PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: ON STRANGER TIDES
(PG-13)
MOVIE: **** (out of 5)
BLU-RAY EXPERIENCE: ***1/2 (out of 5)
BY KEVIN CARR
Like “Cars 2,” “Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides” got unfairly raked across the critical coals this summer. Having recently seen all three of the previous films, I saw a new life breathed into the franchise with this film. This movie is more straightforward, giving us Jack Sparrow’s story as he tries to find the fountain of youth, fighting mermaids and zombies in the process. Jack is less of an ambiguous characters, and I liked that. It was nice to leave Orlando Bloom and Kiera Knightly behind for this one.
Less convoluted and with a shorter running time, “On Stranger Tides” gave use a brighter look into a fun swashbuckling film. Director Rob Marshall had some fun with this film and gives us the best “Pirates of the Caribbean” movie since “The Curse of the Black Pearl.”
The combo pack includes a DVD and Blu-ray, which both feature bloopers and a LEGO animated short film. Features exclusive to the Blu-ray include “Disney’s Second Screen” which allows you to explore the film from your iPad or computer and an audio commentary with director Rob Marshall.