'Pirates 4' excites Disneyland, box office with mermaids, monkeys and Jack Sparrow
It seems that 2011 is the year of the anti-trilogy as many popular franchises continue to roll out the sequels after the third installment, including Scream 4, Fast Five and Disney's Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, the fourth in the swashbuckling series starring Johnny Depp.
The movie held its world premiere at Disneyland with a long black carpet circling around Main Street USA down toward Sleeping Beauty's castle before the outdoor screening of the movie on Tom Sawyer Island. A light mist even came over the audience as guests donned 3D glasses to achieve the full effect from the action adventure.
Before the stars of the film hit the longest carpet in town, fans and media were given some pre-show entertainment by the acts of jugglers, stilt walkers and more dressed as pirates. Jack Sparrow look-a-likes littered the street and those in attendance wore Mickey Mouse Pirates ears as well as Pirates beads.
This time, hero Captain Jack Sparrow has lost his beloved ship and is escaping danger at every turn until he runs into an old flame—Angelica (Penelope Cruz), a new addition to the series. She is on the hunt for the elusive Fountain of Youth for her menacing father Blackbeard (Ian McShane) a foe of Jack's. While they are searching, Captain Barbossa (Geoffrey Rush) is also on their heels on the same quest.
The Fountain of Youth has several steps before it can be fully used, and one such item required to unlock the spell is a mermaid's tear. Both crews (Barbossa's and Blackbeard's) are fearful of the dreaded mermaid, and as an ode to classic tales like Homer's “The Odyssey,” these damsels are not so much in distress as terrifying creatures of the night.
Disney is typically known for its more angelic and enviable of mermaids like Ariel from The Little Mermaid and even Madison (Daryl Hannah) from Splash. Breanne Beth Barrett who plays “Mermaid #4” told reporters at the premiere in Disneyland that she loves The Little Mermaid and it was her dream to portray a finned lady on film. Though the nights in the cold water were a little rough.
Blackbeard's crew captures one mermaid named Syrena (Astrid Berges-Frisbey) and crew member Philip (Sam Claflin) takes a liking to the lady. Familiar faces of Keith Richards (as Jack's father) and Kevin McNally (as pal Gibbs) also appear in the fourth of the film based on the theme park ride that also created a worldwide phenomenon.
Author of On Stranger Tides Tim Powers (the novel that parts of the screenplay are based) told media at the premiere that his favorite ride in the park is indeed “Pirates of the Caribbean.” He wrote the novel “On Stranger Tides” in 1986 but was approached a couple of years ago to use the story as a basis for a Pirates film. Of course he jumped at the opportunity and smiled ear to ear as he walked the black carpet with family and celebrity guests like Teri Hatcher, Kirstie Alley, Joey Lawrence, Steven Tyler and many more, including Chiquita, the sassy monkey who appears in the movie.
Directed by newcomer to the series Rob Marshall (Chicago), Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides does a remarkable thing by refreshing and rejuvenating the tired series. Many fans were disappointed in the last outing, and now, with Jack in a more starring and less supporting role, the movie franchise works again. The story arc of young lovers Will (Orlando Bloom) and Bella (Kiera Knightley) was finished and having Jack with his own spinoff-type tale moves the film seamlessly to another level. The new star-crossed love element is with the mermaid and religious crew member who paint a picture of the old “opposites attract” adage.
The question here is if Jack Sparrow is enough to carry a film, and fans of Depp can easily say that he is. This unclean and often drunk character is the one that earned Depp an Oscar nomination for the first film—a huge coup after he fought to portray the pirate a particular way. Here he continues the lovable Jack that audiences fell for and now dress up as for Halloween.
Cruz gives Depp a run for his money to as the tough and stunning Angelica, the only woman who actually stole a piece of the crazy Captain's heart. The chemistry between these two is palpable as they spar and battle through the movie—only to realize deep down they can't shake the other.
Pirates movies never disappoint in the villain department, and McShane is scary as Blackbeard allowing Rush's Barbossa to be a little friendlier and calmer than in past films. However, the vampire-like mermaids are really the images not intended for youngsters who have come to know the aquatic mammals as singing and dreamlike fantasies vs. the nightmares that this movie portrays.
Though never as innovative as the original, considering this movie is the fourth at a once-thought-dead group of movies, it works very well. The writing is quick and provides great entertainment, but a piece of the original spark is missing.
Technically, Pirates 4 is top notch with its 3D effects. It uses the technology in the best way, much like the awed-over Avatar. It creates a nice ambiance and puts the audience in the action that much more while also not being too overbearing and gimmicky.
With the film opening with $90.2 million just domestically, it's proven that Disney's franchise still has life, and the fandom has not wavered. Could more sequels be on the ocean's horizon? The movie lends itself to more fun on the high seas (especially with the after-the-credits teaser), so Disney, here's one fan who could use some more Jack Sparrow in her life.