My Thoughts — Pirates of the Caribbean: Salazar's Revenge · 7:14pm Jun 11th, 2017
Had a blast with this one.
And I thought it was a bit more important then usual to point that out, because seems like this one is one of those films that the general audience loves, but critics loath with all their hearts.
Seems it a mix of the fantasy and pirates thing—which I must personally admit find about as meaningful and fair a bit of critique as if somebody would be shocked that Toyota's next project is another car aimed at the main-stream—and the break-neck pace.
The break-neck pace... of an swashbuckling action movie. The fifth in a whole series of swash-buckling action movies.
Look, I'm trying to avoid cracks about making sure there's at least some ventilation in those ivory towers, or that you're not going to plant much in a cloud no matter how big your nose is or how hard your plowing 'em, but come on people.
Highly, highly recommended if you liked the other Pirates of the Caribbean films. Yes, it's more of the same, but in a good way.
A few more details slash spoilers I want to talk about behind the cut. If I don't see you in the comments, then thanks for reading. 
Man, was it painful to see Jack in this. At least at the start. Gave me a few flash-backs to Ghost Story, where Dresden also had such a 'the hero's lowest point' type deal going on.
Can't say I blame him, actually. Given that he sold his freaking soul for the Pearl, it must have been pure torture having it cursed and ridding around next to his heart like that.
But still. Selling his compass? For one bottle of rum? That he doesn't even get to drink? That's almost as dark as the booster stool for the kid at the start of #3.
And I really liked Salazar, his crew and ship. The slight unrealness from the digital effects I thought I'd hate to start with, but it honestly was a neat touch how it made all the ghosts/revenants look...
Well, not of this world.
That, and how one-note they all were, even if I know that sounds a bit strange. Classic revenant behavior to be still intelligent, still tragically almost themselves, but so utterly focused on vengeance that the grave itself cannot hold them.
And the grounded, near skeletal wreck of a ship rearing up and eating other ships?! Yikes! 
Liked what they did with Barbossa. The end of his arc. A bit subtle, but I really liked the implication that he was a stone's throw away from the power of the sea itself, but he instead opted to mark the proverbial X so that his actual treasure would have a chance to probe herself and have an adventure all of her own. That was really sweet. 
Same thing with Will and Elizabeth, and Jack getting to chase the horizon once more. A sweet end for all, at least for now. 
Oh, except it's not quite the end, now is it? That stinger. Really hope this one does well enough that a sixth one is made, and the strong hint of Devey Jones having clawed himself back (badabom, tish) for another go actually turns out to be the next plot.
You can probably tell already, but really loved this one! 
It struck that rare balance of answering enough questions that I'd be perfectly happy for the series to end at this note, but also be ravenous for more.
I too enjoyed this. The only thing I will say I'm getting tired of is the British Navy carrying the enormous idiot/villain ball movie after movie. I feel like they should focus more on the fantasy, and less on the "constipated-looking pale guys in white wigs saying something mean" section that always eats up too much time in these movies.
Salazar was really awesome though.
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Well, on one level it does make sense. The big-boys of the sea during the age of pirates were The Spanish, The Dutch, and The English.
But I don't really agree with the 'idiot ball' comment, I must admit.
#1 - The British fleet is used heavily by Jack, sure... but they're integral to stopping the cursed pirates, and would have been the clear winners if not for showing mercy on Jack and the gang at the end. Heck, they even gave him a day's head-start.
#2-3 - British villains, sure... but also quite a few British victims, and the big-bad even beyond Davy is the East India Company going kill crazy, and trying to take over the seas. A private trading company.
#4 - The King is used, sure, but by another pirate who's implied to be little more then a pawn eased against the true enemy. AKA, the Spaniards.
#5 — One bastard English commander taking advantage of a supernatural threat, plus the ship at the start who...
Well, won't take one known problem sailor's word for that the only path left to intercept the enemy is literally cursed and haunted.
Honestly, I'd call that a mostly positive portrayal. It's just that the superstitious pirates happen to be right that there's weird things crawling in the dark corners of the world.
That, and the whole series has this red-thread implying that these are our seas and history. We just get to see the twilight years of piracy and magic, before civilization made the world both safer and less wonderful. (Biggest example, the kraken being killed off-screen. For the East-India Company, it was Tuesday.)
Do agree fully with that one, though.