Movie Review: Pirates of the Caribbean: Salazar's Revenge

It's been a while since we saw Johnny Depp put on that familiar pirate garb and spoke the familiar crazy talk of Captain Jack Sparrow in a new Pirates film by Disney, but here we are with a brand new installment in the franchise that acts as a true sequel to the first three "Pirates of the Caribbean" films that saw a lot of character development and adventure in the seas - and in particular the return of two very notable faces that were missing in the 2011 film "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides". This time, Captain Jack is dealing with an evil force of his own creation - the ghost crew of the Silent Mary led by the vengeful Spanish captain and pirate hunter Armando Salazar - who wants Sparrow's head in a platter. Add to the fact that Will Turner's son Henry is seeking to free his father from his curse, a mysterious woman named Carina searching for her own father, and Sparrow's rival turned ally Captain Hector Barbossa returning, and you have a new Pirates adventure that's sly, cunning, and pretty much revisiting the roots of the first film "Curse of the Black Pearl" at the same time.

Thanks to Walt Disney Studios PH, I got to see "Pirates of the Caribbean: Salazar's Revenge" on the gorgeous 4DX Cinema at Bonifacio High Street Cinemas, and yes it was absolutely SAVVY! Together with friends from the movie watching crew and comrade cosplayers from Black Pearl Philippines, I enjoyed the special screening held last May 22nd, and the film certainly had a lot to offer in terms of excitement, adventure, and tension! While by all means a straightforward tale on its own that sees Depp reunite with old cast mates like Geoffrey Rush and meet a grand new foe in Javier Bardem's Salazar, the fifth Pirates film delivers stellar new twists and definitely acts as a unique sequel to "Dead Man's Chest" and "At World's End" - particularly concerning the fate of Orlando Bloom's character Will Turner. He makes a cameo in this latest installment, and his grown up son is played by Brenton Thwaites, who more than lives up to the legacy of his father and is quite dedicated to freeing him from his curse. Kaya Scodelario also gives a great leading lady presence as Carina Smith, and it's all these players that make "Salazar's Revenge" a nice throwback to old Pirates fun.


Disney's Pirates of the Caribbean: Salazar's Revenge Pay-off Trailer
In a nutshell, Pirates of the Caribbean: Salazar's Revenge is another pirate adventure that should please fans of the franchise and takes a proper step back in the direction that made the series wacky, fun, and over the top in depicting a pirate's life in the seas and the legends that world has. I would certainly like to see more and directors Joachim Ronning and Espen Sandberg got this one right despite presenting nothing new or vastly different that makes it a game changer. Other than resolving plots left hanging in previous films, this one opens up brand new possibilities for future installments in the franchise. Go and catch it in theaters now!

Rating - 4/5

Movie Review: Dark Shadows

The very first Tim Burton movie I saw growing up was "Batman", and his 1989 vision of the Caped Crusader rocked my world and literally helped reinvigorate the franchise and return the DC Comics hero to his dark roots. That film helped address and flesh out to me the director's dark, twisted, and goth-like style of directing, and it's that kind of atmosphere that has grown to become his legendary trademark with each project he places his efforts into. As such, it is with great enthusiasm and curiosity that I looked forward to his latest project "Dark Shadows", which was a TV show that ran between the late 60's and early 70's and earned a remake in the early 90's. Bringing his longtime collaborator Johnny Depp into the fold, it was a sure deal that I wouldn't miss this flick and give my impressions on it. That being said, here's my review on this dark comedy adventure for the summer. Special thanks again goes to Warner Bros. Philippines and SM Cinema for the special screening!