AV Room: PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: ON STRANGER TIDES 3D Blu-Ray Combo Pack
What's with all the hate for the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise all of a sudden? It never ceases to amaze me how some of my fellow journalists can praise material one moment and be over critical the next. I admit to being a bit harsh towards many films or franchises in the past, but that's because I have high standards. (Being addicted to the Turner Classic Movies network can do that to you.) The original Pirates of the Caribbean measured up against those standards when it opened in 2003. I didn't hate the film, but I expected something more. I was looking forward to Hollywood revitalizing the pirate genre with an epic production; something with a little bit of substance, but not as serious or dramatic as say, Peter Weir's period naval drama Master and Commander. What I got was essentially a kids movie, which to my fault, is exactly what I should have been expecting since this was a Disney picture. But we all are entitled to change our minds and after subsequent viewings, The Curse of the Black Pearl began to grow on me. I didn't grow to love it, but enjoyed it for what it was, a rollicking good time and a fun popcorn picture. What made the film work for most, was the performance of Johnny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow, an anti-hero who was a combination of Pepe Le Pew and rocker Keith Richards. It was a choice made by Depp, who despite being considered box-office poison, was respected for being a risk taker and the type of actor who focused on the work rather than a big pay day. No one knew what to make of Jack Sparrow, including the studio, who were worried that the picture would flop based on Depp's unconventional performance. Yet it is that performance that drew audiences to theaters and if Depp had chosen to play the role straight, there's a good bet the series would not be the phenomenon it is today. The first sequel Dead Man's Chest is where I began to like the series. Here was not only an exciting adventure, but one filled with a deeper mythology, incredible creatures and even a sympathetic villain in the form of Bill Nighy's Davy Jones. It also expanded upon what was really the heart of the films, the love story between Orlando Bloom's Will Turner and Kiera Knightley's Elizabeth Swan. Depp may have been the one who received the most attention, but it was this pair who actually made up the center of the story. Truth be told, Jack Sparrow was only a secondary character, a free spirit who only popped in on occasion and did not drive the story. Bloom and Knightley had grown as actors by the second film's release and the evolution of their characters gave the picture a bit more dramatic weight than the original. Unfortunately, the third and (supposedly) final film, At World's End, turned out to be a bloated production that was a little too ambitious for its own good. The Pirates of the Caribbean films may be a Jerry Bruckheimer production, but up until now, they have flourished under the guiding hand of director Gore Verbinski and his collaboration with Depp. At World's End may have been unpleasant for some, filled with more boring exposition than rousing action, but it did have its share of character development and brought Will and Elizabeth's story to an effective close. Jack Sparrow's story on the other hand still goes on. That is, if he has a story. Expanding upon an idea left open at the conclusion of the last film, On Stranger Tides finds Jack roped into a search for the fountain of youth. While saving his loyal first mate Joshamee Gibbs (Kevin McNally) – who has mistakenly been accused of being Captain Jack Sparrow – from the hangman's noose in London, he discovers that the crown is well aware of his possession of a map that leads to the fountain and implores him to guide an expedition there in a race against the Spanish. Sounds like an interesting premise, except save for a poorly devised action sequence where Jack escapes custody, there isn't any racing to be found in this film. Someone posing as Jack has been putting together a crew for a journey to the fountain and it turns out to be none other than Angelica (Penelope Cruz) his old flame from years past. Basically she was Marion Ravenwood to his Indiana Jones and after stealing her innocence, Angelica ended up corrupted by Jack and made a dangerous and bitter woman. “What were you doing in a convent anyway?” she asks him. “I was looking for a brothel. My mistake!” Cruz proves to be an interesting foil for Depp, but her character isn't fully fleshed out nor is it easy to get past her thick accent despite how sexy she looks onscreen. Angelica hopes to reach the fountain not for her own personal gain, but to help her father escape his prophesied death. Dear old daddy turns out to be none other than the fearsome Blackbeard, whose very name makes all Pirates shiver. All except Jack, who after being shanghaied into service as a crew member aboard the “Queen Anne's Revenge”, immediately attempts to turn the situation to his advantage. Blackbeard not only possesses unexplained supernatural abilities which grant him voodoo powers and telekinetic control of ropes and ship sails with his sword, but is played by Ian McShane, best known from HBO's Deadwood. McShane is a brilliant actor, but save for a horrible false beard, there's little difference from his work here and as Deadwood's Al Swearengen, except that this being a Disney movie, he can't, er...swear. In pursuit of Blackbeard and the “Revenge” is Jack's one time rival Hector Barbossa, now a privateer in the court of King George II, who wishes to exact some revenge of his own after losing the Black Pearl and a leg in an attack by Blackbeard. Rush in my opinion made a poor villain in the original film because he was too comical. Yet he found his niche in the sequels whenever he would banter with Depp or prove he was the better