Comments | potc_discussion: 100-word reviews

veronica_rich in potc_discussion

100-word reviews

May 19, 2011 13:17

On corrielle's final suggestion, use this post to give your initial, 100-words-or-less gut reactions to "On Stranger Tides." It's early in the day here, but I'm sure elsewhere, people have seen the movie, and several more are likely going at midnight. NEEDLESS TO SAY, THESE COMMENTS MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS ( Read more... )

Comments 50

compassrose7577 May 19 2011, 18:13:39 UTC

It’s the Jack of CotBP, older and wiser, but still single-minded for his ship.
Angelica is a dazzling addition! Encore! Encore! She’s a perfect match for Jack in more ways than 100 words will allow. Blackbeard gave me the creeps without uttering a word; McShane has eyes that will go right through you. The zombies seemed superfluous, as did the fire-breathing ship. Conspicuous in their absence: the Black Pearl and Jack’s hat. Be sure to wait for the Easter egg at the end, always that little cherry atop the whipped cream.

In summation, three years of waiting, and it was worth it. (Ooops! 102 words)

captaintish May 19 2011, 20:31:19 UTC

JACK DOESN'T HAVE A HAT IN THIS MOVIE????? I AM APPALLED. :D

pktaxwench May 19 2011, 20:51:59 UTC

Ditto! I just got my costume together for the promos I'm doing, and I am finally actually planning on wearing my hat. What do you mean Jack's not got it? AAARRRGGHHH!

-the cranky cosplayer

sunshine304 May 19 2011, 20:53:52 UTC

He does have his hat in the beginning, but it gets lost... uhm, somewhere in that second chase in London.

Thread 15

sunshine304 May 19 2011, 20:55:37 UTC

Awesome! Loved it! The mermaids are vicious and Angelica is, too. *g* Jack is as he should be. Barbossa, how I love thee!
Wheeeee!

compassrose7577 May 19 2011, 22:22:04 UTC

I'll be playing "Where's the Hat?" as I'm watching tonight. Further reports tomorrow.

I am verbose. This. Was. Hard. corrielle May 19 2011, 21:04:57 UTC

Ian McShane's Blackbeard was chillingly, unapologetically evil. He deserves to go down as one of the definitive pirate bad guys.

Jack was completely himself. Witty, self-interested, unpredictable, and unexpectedly kind in the oddest of places.

Loved Jack and Barbossa's crackling mix of rivalry and camaraderie.

Mermaids were terrifying and beautiful, and Phillip and Syrena's story was an understated counterpoint to Jack and Angelica's.

Jack and Angelica's relationship made me smile. Many places the movie could've misstepped, but ultimately, it worked for me.

Despite all the good, Theo and Andrew were both killed, and THAT I'm finding it hard to forgive.

Re: I am verbose. This. Was. Hard. compassrose7577 May 19 2011, 22:25:38 UTC

Ditto on Blackbeard. As soon as McShane was cast, you had to know that was going to be the case. It was the same for me when they cast Penelope. There were no doubts.

The contrast between the young/innocent and the mature/not-so-innocent loves was a good contrast.

Re: I am verbose. This. Was. Hard. sunshine304 May 20 2011, 16:37:47 UTC

Last point - yes, I was so shocked about that! How could they, really?!

I'm telling myself that they wanted to kill someone off who wasn't evil, but still... It would've been easier for me if I had known it in advance. *sigh*

Re: I am verbose. This. Was. Hard. corrielle May 20 2011, 17:53:17 UTC

Yeah... as much as I enjoyed the rest, that part really killed a little bit of my soul. From a writing standpoint, I see why they did it. (Needing to kill off someone who wasn't evil, establishing that the Spanish meant business and weren't above shooting a man who looked like he might get in their way...) From a fan's standpoint, I'm a little heartbroken still. It would have been SO EASY to have other minor characters do those things. Characters who hadn't been in previous movies, who didn't already have a small but unfailing loyal contingent of fans who love them to pieces.

I wish I could have known who to tell in advance. Me? I'm glad I didn't know. I just would have waited for it the whole time and not enjoyed myself at all. But I know not everyone works that way.

Thread 10

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missish May 20 2011, 07:11:36 UTC

Not so much as a hint of apple that I remember.

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arisha May 20 2011, 11:25:01 UTC

Was that apple? I thought it was melon.

Thread 6

missish May 20 2011, 07:11:16 UTC

To sum it up: Disappointed.
Too many plot points, not enough development. I'd have preferred a film about either the Fountain of Youth orBlackbeard. Blackbeard would have been a great villain, but he lacked enough characterisation. So did the missionary. The mermaid/missionary storyline was pointless. Angelica was annoying and only there as an awkward 'love interest' - she brought nothing to the table.
The only redeeming feature was the Jack + Barbossa scenes in which they actually worked together.
Besides that, waste of time.

arisha May 20 2011, 11:26:43 UTC

I'm curious if you've read the book On Stranger Tides. It includes both Blackbeard and the Fountain. I thought some aspects of their development were done better in the book than in the movie.

Unfortunately I think I agree with you about Phillip and Syrena. And I really wanted to like them.

missish May 23 2011, 09:25:22 UTC

I didn't even realise On Stranger Tides was a book at all. And even if there were both in the book, doesn't mean they needed to both be in the film. I liked Blackbeard as a villain - I wanted more about him and his ship, and the whole Fountain of Youth nonsense took away from it.

arisha May 23 2011, 10:13:37 UTC

It's a pretty neat book, written by Tim Powers. Sorry if it sounded like I was saying that the movie had to include things just because the book did, because I definitely didn't mean that! I just wanted to say that the book managed to include both of those elements and, in my opinion, did a better job of it.