Film Screening 3rd August, 2017

Poster for Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales 

7:30 PM, 3rd August, 2017
No Guests

  • M
  • 129 mins
  • 2017
  • Joachim Rønning, Espen Sandberg
  • Johnny Depp, Javier Bardem, Geoffrey Rush, Brenton Thwaites

The fifth instalment in a franchise that was first inspired by a Disneyland ride, this film reads as either a last hurrah for Captain Jack and company – or possibly a cementation of the franchise in the league of unending cinematic sagas. Essentially a series of set pieces, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales is large in scope, and still surprisingly creative in a Looney Tunes sort of way.

If nothing else, the film’s visual style is fantastic. The villain, Captain Salazar (Bardem), is not only dead, but also appears to be perpetually underwater. The film is ever-surprising, with interesting concepts and imagery pulled off with aplomb by its visual effects artists.

Narratively, Dead Men Tell No Tales goes back to the franchise’s roots: a plucky young girl and a naïve young man are thrown together in an adventure that just happens to run them across the path of Captain Jack Sparrow (Depp). This relegates Jack once again to the role of side character – and it’s all the better for it. Wrapping up some loose ends from the original trilogy, fans of the franchise will still find much to enjoy.

Josh Paul