Dead Men Tell No Tales
Pirates Life For Me: Pirates Of The Caribbean Dead Men Tell No Tales
I, like many, am a huge fan of Disney’s Pirates of the Caribbean ride. I need to ride it once every five years other wise I decay and then die. Naturally, when the very first Pirates of the Caribbean film released in 2003 I was blown away by the characters and the mythos that surrounded them. As time went on, we received a series of films, each with their own pros and cons before have a six year gap in between Stranger tides and the new Dead Men Tell No Tales. Many wondered if the Pirates franchise could still enchant their audience as they once did in 2003.
I recently got to see the film and here are my thoughts!
(SLIGHT SPOILERS AHEAD)
Plot
The story of Dead Men Tell No Tales takes place when Jack Turner, son of Will Turner, decides to embark on a quest to free his father from the curse of being the captain of the Flying Dutchmen. He knows that the myth of an item called the “Trident of Posiden” can break any curse but it has only ever been spoken in rumors and tall tales, even by the most ferocious of pirates. Along the way he encounters Miss Smith who is a woman of science and wishes to unlock the mysteries of an old journal left to her by her father. They must work with Captain Jack Sparrow in order to find the item because if he does not, the dreaded undead Captain Salazar will search the ends of the earth for him with nothing able to stand in his way.
The story felt familiar and yet fresh as we are accustomed to the situation of a mystical item that is hard to find is the only way to prevent the death from a crazed adversary. At the same time Captain Salazar was not a dreaded pirate but once apart of the Spanish navy who was an exceptional pirate hunter. Getting to hear his side of the story about why he hated pirates gave great insight to the ever blurred lines between right and wrong. The addition of two new main characters was great as well since we got to start again with new heroes and learning about them and their personal demons. While we’ll always love Will and Elizabeth Turner, we all pretty much have their character’s down pat but Jack and Miss Smith are completely new!
Action
The special effects budget must have been massive for this film and it pays off as every single fight scene was drenched in epic battles filled of might and magic. We have become used to the swashbuckling and cannon firing that comes with each film but they take it a step further by adding the ghosts of Captain Salazar with their imperfect forms. Even the ship of Captain Salazar was incredible as it had the ability to consume other ships and the most terrifying foes of the film were the decayed sharks who hunted our heroes during a very vulnerable time in their adventure. I literally jumped from my seat when they first appeared on screen which was no doubt enhanced by the 3D experience. I could not recall another time where that happened to me during a pirates film!
The mythos of the pirates franchise really came alive in Dead Men Tell No Tales as they left no stone unturned as they referenced every single film and their major aspects then escalated the adventure with the climax of the film which remained a micro adventure that focused on a handful of fighters but felt so intense due to the stakes and the very real aspect of death.
Characters
One of the best aspects of this film would have to be the characters. While Captain Jack Sparrow remains the same crazed tactics that somehow turns into brilliance and Captain Barbossa remains ruthless and cunning, it was Captain Salazar, Jack Turner, and Miss. Smith who made the film. Captain Salazar was a renowned pirate hunter who served the Spanish Navy, he was on the verge of conquering the pirate plague before getting bested by a young Jack Sparrow. Despite spending his life defending the seas, he has always been unhinged and brutal which makes him an incredible villain. Even in the height of Barbossa’s villainy, he never openly slaughtered men in playful manners like Salazar does. Not to mention, he is wicked smart and is never one to outsmarted due to his wit or shortness of patience .
Jack Turner is a solid mix of his parents while still remaining his own persona. He has the lust for adventure like his parents along with the honor and integrity of his father while still being more open to getting his hands dirty in order to get what he wants. He openly works with pirates and fights alongside them without much question all for the purpose of getting closer to his goal.
For Ms. Smith, she is a brilliant woman who uses her robust knowledge of many schools of thought to gain an advantage on her adversaries. Typically with these personalities we find that they are feeble or a coward in order to compensate for being so smart but this isn’t the case with her. She is fierce, often openly disagreeing with anyone who stands against her and continues doing what she believes will achieve success.
Cons
Honestly, Captain jack Sparrow was the must lackluster part of the film. While he was charming and aloof, he didn’t quite bring anything new to the table while still staying with the same jokes that we are all used to. there is a sense of comfort from knowing you’ll be entertained from his character but I found myself waiting until he was done talking so that everyone else could shine.
Granted, his combat scenes and more serious scenes were good but not great. I would have rather enjoyed more Barbossa screen time instead or even bring in Will Turner.
Overall
Dead Men tell No Tales was not a good pirates film, it was a great film in general. I really enjoyed the film and despite the ending tying up quite a few loose ends, I still hope for more films of this caliber. Hopefully with less Captain Jack Sparrow but any sort of Pirates of the Caribbean content would be wonderful since their world is so wonderful and vast.
Did you see the film? What did you think of it? Leave a comment below!
Pirates Of The Caribbean Dead Men Tell No Tales
Pros
- Great Action
- Captain Salazar is Amazing
- Awesome New Characters
- Incredible Effects
Cons
- Captain Jack Sparrow Getting Stale
Chicano | Fighting/Writing for Diversity | DM since 08 | Anime Lover | Site: https://www.thegeeklyfe.com | info@thegeeklyfe.com | http://twitch.tv/that_deangelo | https://linktr.ee/deangelomurillo
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