Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides follows the original trilogy in the story, but in many cases, with new characters. While some familiar faces are involved, mainly Barbossa, Gibbs, and Sparrow, of course, all other meaningful characters are new. While it does offer a certain sense of freshness, the film does lose a lot, when it comes to the relationships and chemistries that were so crucial in the previous films.
And it's due to those losses that On Stranger Tides can, at best, be described as mediocre. Jack Sparrow often ends up feeling like a lone wanderer being tossed around between the wants and desires of various characters. He never has an agenda of his own, and indeed, for the most part, he just drifts along wherever the story takes him. While it is sort of fun to watch him shift allegiances between various groups, he loses a lot of his charm due to not having a clear purpose. I assumed that the disappearance of Elizabeth Swann and Will Turner (the two other main characters from the previous films) would've made the story feel less familiar. Interestingly, however, their lack of presence also had a significant effect on the character of Jack Sparrow. He never feels quite as charming or funny as he used to and often feels like a husk of the man he once was.
Now, the reason this is so problematic is that Jack Sparrow is the reason why any of these Pirates movies were as popular as they were. He is the central character and he is the one that everyone knows, extending to even those who haven't seen these films. Johnny Depp's performance and the charm of the character were such a crucial part of the previous films that it's hard to imagine a sequel without them. And while they are, of course, present to some extent, they never reach the same heights that they used to. So, that raises the question, why is that? Although I don't have a definitive answer to that, I have at least a theory.
In many ways, the last three films were, in fact, one long film split into three. They all share an overarching story and many of the character motivations carry through all three films and ultimately reach a satisfying conclusion at the end. We get to know the characters just like they get to know each other. We follow how those relationships began and how they developed. The characters of Sparrow, Swann, and Turner didn't know one another at the beginning of the first movie, just like we didn't know them either. And because of that, we were allowed to go on a journey that was so much more than just action and adventure. On Stranger Tides, however, introduces a bunch of new characters that are completely unknown to us, but who have a history with Sparrow. Instead of getting to know the characters from the very beginning and seeing the relationships form, we are supposed to go along with whatever the movie tells us. What's more, is that this applies to almost all of the main characters, with the exception of Barbossa and Gibbs. As such, the dynamic is completely different than what it used to be. For the most part, I had no idea who these characters were, and had it not been for the countless references to experiences that these characters had had, they would've been complete strangers. But even though these references did help in forming some sort of frame for who they were, they didn't make me care. In fact, almost all of the new characters felt awfully hollow and one-dimensional. They provided exactly what was needed of them and nothing more. Sparrow's interactions with them were dependent on me buying the little information that was given of them, and that often resulted in seemingly meaningless conversations and moments.
But, it's not all bad. Although On Stranger Tides never reaches the same level of excitement and entertainment as its predecessors did, it's still a good time for the most part. The story is as ridiculous as you'd expect, and Jack Sparrow gets into enough trouble to satisfy any needs on that front. While his interactions and relationships with the new characters often felt off, thankfully Barbossa and Gibbs still offered a sense of familiarity. And indeed, those moments with Gibbs and Barbossa were usually the ones that provided the same sense of adventurous fun, that made the first three films so good. Something that surprised me quite a bit was how toned down this fourth installment felt. Coming off of the third and arguably most ambitious film, this one felt quite similar to the first one in its scale. Long gone were the epic fights on the sea with the creatures and monsters. They were replaced with a more intimate and palatable selection of conversations and set pieces. However, this kind of approach would've needed a much more meaningful set of characters than what was present.
While Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides isn't awful, it's nowhere near as good as its predecessors. It loses a lot of the comedy and excitement, as well as depth and meaning, which were everpresent in what I consider the original trilogy. This fourth film does bring with it a new and often enjoyable story, but it's the execution that lets it down. The new characters, unfortunately, fall flat, and with them, the movie. Jack Sparrow, who could've been the saving grace, doesn't get the treatment he deserves, and can't make this entertaining enough to be considered good.
And it's due to those losses that On Stranger Tides can, at best, be described as mediocre. Jack Sparrow often ends up feeling like a lone wanderer being tossed around between the wants and desires of various characters. He never has an agenda of his own, and indeed, for the most part, he just drifts along wherever the story takes him. While it is sort of fun to watch him shift allegiances between various groups, he loses a lot of his charm due to not having a clear purpose. I assumed that the disappearance of Elizabeth Swann and Will Turner (the two other main characters from the previous films) would've made the story feel less familiar. Interestingly, however, their lack of presence also had a significant effect on the character of Jack Sparrow. He never feels quite as charming or funny as he used to and often feels like a husk of the man he once was.
Now, the reason this is so problematic is that Jack Sparrow is the reason why any of these Pirates movies were as popular as they were. He is the central character and he is the one that everyone knows, extending to even those who haven't seen these films. Johnny Depp's performance and the charm of the character were such a crucial part of the previous films that it's hard to imagine a sequel without them. And while they are, of course, present to some extent, they never reach the same heights that they used to. So, that raises the question, why is that? Although I don't have a definitive answer to that, I have at least a theory.
In many ways, the last three films were, in fact, one long film split into three. They all share an overarching story and many of the character motivations carry through all three films and ultimately reach a satisfying conclusion at the end. We get to know the characters just like they get to know each other. We follow how those relationships began and how they developed. The characters of Sparrow, Swann, and Turner didn't know one another at the beginning of the first movie, just like we didn't know them either. And because of that, we were allowed to go on a journey that was so much more than just action and adventure. On Stranger Tides, however, introduces a bunch of new characters that are completely unknown to us, but who have a history with Sparrow. Instead of getting to know the characters from the very beginning and seeing the relationships form, we are supposed to go along with whatever the movie tells us. What's more, is that this applies to almost all of the main characters, with the exception of Barbossa and Gibbs. As such, the dynamic is completely different than what it used to be. For the most part, I had no idea who these characters were, and had it not been for the countless references to experiences that these characters had had, they would've been complete strangers. But even though these references did help in forming some sort of frame for who they were, they didn't make me care. In fact, almost all of the new characters felt awfully hollow and one-dimensional. They provided exactly what was needed of them and nothing more. Sparrow's interactions with them were dependent on me buying the little information that was given of them, and that often resulted in seemingly meaningless conversations and moments.
But, it's not all bad. Although On Stranger Tides never reaches the same level of excitement and entertainment as its predecessors did, it's still a good time for the most part. The story is as ridiculous as you'd expect, and Jack Sparrow gets into enough trouble to satisfy any needs on that front. While his interactions and relationships with the new characters often felt off, thankfully Barbossa and Gibbs still offered a sense of familiarity. And indeed, those moments with Gibbs and Barbossa were usually the ones that provided the same sense of adventurous fun, that made the first three films so good. Something that surprised me quite a bit was how toned down this fourth installment felt. Coming off of the third and arguably most ambitious film, this one felt quite similar to the first one in its scale. Long gone were the epic fights on the sea with the creatures and monsters. They were replaced with a more intimate and palatable selection of conversations and set pieces. However, this kind of approach would've needed a much more meaningful set of characters than what was present.
While Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides isn't awful, it's nowhere near as good as its predecessors. It loses a lot of the comedy and excitement, as well as depth and meaning, which were everpresent in what I consider the original trilogy. This fourth film does bring with it a new and often enjoyable story, but it's the execution that lets it down. The new characters, unfortunately, fall flat, and with them, the movie. Jack Sparrow, who could've been the saving grace, doesn't get the treatment he deserves, and can't make this entertaining enough to be considered good.