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PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: DEAD MEN TELL NO TALES

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales is the fifth installment of the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise and has the most other-worldly visual effects of any recent movie. The CGI is the most mesmerizing piece of treasure throughout the film. Johnny Depp again stars as Jack Sparrow and Geoffrey Rush as Captain Barbossa. It also stars the terrific Javier Bardem as the new villain, Captain Salazar. Brenton Thwaites plays Henry Turner and Kaya Scodelario plays Carina Smyth. Orlando Bloom and Keira Knightley have cameos as Will Turner and Elizabeth Swann, respectively. Full disclosure: I am a huge Johnny Depp fan and I have loved the Pirates of the Caribbean movies since I was 5 years old!

At the beginning of the film, Captain Jack Sparrow is presumed dead. He resurfaces in a most humorous way. Captain Salazar is Jack Sparrow's oldest nemesis. He takes revenge on Sparrow by unleashing the vicious ghost pirates of Devil's Triangle. The ghost pirates are hell-bent on killing Sparrow and destroy multiple pirate ships in the process. The only way to break the curse is to find and destroy the Trident of Poseidon. Along the way, we learn the background of Will Turner's son, Henry Turner. He's looking for Sparrow and also trying to find the Trident in order to save his father who is trapped in Davy Jones Locker. Carina Smyth is a young astronomer who is also searching for the Trident. What ensues is a humorous, action packed adventure on the high seas.

The special effects and CGI are astoundingly lifelike. The most stunning visual effects in the film are the CGI animated ghost sharks, which are sent to hunt down Jack Sparrow. The movements of the ghost pirates and sharks are hyper-realistic. Out of all the Pirates of The Caribbean films, this one utilizes the most mythological elements. Johnny Depp again aces his performance as Captain Jack Sparrow. His interpretation of Jack Sparrow is one of the most entertaining and memorable characters in recent film history. The inimitable Geoffrey Rush is again terrific as Captain Barbossa and Javier Bardem, an acclaimed actor from art house and independent films, is riveting as the vicious Captain Salazar.

One flaw of the film is how Keira Knightley suddenly appears for one minute during the movie. It's the one false note because it seems gratuitous. However, it doesn't distract from the impact and excitement of the film. Compared to other movie sequels, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales flows surprisingly well and moves along at an exciting pace. The film is appropriate for 10 to18 year olds. I give Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales 5 out of 5 stars. It opens May 26, 2017 in theaters nationwide so be sure to check it out.

By Clayton Pickard, KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 17

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales is the fifth movie in the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise which impressed me due to its plot. The special effects are full of wonder and the fabulous direction adds charm.

The movie is about Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp), who is in pursuit by Captain Salazar (Javiar Bardem). He wants payback for when Jack left Captain Salazar to rot in the Devil's Triangle, where he became cursed. Jack's way out is to find the Trident of Poseidon. Meanwhile, Henry Turner (Brenton Thwaites) also wants the Trident to remove the curse on his father, Will Turner (Orlando Bloom). Henry follows Jack's crew to the Trident. The crew is filled out by Carina Smyth (Kaya Scodelario). On top of that, Captain Barbossa (Geoffrey Rush) is forced by Salazar to track Jack.

Johnny Depp is impressive in his charisma as Jack Sparrow, a funny yet intelligent pirate and he is always my favorite. Javiar Bardem as Captain Salazar excellently presents his pain from his cursed life. Brenton Thwaites as Henry Turner represents determination in his quest to save his father. Orlando Bloom as Will Turner appears as a protective father. Kaya Scodelario as Carina Smyth is feisty in the struggles faced by women who believed in science. Geoffrey Rush as Captain Barbossa nicely displays his efforts to rescue his crew from Captain Salazar's cursed army.

The directors (Joachim Ronnining, Espen Sandberg) stage the movie in exceptionally scenic locales. The close up shots impressed me, especially the detail of the cursed sharks around the island. My favorite scene is when Jack is trialed to execution. Inventive ways of dark comedy make the scene quite funny. My only problem with the film is that the story only begins to unfold after the first hour. Until then, it is mostly exposition to preface the plot. However, the characters keep the movie entertaining.

The movie's message is that "where there is determination, there is a way." Despite being told not to search for the Trident by his father, Henry pursues this adventurous expedition in spite of lots of complications. He also teams up with Carina and Jack Sparrow and the crew's teamwork pays off. I give this movie 4 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 10 to 18 because of its intense action. The movie releases in theaters on May 26th, so check it out if you want a Caribbean treat.

By Arjun Nair, KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 15

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Captain Jack Sparrow finds the winds of ill-fortune blowing even more strongly when deadly ghost pirates led by his old nemesis, the terrifying Captain Salazar, escape from the Devil's Triangle, determined to kill every pirate at sea...including him. Captain Jack's only hope of survival lies in seeking out the legendary Trident of Poseidon, a powerful artifact that bestows upon its possessor total control over the seas.