Sorry to be so absent.
BUT, let's talk about Pirates really quick.
They should have called it Pirates of the Caribbean: Saving Will Turner. But other than that, I'll be as spoiler free as I can manage.
I wouldn't say a single Pirates movie has truly been a disappointment to me, but the fact that I don't remember very much of On Stranger Tides might indicate it was a little disappointing. My brain just neglected to catalog it....
I'll say, in retrospect, the problem was the loss of Orlando Bloom and Kiera Knightley. It appears Jerry Bruckheimer has figured this out, in a rather ingenious way. (Again, no spoilers, I'll keep my mouth shut!)
This movie both got back to its roots and set new standards of large action-based set piece moments. Plus, the writing is very clever. Since I saw the movie on Friday, I've been trying to ascertain what about it was different from On Stranger Tides, and At World's End. I think both of these movies failed (as much as a Pirates movie can fail) in that they played too much to Jack Sparrow. The reason Johnny Depp got his first Oscar nomination for Curse of the Black Pearl was because the script was just written and Johnny used the space to paint a more vivid character.
And don't misunderstand, I'm not blaming the writers (Ted Elliot and Terry Rossio for all except this recent entry, Just Rossio and Jeff Nathanson). As a screenwriter, if I blame anyone in the sequel game, it's the studio (You heard me, Iger!).
But, it's kind of a moot point anyway, since this movie fared so much better in Jack Sparrow's balance onscreen.
On thing I'd love to point out, Sir Paul McCartney's cameo. I heard about it early on,....then forgot about it...until his official Instagram posted the promotional photo of his character. Again, not giving anything away, but it's a better cameo match than one thinks. Keith Richards, though the inspiration for Jack Sparrow, isn't an actor. No matter how good his episode of The Simpsons is...
Anyway, Paul's cameo is oddly a bit of light, and a plot point, which made his presence more...useful?
Really, when does one ever NOT need Paul McCartney?
For symmetry's sake, here is Paul on the Simpsons.
To the critics who insist "Why did we need another Pirates movie?"...I say why not? Do we need another Fast and Furious? Another Guardians of the Galaxy? I understand the repetitive nature of the movie business these days. I believe I've even commented on it previously on the blog....but in the spirit of the Donnie and Marie.....You're a little bit Furious, and I'm a little bit Pirate-y.
And I have always thought of Pirates more in the vein of the old serials from the 40s and 50s. There are supposed to be a few in one continuing story. And Pirates movies were and are a perfect setting and theme for a serial. I realize this may seem like being a Disney apologist, but I doubt anyone could look at my Tower of Terror blog and call me that.
Did you see Pirates this weekend? Any questions? Comments? Theories? Do you think, assuming the movie does well enough at the box office, Disney might rescind calling this the "final chapter" of the Pirates tale? Let us know in the comments below! (Below, as opposed to Facebook...)
Have a good week!
planning on seeing movie today, well in about 12 hours give or take. So I'll let you know what I think later. But as to your comment about if there might be another sequel if this does well enough at the box office. I'm thinking maybe Not a sequel but more of a prequel. Maybe a young Capt. Jack pre curse of the black pearl.
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