Review of Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales (2017) by Ranny L — 14 Jun 2017

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales is the fifth installment of the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise and has the most other-worldly visual effects of any recent movie. The CGI is the most mesmerizing piece of treasure throughout the film. Johnny Depp again stars as Jack Sparrow and Geoffrey Rush as Captain Barbossa. It also stars the terrific Javier Bardem as the new villain, Captain Salazar. Brenton Thwaites plays Henry Turner and Kaya Scodelario plays Carina Smyth. Orlando Bloom and Keira Knightley have cameos as Will Turner and Elizabeth Swann, respectively. Full disclosure: I am a huge Johnny Depp fan and I have loved the Pirates of the Caribbean movies since I was 5 years old!

At the beginning of the film, Captain Jack Sparrow is presumed dead. He resurfaces in a most humorous way. Captain Salazar is Jack Sparrow's oldest nemesis. He takes revenge on Sparrow by unleashing the vicious ghost pirates of Devil's Triangle. The ghost pirates are hell-bent on killing Sparrow and destroy multiple pirate ships in the process. The only way to break the curse is to find and destroy the Trident of Poseidon. Along the way, we learn the background of Will Turner's son, Henry Turner. He's looking for Sparrow and also trying to find the Trident in order to save his father who is trapped in Davy Jones Locker. Carina Smyth is a young astronomer who is also searching for the Trident. What ensues is a humorous, action packed adventure on the high seas.

The special effects and CGI are astoundingly lifelike. The most stunning visual effects in the film are the CGI animated ghost sharks, which are sent to hunt down Jack Sparrow. The movements of the ghost pirates and sharks are hyper-realistic. Out of all the Pirates of The Caribbean films, this one utilizes the most mythological elements. Johnny Depp again aces his performance as Captain Jack Sparrow. His interpretation of Jack Sparrow is one of the most entertaining and memorable characters in recent film history. The inimitable Geoffrey Rush is again terrific as Captain Barbossa and Javier Bardem, an acclaimed actor from art house and independent films, is riveting as the vicious Captain Salazar.

One flaw of the film is how Keira Knightley suddenly appears for one minute during the movie. It's the one false note because it seems gratuitous. However, it doesn't distract from the impact and excitement of the film. Compared to other movie sequels, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales flows surprisingly well and moves along at an exciting pace. The film is appropriate for 10 to18 year olds. I give Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales 5 out of 5 stars.

Reviewed by Clayton P., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic. For more reviews by youth, visit kidsfirst dot org.