#FilmReview #PiratesoftheCaribbean Salazar's Revenge starring Johnny Depp as Jack Sparrow out 25 May #PiratesLife

Film review: Pirates of the Caribbean: Salazar’s Revenge starring Johnny Depp as Jack Sparrow out on 25 May 2017

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Published on Monday, 22 May 2017 14:01

Last Updated on 02 June 2017

Monica Costa

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Who can resist a swashbuckling adventure film starring Johnny Depp? My London Mums’ friends and I certainly can’t. Add to that Javier Bardem as the villain and you have a masterpiece. Pirates of the Caribbean: Salazar’s Revenge is Disney’s latest instalment in the super popular pirates’ franchise. I cannot see it disappear any time soon. It’s too good to be stopped! Every now and then a Pirates of the Caribbean film is a blast. At the end of the day, we are all still watching the old Jack Sparrow’s movies over and over again on TV if not on DVD. This latest humor filled action film is very good so don’t miss it, London Mums!

The story

The rip-roaring adventure finds down-on-his-luck Captain Jack Sparrow feeling the winds of ill-fortune blowing strongly his way when deadly ghost sailors, led by the terrifying Captain Salazar (Javier Bardem), escape from the Devil’s Triangle bent on killing every pirate at sea—notably Jack.

Jack’s only hope of survival lies in the legendary Trident of Poseidon, but to find it he must forge an uneasy alliance with Carina Smyth (Kaya Scodelario), a brilliant and beautiful astronomer, and Henry (Brenton Thwaites), a headstrong young sailor in the Royal Navy. At the helm of the Dying Gull, his pitifully small and shabby ship, Captain Jack seeks not only to reverse his recent spate of ill fortune, but to save his very life from the most formidable and malicious foe he has ever faced.

Pirates of the Caribbean: Salazar’s Revenge also stars Kevin R. McNally as Joshamee Gibbs, Golshifteh Farahani as the sea-witch Shansa, Stephen Graham as Scrum, David Wenham as Scarfield and Geoffrey Rush as Captain Hector Barbossa.

Espen Sandberg & Joachim Rønning are directing Pirates of the Caribbean: Salazar’s Revenge with Jerry Bruckheimer producing. The executive producers are Mike Stenson, Chad Oman, Joe Caracciolo, Jr. and Brigham Taylor. Jeff Nathanson wrote the screenplay.

The trailer

The verdict

Before watching the film last week, I watched a few trailers but I was under the impression that this film would be a lot darker than previous Pirates of the Caribbean movies.

Instead to my surprise I found it extremely funny all the way through. Some of Jack Sparrow’s key features (his love for alcohol, women and power) are exaggerated to create endless gags. I have never laughed at these pirates’ films as much as I have done in this latest instalment. This is the way to go. Disney had a more relaxed approach and produced a film that can truly be enjoyed by the whole family without any hidden educational messages. Well, unless you count the fact that the young generation of pirates is searching for ways to reconnect with their lost or doomed fathers.

Johnny Depp has never disappointed his fans and Jack Sparrow’s super fans. Having Javier Bardem (Penelope Cruz’s talented husband) as his counterpart in his role as the terrifying living dead villain looking for revenge makes Jack Sparrow look like a softie. But his disfunctional crew and the unlikely ‘friends’ met while on the run from bad situations are constantly appearing out of the blue to save his gut.

At some point in one of Salazar’s flashbacks we see a young Jack Sparrow. I love the young looking Johnny Depp even if he was probably CGIed into this film. He is still the most handsome pirate in Hollywood!

A few times I thought Jack Sparrow was about to be killed for good and I even speculated that Disney wanted to end this franchise, but thankfully he was always rescued and my faith in the future of the ultimate Pirates’ tales restored.

Watch out also for a brilliant cameo by Paul McCartney as Uncle Jack.

I guarantee that Pirates of the Caribbean: Salazar’s Revenge will be a box office success.

London Mums’ rating: 8/10

Pirates of the Caribbean: Salazar’s Revenge sails into UK cinemas on 25 May 2017.

PHOTOS
London Mums posing with the pirates (attending a special screening in London)

Posing with Danny Kirrane

If you like Johnny Depp you may enjoy these other features and videos:

Alice Through the Looking Glass Johnny Depp interview / Johnny Depp explains Mad Hatter’s madness

Disney’s Alice Through the Looking Glass movie Kids’ first reactions (vlog)

Alice Through the Looking Glass print magazine cover interview see pages 6-10
Alice Through the Looking Glass merchandising in print magazine see page 40

Alice Through the Looking Glass review

Alice Through the Looking Glass Heads Up piece

Newsletter eDM In the latest London Mums issue … chasing Johnny Depp and other Hollywood stars

Pirates Game

My favourite pirate game of all time was and still is Pop Up Pirate by Tomy! I used top play with it when I was a kid and I am now sharing it with my son. Thankfully Tomy has kept it like the original game so it is a proper retro toy.

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Monica Costa

Monica Costa founded London Mums in September 2006 after her son Diego’s birth together with a group of mothers who felt the need of meeting up regularly to share the challenges and joys of motherhood in metropolitan and multicultural London. London Mums is the FREE and independent peer support group for mums and mumpreneurs based in London https://londonmumsmagazine.com and you can connect on Twitter @londonmums