Today’s Prayer Focus
Copyright, Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
MOVIE REVIEW

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales

also known as “Pirates of the Caribbean 5,” “P.O.T.C. 5,” “Pirates of the Caribbean: Salazar's Revenge,” “A Karib-tenger kalózai: Salazar bosszúja,” See more »
MPA Rating: PG-13-Rating (MPA) for sequences of adventure violence, and some suggestive content.

Check back later for review coming from
CONTRIBUTOR

Alexander Malsan by May 27

Moral Rating: Very Offensive
Moviemaking Quality:
Primary Audience: Teens Adults
Genre: Action Adventure Comedy Fantasy 3D IMAX 3D Sequel
Length: 2 hr. 9 min.
Year of Release: 2017
USA Release: May 26, 2017 (wide—4,276 theaters)
DVD: October 3, 2017
Copyright, Walt Disney Studios Motion Picturesclick photos to ENLARGE Copyright, Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Copyright, Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
Relevant Issues
Copyright, Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

glorification of pirating / making pirates seem fun, and perhaps even cute

Jack Sparrow claims in the first film that one can be both “a pirate and a good man.”

Real pirates were thieves, rapists and murderers.

Alcohol abuse and drunkenness are sinful.

Revenge

evil

How do I know what is right from wrong? Answer

How can I decide whether a particular activity is wrong? Answer


FILM VIOLENCE—How does viewing violence in movies affect families? Answer

Copyright, Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

Ghosts/Spirits and demons

Fantasy magic and witches

Witches and witchcraft and the Bible

Copyright, Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

Ships of the Bible

Self-sacrifice and bravery

Importance of families

Copyright, Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

Astronomy and the Bible

Astronomy FAQs

Can astronomy lead a person to God? Answer

Copyright, Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Copyright, Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
Featuring Johnny DeppCaptain Jack Sparrow
Orlando BloomCaptain William “Will” Turner, Jr.
Javier BardemCaptain Armando Salazar
Geoffrey RushCaptain Hector Barbossa
Keira KnightleyElizabeth Swann, Will Turner’s wife
Kaya Scodelario … Carina Smyth, astronomer
Stephen Graham … Scrum, a British Royal Navy officer
David Wenham … Scarfield
Brenton Thwaites … Henry Turner, son of Will Turner and Elizabeth Swann
Golshifteh Farahani … Shansa, a sea-witch
Goran D. Kleut … Pirate Broom
Ben O'Toole … British Executioner
Kevin McNally … Gibbs
Jessica Green … Towns Woman
Paul McCartney … Uncle Jack—uncle of Captain Jack Sparrow
See all »
Director Joachim Rønning — “Bandidas” (2006), “Kon-Tiki” (2012)
Espen Sandberg — “Bandidas” (2006), “Kon-Tiki” (2012)
Producer Jerry Bruckheimer
Walt Disney Pictures
See all »
Distributor Walt Disney PicturesWalt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

After many years of sailing the high seas in piracy, Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) has all but removed himself from the piracy industry. In fact, currently he lives on the land, or rather his junk ship, along with his beloved crew. His crew admits to Jack that his time is over and this his “luck has run out.” Eventually, even Jack admits to himself that he’s not the same pirate in days past.

Meanwhile, while Jack is trading his broken compass (an action he is not permitted to do), the infamous Captain Antonio Salazar has been broken out of the Devil’s Triangle. Salazar has only one thing on his mind… revenge against Jack Sparrow. Indeed, Salazar makes it his mission to kill every pirate he can until he can locate Jack (to tell you why would spoil the movie). On top of that Salazar has enlisted the aid of the now wealthy Captain Barbosa to search for Jack. And on top of THAT, the British Redcoats are after Jack too. Poor Jack.

Jack enlists the aid of Henry, the son of Will Turner, and an astrologist (deemed a witch by the public because of her knowledge of astrology) named Carina Smyth. The only way they will be able to save Jack, help Henry free his father, Will, from his curse, and help Carina discover who she is and what happened to her father, is to find the powerful Trident of Poseidon. Easy, right?

It’s been six years since the first “Pirates of the Caribbean” film, “The Curse of the Black Pearl, was launched. Indeed, it wouldn’t be the last time that Disney would try to design a film based off famous Disney World (and Disney Land) attractions (The Country Bears Jamboree, The Haunted Mansion, The Twilight Tower of Terror, etc.). While some of these movie “spin-offs” would become successful (such as “…Black Pearl”), others would, arguably, not (ex. The Haunted Mansion film). However, in the release of “…Black Pearl” I don’t believe many people saw this film becoming part of a franchise. I certainly didn’t. This brings me to my next point.

