In my previous film review, I called the summer of 2017 a big gathering of bad movies, mainly referring to the three so-called Hollywood blockbusters "Transformers 5", "The Mummy" and "Pirates of the Caribbean 5". However, the bottom one is "Change 5", "New Mummy" is next, and "Pirates of the Caribbean 5" is slightly better, at least in terms of narrative structure, it is relatively clear, I personally think it is even better than the second and Part three. Of course, as a non-die-hard fan of the series, maybe I'm not so critical.
In fact, if "Pirates of the Caribbean 5" is to be called a bad movie, then the "series of movies" can be said to be one of the original sins. In the first two decades of the twentieth century, the originality of movies seemed to be declining at the rate at which the glaciers were melting, and the series of films were processed and produced at a speed not seen in any previous era, such as Star Trek, The Lord of the Rings, Speed and Speed. Passion", "Transformers", "The Hunger Games", etc., have become the most important film phenomena of the past two decades. Of course, the "Pirates of the Caribbean" series is also indispensable.
Take a look at the trajectory of "Pirates of the Caribbean", which is similar to most of the series of movies with high reputation. In order to match the promotion of Disney's new theme park that year, Disney Pictures planned to make a pirate-themed movie. Unexpectedly, the dirty, cluttered and outdated pirate film actually bloomed with strange and magnificent colors under the hands of gold medal producer Jerry Bruckheimer and director Gore Verbinski (who made the first three films), becoming a superhero. The box office myth before the hero movie. Even if the fourth part of the extraneous nature encounters bad reviews, it will not affect the global revenue of one billion. However, behind an average of $925 million at the box office is a decline in word of mouth, and the imagination and storyline are weakening one by one. As many fans have said, "Pirates of the Caribbean" only has the first part in their hearts.
Along with the decline in word of mouth, there is also the status of this series in Disney Pictures. Disney bought Marvel Studios in 2009, and thousands of superheroes are yet to be unlocked. In 2012, it acquired Lucasfilm and won the Star Wars IP that has been popular for more than 30 years. In addition to cartoons, Disney's live-action film is now composed of four parts: the superhero universe, animated remakes, Star Wars movies and original live-action movies. The "Pirates of the Caribbean" series has changed from the original ace to a small part of the big cake. Piece. As a weak point, the status of original live-action movies in Disney Pictures has become more and more awkward.
Equally embarrassing is Johnny Depp. Depp was known for being "eccentric" long before he became "Captain Jack." But those roles he played belonged not so much to him as to Tim Burton. It was not until the age of 39 that Depp met Captain Jack, and finally used this role to release his alternative spirit completely. His willfulness, frivolity, arrogance and ego were also condensed into the captain's catwalk, eyeliner and orchid fingers. Even though he was scolded by Disney executives for being "gay and gay" after his first performance, Depp eventually made Jack into a heartthrob, made his own mark on him, and changed his personality from alternative to mainstream. It can be said that the "Pirates of the Caribbean" series and Depp have achieved each other. But times have changed. In recent years, Depp's name has often been associated with "Golden Raspberry Award", "Box Office Poison", etc., and negative news about his private life has emerged one after another. After Captain Jack, there is no one who can play a role. The box office appeal is even worse than before.
Therefore, for both "Pirates of the Caribbean" and Johnny Depp, who are not what they used to be, "Pirates of the Caribbean 5", which has been keeping a low profile for six years, is a new starting point. So how does the viewing experience feel? Die-hard fans may be disappointed. The most fooled of them is that the other two in the original iron triangle, Will Turner played by Orlando Bloom and Elizabeth played by Keira Knightley, both appeared in the trailer. But in the end, the former only appeared twice at the beginning and at the end, and the latter only showed his face at the end, which is basically the scenes in the trailer. This "feeling" is really sold like a slipper.
In fact, it is not shameful to sell feelings. As a series of movies, as long as it can impress the audience, appropriate feelings are still necessary. But in the final analysis, feelings are just a bonus item, and the most important thing is the core of the story. Why is the first part of the series so memorable? The first is that it captures a grand background well and gives it a very diverse historical picture through which a fictional era is recreated. From an aesthetic point of view, the crew of Barbossa and the Black Pearl became undead because they stole Azect gold coins, and gradually lost their senses, not knowing what rum and apples taste like. Facing the beauty, they didn't feel the slightest bit, until they returned the stolen gold coins to their original owners. Isn't this just a reminder that getting something for nothing and spending extravagantly makes life empty and boring? On the other hand, the subsequent sequels have nothing new in the plot. Except for the villains who came to seek revenge for Jack one after another, and Barbossa, who repeatedly competed with him for the captain's position, there was no more routine. .
Including Captain Jack himself. Jack is, of course, a very classic and iconic character, and aside from his crazy, rambunctious appearance, the contradictions and unity of his character are also fascinating: he is mercenary, spends his time, and cuts both ways. Love is righteous; it seems cynical, but at the critical moment, there is justice in mind. If it wasn't for Dafa's kindness to release a boat of black slaves, he would not have gone to make a deal with Davy Jones because the Black Pearl was sunk by Lord Beckett and sold his soul for 13 years. The most valuable thing is that he advocates freedom and always maintains an optimistic spirit. No matter whether it is good or bad, he is always so high-spirited, and has an incomparably deep love for boats and the sea.
But on the other hand, this character has always had the aura of the protagonist in the first four films, and his "growth" is missing. We don't know why he became such a person. Therefore, in order to justify pirates and be accepted by the mainstream values of the real world, Will Turner took on the task of narrowing the distance between the characters and the audience. As an upright and kind young blacksmith, his love for love , and his efforts to save his father have changed the audience's perception of the profession of pirates. In "Pirates of the Caribbean 5", this task became Will Turner's son Henry and Karina, who was regarded as a witch. It is worth mentioning that this film is processed by CG, so that the young Jack is shown to the audience in the memories of the villain Salazar, which is more or less a part of his growth trajectory. In the face of Salazar, the executioner who violated the morality of the ocean, Jack led the remnants of the defeated soldiers to escape, reversing the identities of good and evil, and the film's value position was established at the same time.
Finally, let me talk about my favorite character in this series. Although Captain Jack is the first protagonist, I still prefer Captain Barbossa. In essence, Barbossa and Jack Sparrow are the same kind of people, both good and evil, scheming, selfish and greedy for money, and Barbossa is a bit more ambitious and calculating than Jack. At first, Barbossa was a villain, but he did not expect to become more and more positive after that, and even carried the banner of the role in the absence of Turner and Elizabeth in the fourth film. Although he still counts Jack from time to time, they are not so much old enemies as they are an "old couple" who love and kill each other and complement each other. Both are indispensable. In particular, the actor of Barbosa, Geoffrey Rush, as a veteran actor who has won the Tony Award, Emmy Award and Oscar Award, can be called the acting responsibility of this series, and interprets Barbosa's versatility to the core. .
There are two emotional lines in "Pirates of the Caribbean 5", one is the "son saves the father" of the Turners and his son, and the other is the "father saves the daughter" of the Barbossa and his daughter. Who would have thought that Barbossa, who was lost in greed in the first part, finally realized that his daughter was his most precious thing in the fifth part, and even gave up his life for her. In this way to end his life, Captain Barbossa can be said to die well, and it is also one of the few memorable highlights of the film.
♑
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