Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (2011)
A far superior outing to Dead Man's Chest (2006) and At World's End (2007), this standalone fourth film sees the eccentric Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) team up with Captain Barbosa (Geoffrey Rush) in a bid to find the mythical Fountain of Youth before a certain Edward Teach (Ian McShane) and his daughter Angelica (Penelope Cruz).
The first half hour set in London is a hoot as Jack attempts to save his first mate Gibbs (Kevin McNally) from the noose. The action comes thick and fast and there's a priceless scene with Judi Dench and a nearly as funny one with Captain Teague (Keith Richards) who tells Sparrow "Do i look like i've found the Fountain of Youth?"
As the quest begins things settle into the usual pirate antics with betrayals and so forth. It's nothing new but a hell of a lot less convoluted than before. McShane is fun as Blackbeard and a welcome addition, with Cruz easily outshining the annoying Keira Knightly. Meanwhile the set pieces are handled better including an attack by mermaids. The whole film feels more streamlined and focused and way less bloated.
Having said that it's never going to convert those who hated the films in the first place (Say Hi, Mark Kermode) but it is a return to better form from the last installments.
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