Just because something is successful, it does not mean building onto makes it more successful. Such is the case with the Pirates of the Caribbean films. Little by little, each of the films would lose their luster. Some became slightly redundant, some became almost completely confusing, and many of them grew darker than “…Black Pearl” ever was, with themes of occultism and witchcraft making the film series that much more questionable for family and Christian viewing. Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales is no exception. Time did not help this film franchise (some franchises DO blossom even with years between films, such as the Terminator films or the Toy Story films, but this is often rare); if anything time weakened it, with seven years in between the last film, “On Stranger Tides” and this latest installment.

Additionally, as other reviewers have pointed out, “…No Tales” tends to rehash the same material from the previous films, in both humor and plot points. As I watched Johnny Depp’s performance as Jack, I have to wonder whether he really was having fun on screen or rather he himself had given up on the series, tired of only being remembered as “the guy who plays Jack Sparrow.” This was apparent in his characters demeanor, as he appeared more serious and certainly less humorous than the past films. I will state, however, that the performances of Geoffrey Rush, Javier Bardem and Kaya Scodelario, were actually stronger than that of Johnny Depp’s

Dark tone

I said this earlier in my review, and I’ll say it again, each “Pirates of the Caribbean” film, even starting with the first film, carries with it a dark, hopeless feel to. More often than not, actions, characters are no better off than they were in the beginning. Much like the Harry Potter films, each film in the “Pirates…” franchise became darker and darker, starting with Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End. Arguably, “…Tell No Tales” is one of the darkest in the franchise since “…Dead Man’s Chest”. Most of this is in scenes involving Captain Salazar, as he graphically skewers people with his sword and at one point even possesses a living soul to try and kill someone. The franchise itself has also had: characters consult mediums, thematic material regarding occultism and possession.

Also, “…Tell No Tales” is, arguably, one of the series most seriously toned films (it saddens me to see the film take itself too seriously). In short, the dark tone of this film (as you will see below) is enough for most Christian parents to prevent their child from being exposed to it.

Content of Concern

Violence: Very Heavy, as I mentioned, Captain Salazar is shown skewering people in the chest with his sword multiple, and sometimes graphic, times in the film. Several scenes involve blood. There are also scenes involving ship explosions, fist and sword fights, decapitations, a person’s neck snapping, people burning to death (we hear the victims’ screams) and torture. There is an extended, somewhat humorous, scene where a bank is lifted off its foundation, by horse drawn carriage, and is dragged across St. Martin, destroying property along the way. There is also an extended scene where zombie sharks are sent after Jack and Henry on the ocean. Ships are also ripped apart by cannon fire.

Language: “h*ll” (1), “a**-hole” (1), “bugger” (1), “p*ss-off” (1), God’s name is taken in vain once, and there is a discussion on being hung and the guillotine.

Sexual Content: Female cleavage is seen, sometimes a lot. Several couples are seen kissing. Extramarital sex is implied. Carina Smyth strips to swim ashore. In this scene, Henry Turner says: “Carina, stop that.” Jack Sparrow: “No, no, no, no, don’t stop that!” Henry: “This has gone far enough!” Jack: “No, it has not!” As she swims away in her undergarments, Henry says excitedly, “I saw her ankles.” Jack retorts, “You would've seen a lot more if you kept your cakehole shut.” In another scence, Henry says to Carina, “From this moment on we are to be allies!” Carina replies, “Considering where your left hand is, I’d say we’re more than that!”

Themes and Morals

Each of the main characters in the film are desperately seeking something: Jack seeks for freedom from his fate, Henry seeks to release his father from his curse, Carina seeks for freedom from her uncertainty. While some of these treasures are of good intention, others, however, are not.

The Bible encourages us, always, to seek after Him in whatever we say and whatever we do. Our calling is not to “store up treasures on Earth, where moths and rust corrupt it and thieves come to steal it (Matthew 6:19), but to “store up treasures in Heaven…” (Matthew 6:20). When we seek the Lord in everything that we do, when we completely give our lives to Him, making him the center and following his command, whatever we produce will bring glory and honor to Him.

“I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.” -John 15:5 (KJV)

“Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD And whose trust is the LORD. For he will be like a tree planted by the water, That extends its roots by a stream And will not fear when the heat comes; But its leaves will be green, And it will not be anxious in a year of drought Nor cease to yield fruit.” -Jeremiah 17:7-8 (KJV)

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.” –Galatians 5:22-23 (KJV)

Earlier this morning, I had a family tell me he was about to see “…Tell No Tales” tomorrow and asked me about what I thought about the film. Needless to say, I stumbled in my response. After a six-year absence from the limelight, I figured that “…Tell No Tales” would be a wonderful revitalization of the franchise—a film that would challenge its genre and it’s preceding films’ content in ways that had not been done before. Instead, what I got was more of the same “shtick” more of the same types of plot. A repeat of what has happened before. Also, while some of the performances and graphics in the film are truly amazing, there is still the matter of the heavy amounts of violence and some profanity and sexual content to contend with.

