Greetings again from the darkness. I will make no apology for being a fan of the "Pirates" series. This is the fourth film and the best since the first. Though I liked them enough, I felt the second and third depended too much on special effects and the need to overwhelm, whereas this one concentrates more on the colorful characters. This latest entry is also directed by Rob Marshall ("Chicago") rather than Gore Verbinski, who directed the first three.

Of course, what really matters is that Johnny Depp is back as Captain Jack Sparrow. And in fine form, I might add. He comes across more clever, witty and less buffoonish than in the previous two. His character is much better as a worthy adversary than a clown prince. In this one, he alternates between matching wits and swords with no less than three characters. First, Geoffrey Rush is back as Barbossa. Only this time, he seems to have gone legit with the King's navy. Next we have Sparrow's long-lost love from Seville played by Penelope Cruz. They also match wits and swords (and facial hair). Lastly, we have the legendary pirate Blackbeard, played with full force by Ian McShane. Were it not a Disney movie, McShane could have made his Blackbeard one of the most frightening characters ever seen on screen. Even with the limitations, he performs exceedingly well.

The "plot" of the film involves the search for Ponce de Leon's ship and the much desired Fountain of Youth. The race is on between Sparrow, Blackbeard, the Spainiards and Barbossa who is acting on behalf of King George (a wonderful Richard Griffiths). As always, it's not always easy to tell which characters are partners and which are adversaries. That's half the fun! An interesting twist is that in order to have the desired results from the infamous fountain, one must drink from a specific chalice and include a single mermaid tear. Of course, everlasting youth shouldn't be too easy to achieve. The mermaid sequences are fascinating, though we really only get to know one of them - Syrena played with soulful eyes by Astrid Berges-Frisbey.

Thankfully, two long time characters are absent from this film - Orlando Bloom and Keira Knightley. Both were dead-weight that caused major drag in the two most recent Pirates films. Cruz and McShane are infinitely more interesting and entertaining and play off of Captain Jack much better.

Speaking of Depp's Jack Sparrow, I would make the argument that this character has entered the rarefied air of film comedy icon. I would put him at or near the level of the all-time best recurring comic characters: Inspector Clouseau (Peter Sellers, NOT Steve Martin),Austin Powers (Mike Myers) and the Little Tramp (Charlie Chaplin). Of course, there are loads of others that have made a name for themselves but are a step below: Ernest (Jim Varney),Fletch (Chevy Chase),Wayne and Garth (Wayne's World),Riggs and Murtaugh (Lethal Weapon),etc. I could go on and on, but you get the idea.

As I have stated many times, comedy is such a personal choice that it's always difficult to review. What sets the Pirate's films apart (especially one and four) are the characters combined with action and witty banter. No, it's not for everyone, but if you like this style, it's difficult to beat.

Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) returns for the fourth installment of this most unlikely franchise. This time he's after the fabled Fountain of Youth. It's as outlandish as ever. He runs across Angelica Teach (Penélope Cruz)who's been impersonating him. She was once preparing to be a nun when he found her in a convent. Soon he finds out that she's the cruel pirate Blackbeard (Ian McShane)'s daughter, and he's forced into leading them to the Fountain of Youth. Meanwhile, Captain Barbossa (Geoffrey Rush) is now working for the British and is hot pursuit.

This is a mess of questionable characters with murky motives. The lightness of Keira Knightley and Orlando Bloom are gone. We've left with a convoluted plot with unlikeable characters. Jack Sparrow was the rogue in the first one, but in this one, he's the nicest. How did that happened? The newcomer in this one is Penélope Cruz. Let's just say the outfits don't release her biggest assets. Of course she was pregnant during the filming. It doesn't make the movie any better.

Then there is the action. It's has the required swashbuckling, but it lacks the great memorable set pieces. To be honest, I can't remember a single set piece from this movie. Other than Jack Sparrow, there isn't much to watch for in this one.

As far as the Pirates of the Caribbean movies go, On Stranger Tides may be lacking in the rollicking fun of Curse of the Black Pearl, which I absolutely loved, though it's closer in spirit to it than those of the two movies before, but I think it is better than Dead Man's Chest, which had great effects and a brilliant Bill Nighy but felt overlong and ferentic sometimes, and At World's End, which had the cast giving their all, great visuals, score and final battle but rather convoluted and bloated on the whole.

On Stranger Tides isn't perfect. I did feel it did have perhaps have too many moments of exposition and clichés, though the story if slightly rickety in places here is less bloated noticeably and better paced than the film released before it which is a good thing. I also felt the romantic subplot(s) felt underdeveloped and forced, and while there are some droll, bizarre and witty quips particularly with Depp, Rush and Cruz there is a bit of filler that could have been excised.

However, despite these complaints, On Stranger Tides is a worthy instalment. Once again, the production values are impeccable, the cinematography is skillful, the costumes, sets and period recreation is authentic and the effects are superb. The opening twenty minutes is an example of the writing being at its funniest and wittiest, and the scenes with the mermaids are beautifully shot and intriguing.

While not perhaps original, and not among his best, I did very much like Hans Zimmer's score, which was rousing and brought some much-needed energy. The characters are not the best developed, but they are fun and there aren't too many of them to interrupt the flow of the story, a big problem I found with At World's End, while the action sequences are both exciting and nail-biting on the whole.

I wasn't so sure about Rob Marshall as director, but he does a far better job than expected, and the film is livelier in pace than Dead Man's Chest and At World's End. The acting is good enough for what it was. Johnny Depp plays lovable rogue Jack Sparrow with a voluptuous swagger and sly humour and nails it again, while the idea to omit Kiera Knightley and Orlando Bloom here proved a good one, without them for my money the whole adventure carried less of a dead weight.

Instead we have Penelope Cruz, who proves a perfect match for Depp. She is feisty, beautiful, foxy and sexy, and also likable and fun. I was wondering what they would do for villains without Bill Nighy, but I needn't have worried. Ian McShane is a worthy addition as Blackbeard, who is charming in a grizzly way while committing acts of great evil. Geoffrey Rush is underused in a way, but he does have some great lines and a fun presence so he isn't a complete waste.

In conclusion, On Stranger Tides is not a perfect film, but as an instalment to a decent enough franchise it is a more than worthy one. And you know, what I've said about this movie was not something I thought I would be saying, because judging by what I'd seen of the advertising/trailers, it looked as though it was going be the worst of the series, but actually for me it wasn't. 7.5/10 Bethany Cox