May 22, 2011 01:35 PM
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Johny! Johny!
Yes Papa.
The ‘Fountain of Youth’ calling.
Yes Papa.
The Fountain will be testing,
Yes Papa.
Open your doors…
Huh! Huh! Huh!
Jack Sparrow(Johny Depp) confronts his father in London where he had a narrow escape from the castle of King George II who ordered him to guide to the ‘Fountain of Youth’ under Barbossa. His father warns him on his new expedition and asks him to join the crew that is secretly forming in the tavern. There he discovers his imposter, who is his former love Angelica, and is residing in London already. Angelica drugs Sparrow to prison him under the wicked Blackbeard on his search for the ‘Fountain’. The Blackbeard uses the voodoo Sparrow-doll impelling Jack to seek the Fountain route. He wanted to seek the Fountain to break his prophecy of being killed by one-legged man and thereby, push his impending death behind.
On the other hand, Gibbs memorizes the map to Fountain before destroying it, compelling Barbossa to keep him alive for seeking the Fountain. However, getting the immortality apart from the Fountain water is never an easy cup of tea. There are more to it; 2 chalices, a drop of tear from mermaid and two wounded humans who passes one’s life to another, are all parts of this treasure hunt. Whoever drinks the tear of the mermaid from the chalice gets the life of the other human being who drinks just the fountain water bereft of mermaid tears, thereby, welcoming immediate death to himself. At the ‘Fountain of Youth’ when the war breaks between Blackbeard and one-legged English captain Barbossa, both Blackbeard and Angelica get injured by the poisoned sword. Now, it comes upon Sparrow to help either of them to gain life and push the other one towards death. Whom will he gift a second life and what will happen next? Or will he be tempted to secure more years to himself? Let’s watch in the theatres to drool over Sparrow once again!
It’s a simple plot and I won’t say it has a very thrilling story-line like its predecessors; maybe ‘coz the film rests on, and only on Jack Sparrow. Nevertheless, even the earlier ones upheld Sparrow as the dominant character, and also the vital crowd puller, but it also had stronger subplots beautifully twined with the main plot. However, it is missing here. The subplot created on the base of love between a mermaid and a missionary named Philip is the biggest turnoff of this movie. I found it extremely ‘bollywoodish’ and seriously boring as it went on stretching before the Intermission. Another weaker aspect of this movie is the introduction of Sparrow. When the protagonist character is the most dynamic pirate making his appearance, it should have been more dramatic and unpredictable which Sparrow is famous for. However, the climax is much better. I loved the way Sparrow has been portrayed as a Robinhood of the sea when he takes a casual walk with his favorite mate, Gibbs. The movie ends over there when Sparrow speaks out why he chose not to drink the tear of the mermaid and keeps us gaspingly waiting for this next venture to rescue the Black Pearl.
The two very special attractions of this movie are;
Firstly, its 3D effect – the voyage on the sea, the sword fights, the clash with the mermaids are visual treats in 3D. However, the film is not completely dependent on visuals. Therefore, you won’t miss much even if you see it on 2D.
Secondly, and most essentially is Jack Sparrow- the character comes live here as you don’t wish to lose sight of him in any single scene. He overshadows and overpowers the entire movie which goes on for almost 2 and half hours. The film stood on Sparrow and his superb witty dialogues. Infact, the movie can fall under the comic genre just because of Sparrow’s stupendous and hilarious one-liners.
Acting is good and smart. Gibbs and Barbossa played by Kevin McNally and Geoffrey Rush, respectively are remarkably roguish. Blackbeard done by Ian Mcshane appears to be harmless and less crude. Richard Griffiths as King George II is a show stealing piece of acting, even in a small role. I wonder if he shared a greater stage beside Sparrow he may have challenged Depp as Sparrow. Penelope is gorgeous till she opens her mouth. But the man who takes the entire movie on his lean shoulders, Johny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow(he is a Captain and a Hero to me) is impeccably flawless. His articulation that compliments his voice, his way of walking that compliments his mannerisms, his eyes that compliment his facial expressions are so spontaneous that they tickle everyone under the spell of mesmerizing Sparrow. He ensures that the audience is glued and entertained to the fullest when he is commanding the stage delivering his role. And once again as the movie ends, you take back, not the movie, not the 3D effect but the fascinating Sparrow, only to wait for him to get back and rock the screens once again!
Rating: 3.5