In closing, I do not recommend “…Tell No Tales” for Christian family viewing. Please leave the children at home, as the violence will likely make many under 13 VERY uncomfortable. Perhaps some things are best left in the past.

Violence: Very heavy / Profanity: Minor / Sex/Nudity: Heavy

See list of Relevant Issues—questions-and-answers.


Viewer CommentsSend your comments
Positive
Positive—I enjoyed the movie very much. It was funny and exciting. There were quite a few scary images (not for children), but very little objectionable content (cleavage, alluding to adultery, weak and baseless glorification of pirating).

It was better than the last two installments! I laughed out loud more times than I can count. It was also refreshing to see some live action movie stunts, instead of constant CGI found in other movies. Best of all was the family theme running throughout the movie.
My Ratings: Moral rating: Better than Average / Moviemaking quality: 5
Trina W, age 49 (USA)
Positive—Just came home from sailing the seas with Captain Jack Sparrow. Yes, it was exciting and in 3D, and we all enjoyed it. I will say it was more violent then I remember, and there was adult humor, mostly sexual in nature, throughout, but very corny. The story was interesting, and there were a few touching moments regarding self sacrifice for the good of others.

But it was very graphic, and I would not recommend it for children under 11. It did not contain any Biblical message or any message blatantly against Christians, like the previous one. (If you remember, the evangelist converted to the dark side by becoming a merman. I really disliked that movie.

The special effects were excellent I personally loved those sharks! We all laughed a lot; Johnny Depp is hilarious. Although it did drag a little bit and could have used some editing in the sea battles. Regarding the women striping down to her underwear, it was Victorian underwear, and she was pretty much fully covered. Her attire was Victorian, also, so in that era women’s cleavage is shown. So if you are someone who struggles with lust, I would not see this film.

If you struggle with alcoholism, you might refrain, also, since it does show Captain Jack drunk, as usual. So, maybe as I write this, it is more offensive than I first thought, but I did enjoy it. After what happened in England, I needed a good laugh.
My Ratings: Moral rating: Average / Moviemaking quality: 5
Sharon, age 57 (USA)
Positive—After the miscalculation that was “On Stranger Tides,” I was, honestly, a little apprehensive about this one. Although, in my opinion, you can’t get much worse than “On Stranger Tides.” Thankfully, also, in my opinion, this movie puts the “Pirates of the Caribbean” franchise back on track. I found it to be an action packed, and VERY funny, addition to the film series. Now to discuss the positives I found in this movie, as well as the very few negatives.

Johnny Depp was born to play Jack Sparrow. And, just like the previous installments, he is hilarious! The actress who plays Carina Smyth, I can’t remember her name, is so good and absolutely BEAUTIFUL! Geoffrey Rush is, of course, terrific as Captain Barbossa. And last, but certainly not least, is Javier Bardem. He is, in my mind, the best villain in the entire series. See all »
My Ratings: Moral rating: Better than Average / Moviemaking quality: 5
Jared, age 37 (USA)
Positive—I’ve been a mild fan of POTC, and of course it’s great lead, Captain Jack Sparrow. Perhaps an ardent fan may see serious flaws, but for the general filmgoer, Dead Men Tell No Tales is more than mildly entertaining. Some very unique action sequences involving bank buildings. Swirling guillotines, sharks of the undead, and a final smashing finale that gives new meaning to “anchors aweigh.”

Not recommended for very young children, and those who will be offended by cleavage and Sparrow and company’s -ribald (is that still used?) humor. But the series is, after all, about pirates, silly and mostly likable ones. If it was a straight, serious film, the sword-skewerings would be a bit much; but since it’s POTC, one assumes that everyone will return as the undead, and then the again-alive in future adventures. And of course, every teen ager and above knows that after the skewerings, everyone gets up, anyway.See all »
My Ratings: Moral rating: Average / Moviemaking quality: 4
Alex Mason, age 28 (USA)
Neutral
Neutral—I watched this film in theaters in the Summer of 2017. I was not expecting Oscar Bait or anything short of a pointless plot and sequences of over-the-top action. Therefore, I was not entirely disappointed with what I saw in the film. This feature film tries desperately to conclude the series which began with the amazing “Curse of the Black Pearl” and dragged on like a broken leg in the awful two sequels. “On Stranger Tides” started out with some promise and had great theological insights from several side-characters, but was sunk by all the sexual connotations and an awful and uninspired villain.

