‘PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: ON STRANGER TIDES’Rating: PG-13 for intense sequences of action/adventure violence, some frightening images, sensuality and innuendo.Running time: 2 hours, 18 minutes.
Repetitious, tedious, and pretty much joyless, “Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides” strains to reboot what was up until now a generally fun and always profitable cinematic enterprise. It’s a competent, energetic action romp, played with as much vigor as Johnny Depp can deliver, with a new spitfire (Penelope Cruz) as his female foil.
But the romping has lost much of its bounce. New director Rob Marshall (“Memoirs of a Geisha”) serves up an endless succession of occasionally inventive escapes Capt. Jack Sparrow and his stunt team must manage. The longer this long movie goes on, the more wearying than thrilling they become.
And “Stranger Tides” is dark, literally. Please, Mr. Rob Marshall sir, can you spare a few more footcandles of light?
Capt. Jack is in London, affecting the escape of his trusty first mate (Kevin McNally) from hanging, when he hears of a ship setting off for a favorite quarry of Jack’s – the Fountain of Youth. A couple of escapes, a carriage-roof chase through the streets and a swordfight or two later, he’s on board the ship of Edward Teach, “the pirate all pirates fear” – Blackbeard.