Yo Ho Ho and a Bottle of Fun: Pirates of the Caribbean 4 Review

Who's in it: Johnny Depp, Penelope Cruz, Geoffrey Rush, Ian MacShane

MPAA Rating: PG-13 for intense sequences of action/adventure violence, some frightening images, sensuality and innuendo.

What it's about: Orlando Bloom and Keira Knightley are out, Johnny Depp remains as the lone star of the fourth installment in the Pirates series. This time around, Captain Jack Sparrow quests for possibly the most valuable treasure there is: the Fountain of Youth.

Aye, be not an easy jarney! Also searching for this wondrous water world are: the Spaniards (we don't see much of them); the Brits, led by Pirates 1 and 3's very own Captain Barbosa (Rush); and also a pirate ship with Jack's ex-love interest Anjelica (Cruz) and her father, the literally magical Blackbeard (MacShane), in charge.

But wait, there's more! It's not a Pirates movie without a bunch of crazy, surreal, supernatural stuff such as zombie crewmen and vampire mermaids.

What I think about it: Being a longtime fan of these movies, and after a lackluster third film, I am glad to see that the franchise has found its footing again. It has rediscovered its "youth" -- did you see what I did there? -- reverting back from the seriousness of the third flick to the absurd action and entertaining segments that made the first two great.  

Depp's acting never fails, ever, in anything he's ever been in.  The newcomers that have filled the spots of Orlando Bloom and Keira Knightley (good riddance) are terrific. MacShane, though good, will never be as good of a bad guy as Geoffrey Rush in the original.

Throw in the classic, outstanding musical score and you've got yourself another Pirates movie that is satisfying to all, hardcore fan or not. And how good looking is Penelope Cruz?

Very good looking. Very.

Best Part: A comically, not to mention expertly, choreographed sequence that involves Jack Sparrow outwitting and out-acrobat-ing a slew of foes and putting his life on the line a dozen times, all for the sake of one delicious looking cream puff.  

Oh and special mention to the very, very intense mermaid frenzy scene. It is a classic.

The Greatest Thing About These Movies: At least in my eyes, I think the best thing about this franchise is the way they depict mythical overseas folk stories.  Not so much anything from the first movie, but how they showed Davy Jones in the second and third was great, the portrayal of Davy Jones' Locker in the third was incredible, and they didn't do to shabby of a job with Blackbeard and the Fountain of Youth in this one either.  Just stuff I ponder about.

Pirates 5?: Yes please. And thank you.

Overall Grade: B+