Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (2011)
Directed by Rob Marshall
When Jack crosses paths with a woman from his past, he's not sure if it's love...or if she's a ruthless con artist using him to find the fabled Fountain of Youth.
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17 films that influenced this film
What critics say influenced Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides
But when it was originally announced, the thought of making a movie based on the popular Disney theme park attraction seemed a dubious idea at best, with previous similar attempts (including 1997's TV movie "Tower of Terror," 2000's "Mission to Mars" and 2002's "The Country Bears") not really inspiring tremendous confidence in future success -- which was proved again in late 2003 with the Eddie Murphy flick "The Haunted Mansion."
But when it was originally announced, the thought of making a movie based on the popular Disney theme park attraction seemed a dubious idea at best, with previous similar attempts (including 1997's TV movie "Tower of Terror," 2000's "Mission to Mars" and 2002's "The Country Bears") not really inspiring tremendous confidence in future success -- which was proved again in late 2003 with the Eddie Murphy flick "The Haunted Mansion."
It does, I have to admit, tend to bog down in the seemingly infinite twists and bits of business leading up to the climax, and movie-overfed-critic types are likely to fondly recall the better movies, including " I Walked With a Zombie " and " The Princess Bride ," that this draws inspiration from.
It’s a lot like one of the later Bing Crosby-Bob Hope “Road” Pictures—say Road to Bali (1952).
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But when it was originally announced, the thought of making a movie based on the popular Disney theme park attraction seemed a dubious idea at best, with previous similar attempts (including 1997's TV movie "Tower of Terror," 2000's "Mission to Mars" and 2002's "The Country Bears") not really inspiring tremendous confidence in future success -- which was proved again in late 2003 with the Eddie Murphy flick "The Haunted Mansion."
It does, I have to admit, tend to bog down in the seemingly infinite twists and bits of business leading up to the climax, and movie-overfed-critic types are likely to fondly recall the better movies, including " I Walked With a Zombie " and " The Princess Bride ," that this draws inspiration from.
Director
Steven Spielberg
Critics compare Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides to 3 of Spielberg’s films.
The climax as Jack, Angelica and Blackbeard close in on the Fountain of Youth is also thoroughly forgettable and bland, a similar finale in 1989's "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade" superior in every way.
The script, by returning regulars Ted Elliott & Terry Rossio, is based on a novel by Tim Powers, but really "Pirates 4" owes more to "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade" than anything else.
There’s much swordplay backed by loud music (by Hans Zimmer) and, during the meltdown finale, a “Raiders of the Lost Ark”-inspired banshee, but nothing to compare to Davy Jones’ zombified pirates or the runaway watermill of the first two installments.
In many ways, On Stranger Tides reminds me of another fourth installment, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull .
We no longer see truly great sword-fighting, the kind performed by Liam Neeson and Tim Roth in " Rob Roy " (1995).
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Actually, make that Peter Pan with a dash of Keith Richards and the flouncy sashay of a “La Cage aux Folles” refugee.
There’s a set-up for a terrific gag based on one in Chaplin’s The Gold Rush involving Ponce de Leon precariously balanced on a cliff.