Review of Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (2011) by Michael Y — 07 Oct 2013

With the absence of Will and Elizabeth, Sparrow really shines in this sequel, and a great, fun film is made. There were a lot of ups and downs in this movie. The spirit of the series continues, but a bit of the magic is lost.

The entire cast performed excellently. Depp and Cruz worked together nicely, and members both new and old kept up just as well. The actors along with the writing were witty as always, and delivered lots of laughs.

Storyline was focused upon more, which is good in terms of getting a better plot. However, it was messy at times, such as with the subplots of Philip and Syrena. Too much was put in without explaining their backgrounds. It could have been tied together better, so it all relates.

It was also smaller scale than the previous, with its lower production value. There really were no epic battles, such as in the third. But nevertheless, being able to focus more on Jack is great.

Overall, some parts were lacking, but it's a fun summer film to definitely see.