Johnny Depp returns for another raucous romp in this fourth installment of the "Pirates of the Caribbean" series. This time around, our endearingly reluctant hero, Capt. Jack Sparrow, is on a quest to find the Fountain of Youth. But when he is forced to accompany an old flame - who may be daughter to the evil pirate Blackbeard - it may prove to be more adventure than Sparrow signed up for. Gone from this sequel are the dead weight characters (sorry, Keira and Orlando) and convoluted subplots (who broke Davey Jones's heart and why do we care?), and now with all the baggage stripped away the movie is finally able to be fun again. Except... it's not. The plot is so nonexistent that even the magnetic Depp can't keep this excursion afloat. Instead, the story drags on as Sparrow's voyage moves from sea to land, and besides one particular scene involving an attack by deadly sirens, the journey is plodding and devoid of any excitement. As for the new characters, Ian McShane is great as the fearsome Blackbeard, but there's really not enough of him to satisfy. Penélope Cruz plays the beautiful and mysterious Angelica, who claims she is Blackbeard's long lost daughter. The role calls for a lively mixture of seductiveness and spunk, but unfortunately Cruz provides little of either as she barrels around with a perpetual scowl on her face. All in all, this so-called reboot of the franchise was not all it was hyped up to be; perhaps it's time for Capt. Jack to take an extended vacation in Tortuga... or even retire altogether.
2 out of 5 stars
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