'Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales' News: Johnny Depp's Subpar Performance Draws Criticism?
Given its reputation of waning with every installment made, "Pirates of the Caribbean" introduces a fifth film that the production staff hopes will revive the hype that fans created in 2003 when "Curse of the Black Pearl" was released. Directed by Joachim Rønning and Espen Sandberg, the fifth installment, "Dead Men Tell No Tales," draws mixed reviews.
"Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales" centers on the borderline insane but comedic Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) and his search for the trident of Poseidon. The film also brings back the original cast: Orland Bloom as Will Turner, Keira Knightley as Elizabeth Swann, Geoffrey Rush as Hector Barbossa and Kevin McNally as Gibbs. Still star-studded and with the reputation of being dramatic as much as it is comedic, "Dead Men Tell No Tales" was released with fans expecting an installment that would help the series recover from the strangely forgettable "On "Stranger Tides."
According to Variety's review, "Dead Men Tell No Tales" is exactly what the cynics thought it would be. Although it's still not on par with the 2003 installment, the fifth "Pirates of the Caribbean" film was not 100 percent unpleasant. Depp's performance looks like it may have reached a peak in that it wasn't any better or worse than in the previous installments.
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Meanwhile, USA Today thinks that "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales" is actually something that the entire family can watch despite the rich and subtle sexual innuendos. The action and impressive use of CGI redeemed the film and at least put it on a higher level compared to "On Stranger Tides."
Despite the mixed reviews, "Dead Men Tell No Tales" is not a complete failure. Sure, there were parts where the delivery went awry but ultimately, this is an installment that fans will be satisfied with. But if viewers can stay until the credits, "Pirates of the Caribbean" teases a next installment that may or may not push through depending on the reception of its latest release.
