Writer: Syahida Kamarudin

Writer Ratings:
Overall: 3.0 Out of 5
Cast: 3.5 Out of 5
Plot: 2.5 Out of 5
Effects: 4.0 Out of 5
Cinematography: 4.0 Out of 5

Watch this if you liked: "The Pirates of the Carribean" franchise, "The Chronicles of Narnia: Voyage of the Dawn Treader"

Here's a question. Do you love Jack Sparrow enough? Do you love him enough to go through two hours of repetitive sword fight and similar continuous background score? (Hans Zimmer, shame on you). Do you love him enough that you may ignore the fact that other than the mermaids nothing else is merely interesting, not even Penelope Cruz in a pirate costume or even Keith Richard's cameo?

Alas, it is true; the Pirates franchise should've just ended as a Pirates trilogy. It is true that there are fewer scenes of the seas (thank God for that) and the plot is less confusing than "At World's End", but if you think the changing of director (from Gore Verbinski to Rob Marshall) may have renewed the pirate movie, you think wrong. Unless you're a loyal fan and is easily mesmerised by anything Jack Sparrow does, one has to say that Sparrow's unpredictability has become more and more predictable. Thus, they created a love interest for him in the likes of Angelica (played by Penelope Cruz), but the chemistry falls flat - and somehow seems weird, for we all have somehow assumed that Sparrow is as sissy as any pirate could be.

None of the other characters successfully attracts the audiences. As far as Blackbeard's infamy goes, we have already seen the bigger antagonist in the likes of Davy Jones in the last two movies, thus Blackbeard seems pale in comparison, although Ian McShane has given a competent performance. Cruz's character seems to be another tough chick on a ship so that the crew would not look too dirty and scurvy-laden, as her importance in the whole movie is questionable. To replace the lack of mushy love story that was helmed by Will (Orlando Bloom) and Elizabeth (Keira Knightley) in the last three movies, the writers introduced another love aspect in this movie, this time between a missionary and a mermaid. Since none of the love story has anything to do with Jack (who always seems to be a one man show), the romance seems out of place even if the new couple look cute together. Suggestion to the Pirates' writers; a mermaid centered romance spin-off.

The best scene in the movie is the one with the mermaids. It's the highlight of the movie, in which everything else starts to get dreary after. It's like watching 1981's "Clash of The Titans" where the only scene worth watching is the one in the Temple of Medusa. However, the cinematography is breathtaking and even if it is sometimes a little far-fetched, the Jackie Chan-ish comedic stunt choreography is worth catching.

This movie is suitable for those who love Johnny Depp without prejudice and those whose ambition is to watch all "Pirates of the Caribbean" movies to live long enough just to tell tales to their grandchildren. And true like all Pirates' movies, do wait until the end-credits for the extra scene (although whether it's a worthy wait or not is debatable).

Cinema Online, 12 May 2011