Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides

Sparrow Soars With Comedic Comments
Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, PG-13, ***1/2, Johnny Depp, Penelope Cruz, Geoffrey Rush, Ian McShane, Kevin R. McNally, Keith Richards. Walt Disney film. Director Rob Marshall. Length 136 minutes.

This outing of “Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides” involves searching for The Fountain of Youth, escaping from London, England’s prison, Spanish Naval sailors, Blackbeard the pirate, his daughter Angelica (Penelope Cruz), dangerous mermaids, and of course, Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp).
I found the dialogue in this episode engaging and extremely funny throughout the movie.
Captain Jack delivers some very sarcastic and funny lines coupled with lots of action.
Jack’s father is Captain Teague. I have to admit Captain Teague (Keith Richards) has one extremely funny line which is all he needed in his very brief moment on the screen. If the reader knows anything about Richards, the dialogue he delivers will be even more hilarious. Even though his time on screen is but a brief moment, his message is on target.
I found myself being reminded of Stan Laurel in many ways with Depp’s dialogue and his mannerisms. His humor is sometimes very dry, direct, and deadpan. This approach makes the scenes even more hilarious. When the punch line falls right off the cliff without the audience expecting it, the laughter hits the viewer with a comedic crash.
The sudden changes in his stories are hilarious as he tries to get out of trouble. He does this for self benefit, and it makes for great comedy.
Captain Jack reminded me of a movie Dean Martin was in several years ago where Martin was having a shootout in a beer factory, and a bullet hit one of the kegs. Martin took a moment to take a drink of beer spilling out of the barrel. Captain Jack has a similar scene in this movie. Some old scenes seem to work time and again.
Ian McShane does a great job portraying Blackbeard the feared and very violent pirate. He makes a very strong statement when he says, “I have to kill a few people or they will forget who I am.”
This movie will not inspire one to greatness, but it is an interesting journey. Do not worry about the destination just enjoy the voyage.
Ponce de Leon is mentioned. Of course, he is associated with searching for The Fountain of Youth which was believed to be in Florida. Edward Teach known as Blackbeard is of course one of the characters. King George is also in the movie. So maybe some viewers will read more about these characters and a little historical education may surface as a result of this movie experience. From fiction learning and knowledge may surface.
After all we must learn from history or it might repeat itself. If the reader sees this movie, stay until all of the credits have rolled. It has an interesting very brief scene that will cause problems for one of the characters in the movie.
I recommend this movie for comedy and adventure at the beginning of summer with mindless buccaneer fun. Some pirates will pay the price for their lifestyle of pillaging, grog, and decadence. While others will be on their merry way to other adventurous excursions and voyages as they sail the seven seas and brag about living the pirate’s life of adventure. “Yo Ho Yo Ho A Pirates Life for Me.” All of the swashbuckling buccaneers and helmsman “Hold her steady as she goes,” straight to the theater in search of the salty seas of satisfaction – Pun intended Rolling Stones.