Henry Turner (Brenton Thwaites) is on a mission to save his dad Will (Orlando Bloom) from the perils of living offshore for 10 years that come with a coupon to see his family for 1 day. He is determined to break this or every curse by locating the Trident of Poseidon. In order to achieve this, he is looking for one alliance who had a connection with his father. Yes, Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp). From Henry's chamber and character growth for over 9 years, we know he is a knowledgeable man as he studies a lot about the myths of sea.
After years of failures in stealing treasures, Jack loses his ship, luck and credibility as a captain. It's sad when even loyal Gibbs (Kevin McNally) decides to leave him. Heartbroken and worn out, he is approached by Henry to sail on a journey in pursuit of the Trident of Poseidon, which he claims could return Jack's glory. And, off they go. On the other hand, Captain Armando Salazar (Javier Bardem) is hunting for Sparrow, as the dude lured the former to death at Devil's Triangle once upon a time. So, Salazar has been attacking ships after ships to convey his search for the infamous pirate. Captain Hector Barbossa (Geoffrey Rush) is back too as the ruler of the sea now with both Davy Jones and Blackbeard gone. He is the master pirate of treasure collection and he's en route to own the Trident of Poseidon for himself, by eliminating his competitor Jack to Salazar. With these four storylines that have motivations all clicking, the premise for Dead Men Tell No Tales becomes interesting.
Here's where the motion picture could have been miles better. And it has got to do with trimming down unneeded fat. First, the character of Carina Smyth (Kaya Scodelario). Her entry into the story is an unnecessary burden. Not only that she brings in a lot of conveniences, like the way she meets Jack and Henry, but the film could have survived without her just fine. The only reason she's included in the feature is because the film needs a woman character for love interest purposes, besides being the crowd-puller factor. Her Map No Man Can Read, astronomy and time reading skills could be manifested into Henry's character, since he has been preparing to free his father since young. This would have made his character multidimensional and stronger. Moreover, Carina's connection with Barbossa is absolutely uncalled for. The goal here is to make a better film, not a messy one. These story point do not go along well with the plot we are travelling on currently. Secondly, the Royal Navy part could have been scraped too, as well as the Hangman's Bay forced marriage section. These are distractions and by removing these three disposable items, we would have ended up with a tidier movie.
If you're wondering whether the vibe and tone set by Gore Verbinski back in the day for the franchise have returned or otherwise, the answer is: 40%. Humor is better here than On Stranger Tides, but works on and off. Pirates' stupidity with mistaken notions about professions, for instance, whore for horologist are really funny! Bank vault left empty after robbery, Scrum's (Stephen Graham) smooth transition from assuming the role of a captain to being beaten to pulp, dead shark munching on thin air and Captain Jack Sparrow's introduction are worth a laugh. Speaking of the beloved protagonist, his wittiness is maintained but the aged persona is visible. Hector Barbossa looks so much better than the abomination he was in On Stranger Tides. Settings and scope are nice. On the flip side, verbal instructions to tell the audiences how to feel is needless. Why do the officers aim at the top to shoot while Jack's ducked down?
Jeff Nathanson, the screenwriter, is certainly good in introducing tensions. There are sequences we have to honor by mentions! First would be the beheading segment! What an uproarious scene it is! With a failed attempt at saving the pair from gallows, arguments to and fro and the blade that swings up and down waiting to take Jack's head off is simply outstanding! Lifting the entire bank away with Jack strolling across a rooftop bridge that splits apart in slow motion is right down superb! Also the sequence that will come to your notice is Jack navigating the boat he's on using a shark in a close shave from Salazar and crew! The antagonist is merciless and terrifying, with only a single weakness of inability to step on land. He doesn't flinch to snatch a life, so that's a great source of tension as well! Attack on The Black Pearl by the ghost ship, with cannon on face, statue coming alive and Salazar on tail, tension is heightened! Lastly, Armando possessing Henry is a lively conflict too! If Jack stabs Armando, he is actually stabbing the boy which would result in Henry's death!
Flashback episode with a perfect mix of visual & verbal narration is a memorable sequence in Dead Men Tell No Tales. It’s our chance to see where Jack Sparrow's journey began. We learn how he got the compass, hat and even articles that made him the iconic captain he is today. Navy men aren't believers of sea myths as established in the beginning of the picture. The way Jack sets Salazar's ship into the Devil's Triangle but manages to escape with a rope hitch is convincingly shown. But here's the big question. What is the significance of the compass other than pointing right to your most wanted desire? Why Jack's abandonment of the compass leads to Devil's Triangle crumbling? This is an unresolved story point. Since the script is talking about the compass' origins, why isn't this explained?
Another fascinating episode would be when Barbossa stabs right into the glass bottle which holds The Black Pearl. The Black Pearl turning from miniature to a medium-sized toy before blossoming in full splendor is remarkable! Of course, Barbossa and Jack argues over the position of captain, once again! Secret code illuminating under blood moon on the Map No Man Can Read, golden skulls backdrop in Barbossa's ship, dead creature skeleton on Hangman's Bay, sparkling island reflecting the stars on sky with a missing ruby to make them all glow once again, ocean floor dividing in halves and the land path in between before converging into one are awesome practical & visual effects designs! However, the ghost pirates could have been done differently or more innovatively, as it reminiscences previous films too much. Will Turner's makeup looks cheap on that note. Ghost ship opening its jaw to engulf fellow ships is nonetheless, a fantastic idea! Young Depp especially, done so well! Paul Cameron's camera captures a beautiful submerging sequence of The Flying Dutchman and The Black Pearl symmetrical ride on the edge of the ocean floor's opening.
The finale is muddy. Why isn't Jack hurt when plunged with the Trident of Poseidon? What curse Barbossa's relieved from? Perhaps the one that brought him alive by Tia Dalma, just maybe. Hector's passing is sad, but it's sad simply because you know you'll not see him in future instalments if there are any. There aren't any emotional anchors to it for the event to work and make sense. Why does Captain Salazar narrates his tale to everyone he meets if dead men tell no tales? How does Jack Sparrow return to glory, regain his honor and respect after the resolution? Because he's able to locate the Trident of Poseidon? But he didn't get to keep it though, which would have made him king of the sea, naturally absolving his problem. Remember, in the entire picture, our protagonist here isn't running the course of actions. He's just going with the flow, while Henry and Carina are the ones who are driving the vehicle of the story. This is also why we don't feel Jack's dramatic need is achieved.
There should have been a reunion between Will, Elizabeth (Keira Knightley) and Jack Sparrow. It would have been a bow tied to T. Nevertheless, with Will Turner's curse abolished, Henry Turner's mission accomplished, Hector Barbossa gone and Jack the Monkey bond with Jack Sparrow, we'll see where this franchise is headed next, if there is a coming destination.