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BLU-RAY REVIEW: Pirates of the Caribbean - On Stranger Tides
Captain Jack Sparrow and crew in search of the Fountain of Youth...
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Disney and Johnny Depp continue to impress with the home video debut of the latest Pirates of the Caribbean movie to hit theaters: On Stranger Tides. While the film is sadly without the Kraken, skeleton warriors, or sea creature deckhands, this time audiences are invited to search for the source of eternal life and the Fountain of Youth with a cast of characters that includes the always present Captain Jack, the always antagonizing Captain Barbossa, and always frightening Blackbeard. Setting English Protestants against Spanish Catholics and pirates against zombies and mermaids, Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides makes for an entertaining, exciting, and hilarious romp through the fictional world first brought to life in Disneyland way back in 1967 and which first hit the big screen in 2003.
The story itself finds Captain Jack Sparrow and his trusty crew in England and sought as criminals following their misdeeds in the previous film, Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End. However, England's criminals are quickly England's friends when the Spanish make it know they're seeking the Fountain of Youth. Of course England wants to find it first and thus begins the race of a lifetime as not only Spain and England seek out the mythical font, but so too does the most evil of pirates, Blackbeard!
With an entertaining cast including Johnny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow, Geoffrey Rush as the now one-legged Captain Barbossa, Ian McShane as the evil Blackbeard, Penélope Cruz as Sparrow's former lover and Blackbeard's daughter Angelica Teach, Kevin McNally as the always loyal Joshamee Gibbs, and Sam Claflin as the missionary Philip, Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides is an ensemble cast that engages its audiences with solid, spell-binding characters throughout. Add to these two brief, memorable performances by Keith Richards (as Captain Jack's father Captain Teague) and Richard Griffiths (as England's King George) and the movie is a solid winner for fans of large, entertaining casts.
Like all previous Pirates of the Caribbean films, the special effects are spot-on, with a variety of unique appearances by a variety of unique creations. Be it the beautiful yet violent mermaids or the monstrous, deathless zombies, the film - while not as impressive as previous films - still represents a solid use of special, creature effects.
This 2-disc set includes the film on both blu-ray hi-def and standard definition DVD. The blu-ray's 1080p video transfer is gorgeous trhoughout, with lush, deep colors and tight, impressive movement. Likewise, the 7.1 DTS-HD Master Audio surround track will have you ducking for cover and watching your back as gunfire crackles, deckhands sing, and mermaids screech. While the film itself might not impress as much as its predecessors, the video and audio are near perfection.
Unless you picked up the 5-disc 3-D version of Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, you're stuck with only a few bonus features, including an audio commentary with executive producer John DeLuca and director Rob Marshall that's informative, but unimpressive; a LEGO animated short that's fun, but nothing spectacular; and a 3 minute "Bloopers of the Caribbean" outtake reel that's worth a laugh or two. Again, nothing really that impressive.
Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides may not be the best of the series; in fact, it may be the worst...but that doesn't mean it's not worth watching. In fact, if you're a fan of the franchise, watching Johnny Depp's Captain Jack do his best to outwit Ian McShane's Blackbeard is an enjoyable way to spend 2 hours. Likewise, the rest of the crew turns in solid performances and the movie overall is an action-packed, enjoyable rollercoaster of a boat ride throughout the pirate-infested waters that make up the Caribbean.
Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides is available now on blu-ray and DVD wherever fine home video is sold.
Be sure to enter to win your own copy of Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides on blu-ray and DVD by entering our Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides Giveaway!
- Jess C. Horsley