Captain. Unfortunately, in this outing, he is given little to do and looks uncomfortable under heavy skin appliances, a bag wig and a wooden leg. It could be said, that Barbossa's experience with Blackbeard has left him a shadow of his former self, but truth be told, his character has just been written poorly this time out. With Will and Elizabeth gone, Jack takes center stage this time, but he and even Depp, don't appear to be interested. In fact, Jack doesn't appear to be interested in Angelica, the fountain or pretty much anything except getting his hands on the Black Pearl, which is only briefly glimpsed when its fate is finally revealed. There's no Pintel and Raghetti, who were considered the “R2-D2 and C-3PO” of the original trilogy. No Marty the dwarf. No Mr. Cotton with his missing tongue nor the talking cockatoo on his shoulder. There's really not even Jack the monkey, although he does make a brief cameo in the weirdest way. Without Will and Elizabeth, the story relies on Jack to guide Blackbeard and Angelica to the fountain, making humorous quips along the way even though he's never been there before. The story does try to incorporate some drama in the form of a budding romance between a missionary crew-member (Sam Claflin) and a mermaid (Astrid Berges-Frisbey) who is abducted by Blackbeard because her tears are needed to perform a ritual at the fountain. In essence, both are a poor man's version of Will and Elizabeth, who shared a more believable romance because we saw it originate from their childhoods. Depp doesn't always appear to be phoning in his performance as some would like you to believe. At times, his quips and reactions are right on the money. It's just that with more of the focus on Jack, he has to be given more to do and more screentime gives the audience (and critics) the opportunity to pick apart his character. Some of Jack's wit and seemingly spur of the moment actions are now telegraphed way in advance; we can tell what he's going to do long before he does it, which makes him appear less clever than we know him to be. Despite the fact that Pirates scribes Terry Rossio and Ted Elliot have taken elements from Tim Powers' acclaimed novel On Stranger Tides and fashioned a lackluster story, there are more pluses than minuses in this film. Perhaps the fact that I no longer have high expectations for the Pirates series played a factor in my enjoyment of the picture. It is after all a series made for children based on an animatronic theme park ride. Which leaves me astounded as to why many of my fellow journalists have made harsh statements in their criticism, calling the picture horrible or even sh*t on one occasion. Why are they looking for substance in this, but not another popcorn picture like GI Joe, which many of this film's critics praised for being just that when it opened? Both films require you to "check your brain at the door", but the characters in Pirates are a helluva lot more interesting. I don't think the Pirates franchise is dead at this point, its just time for another break where all involved can re-focus on taking the series in a bolder direction. They can start with not inviting back director Rob Marshall, who doesn't have the ability to juggle humor, wit and excitement with a sense of awe like Gore Verbinski. Verbinski's fingerprints are all over this film, despite the fact that he was not involved in any way because to his credit, he set the tone for the series. Could bringing back Bloom and Knightley make things any better? I don't know. But if you're going to take the series further with just Jack Sparrow, he has to evolve as a character as well. As amusing as his schtick can be, it will and has already grown tired. We saw Jack take small steps in previous outings, as he occasionally overcame the cowardly behavior that comes with self-preservation, but in the future, he has to evolve even further. I would think that Depp would enjoy such as change as an actor, which gives more weight to the perceived notion that he's now doing all this for the money. I don't consider the film to be garbage or sh*t as some have called it. A missed opportunity? Almost, because there are a number of things they got right with the exception of character development and story. It took me a while to get into this series, but I did, because I accepted it for what it was. Apparently, some are asking for more than the series was meant to be. On Stanger Tides is no where nearly as good as the first two films, but a bit tighter and definitely more action paked than the last one. If you're a die-hard fan of the franchise, you will find much to enjoy. If not, I think its safe to say you're not missing out on anything should you choose to skip it. As usual from Disney, another great HD transfer, framed in the 2.40 to 1 aspect ratio. On Stranger Tides is the first film in this series to be shot digitally, yet the filmmakers have done a handsome job of retaining the look from previous outings. Natively shot in 3D, the theatrical presentation was rather lacking, no doubt due to lack of standards in various theaters. The presentation on the 3D blu-ray disc is a vast improvement. It's interesting that for a film with so many sequences set at night that the depth of field in the 3D process works just as effectively as the daytime shots. The rich and detailed locales are a perfect test for this transfer to showcase wonderful cinematography that features a large color palette. Nighttime scenes reveal solid blacks as well as incredible sharpness.advance sh loan payday quick money - News
AV Room: PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: ON STRANGER TIDES 3D Blu-Ray Combo Pack
I would think that Depp would enjoy such as change as an actor, which gives more weight to the perceived notion that he's now doing all this for the money. I don't consider the film to be garbage or sh*t as some have called it. A missed opportunity?
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