The original 2003 Pirates of the Caribbean set a standard its sequels have failed to match, and I won't be alone in saying that after Pirates of the Caribbean 4: On Stranger Tides my interest in this once thrilling and fun franchise had truly waned.
It's somewhat unexpected then that
the fifth movie is reminiscent of the original, so if you've not quite been able to let go of Captain Jack Sparrow you'll be pleased to know it's been worth holding on.
Directing newcomers Joachim Ronning and Espen Sandberg (Kon-Tiki) keep it simple, which hasn't always been the case, and we're all better off for the easy-to-follow narrative and action.
The characters are those we know and love, Captain Jack Sparrow (Depp) and Captain Hector Barbossa (Geoffrey Rush), and their respective crews. There's a splash of new characters to keep us interested; adding a touch of romance or villainy, they also serve to reveal more of Captain Jack Sparrow's back story.
When we reacquaint ourselves with Jack - in one of the film's most fun and over-the-top action sequences - he's at rock bottom. Crew-less and broke, Jack's situation declines further when he learns one of his greatest foes, the evil Captain Salazar (Javier Bardem) is coming for him.
