Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales (Walt Disney Pictures, PG-13)
Off-kilter can be charming, but the main problem with this film is that its central draw is not the likable pirate that he once was.
Off-kilter can be charming, but the main problem with this film is that its central draw is not the likable pirate that he once was.
There’s a high degree of forced and borderline silly conflict here, which doesn’t sit well given the dramatic reality of the story.
Megan falls into hanging out with the 16-year-old Annika and her friends, if only because Megan seems to fit in better with them than she does with adults.
The result is less of a complete film and more of simply an impressive directorial achievement.

The end-of-the-world scenario is far from fully realized, everything is either predictable or entirely unbelievable (or both), and, on the whole, the film tries too hard to be cutesy and likeable and twee.
I tend to prefer David Cronenberg when he’s heavier on action and lighter on psychological fare.
Can we just agree now that there should be a moratorium on intercutting scenes of childbirth with those of wartime amputations?
Every word that is spoken is meaningful and carries with it importance and weight.
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