“Dead Men Tell No Tales,” while not as pointless in plot as the first two sequels does leave the viewer wondering what hero he should root for. Johnny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow was once a figurehead of this series but is now a clown who contributes to this story as much as a bandage contributes to internal bleeding. His character is drunk throughout, and when not drunk is asleep, or half-asleep. There is a moment in which he asks a crowd, “Can someone please explain to me what I’m doing here.” That sums up his contribution to this action-fest.

The villain, a ghostly captain who wants revenge on Captain Jack Sparrow (who would have guessed what kind of villain we’d get in a movie in this series?) is in fact the highlight of the film with his painful disposition, but villainous enjoyment of brutality.

But, regrettably, there is an abundance of sexual dialog and “humor” as well as an inference to adultery (a violation to the 9th Commandment) which Captain Jack takes part in. This greatly concerns me about my younger siblings who love the character Jack, and what they will think in watching this character’s action in the film. However, (NO SPOILERS) the film takes a turn which destroys the plot lines developed in the third “Pirates” movie, thus making everything established beforehand a moot point. The post credits” scene also elaborates on that.

In addition to all listed above, this story feels bland and forgettable. I never thought I would live to see the day in which Captain Jack Sparrow would be the worst part of a “Pirates of the Caribbean” movie.
My Ratings: Moral rating: Very Offensive / Moviemaking quality: 2½
Patrick, age 21 (USA)
Negative
Negative—Bad morality throughout; portrays evil men as good and good men as evil; no Christian should see this film. I viewed it only so I could rate it. Afterwards, I went to the manager and got a refund.
My Ratings: Moral rating: Extremely Offensive / Moviemaking quality: ½
Jerome, age 64 (USA)
Comments from young people
Positive—I just got back from watching this movie, and WOW. It was such a fun experience. Great action, great actors, and great comedy. The sets and visual effects were phenomenal. Johnny Depp did an amazing job as always at playing Jack Sparrow. I believe this chapter was better than the previous one—which I enjoyed very much, but not to the extent of this one.

***SPOILER*** I loved how they brought back Will Turner and had him meet with his wife, Elizabeth at the end. That was probably my favorite part. ***END SPOIlER***

I’d say the only things in this movie that should be taken with caution would be the brutal violence, a shot of a basket beneath a guillotine with two severed heads with flies consuming them, and the cruel carelessness for the lives of others. Aside from those few things, I would highly recommend this movie to everyone ten and up—anyone under ten would probably be a little disturbed by the film’s undead-themed content.
My Ratings: Moral rating: Good / Moviemaking quality: 4½
Phoenix, age 16 (Philippines)
Positive—My Aunt took my brother and I to see this movie, and we thought it was excellent, and the acting was awesome. But, there was a scene where a young adult woman was wearing a dress back in the 1700s which showed cleavage that should’ve been covered up more on the neck line. There was no using of f-words and no nudity, but parents with small children 2-6 shouldn’t be seeing it
My Ratings: Moral rating: Excellent! / Moviemaking quality: 5
Charlene (USA)
Positive—This is one of the best movies ever made. Along with the other four movies, the music of this one is THE greatest. The action is terrific, although I didn’t like the scene where a guy gets his toe nail ripped out! The violence is cool, the special effects are tremendously exhilarating, and the acting is good. I love how the story is so dark and mysterious. The lead actress is stunningly beautiful! Some people may not really like the few mild suggestive jokes and comments. I didn’t hear any cursing, but I don't doubt that there is. If you want to go to a wonderful high-seas dreamland like I do, this is (along with the other POTC movies) your movie. Unlike many people, I recommend this movie like I do few others.
My Ratings: Moral rating: Offensive / Moviemaking quality: 5
Valentino, age 14 (Italy)
Movie Critics
…An occasionally overstuffed tale that drags as it heads for port… a Nantucket sleigh ride-style finale to a rollicking bank job and a village square execution-turned-donnybrook that features a tumbling guillotine. …[3/4]
Linda Barnard, The Toronto Star
…Johnny Depp’s shtick keeps the franchise afloat… some spiky, double-entendre-laced back-and-forths… [3/5]
Robbie Collin, The Telegraph [UK]
…dragged down by the anchor of a prescribed franchise blueprint …Mix one swaggering, slurring, Johnny Depp (heavy on the eyeliner) with one headstrong young lass in a cleavage-baring corset and one noble, handsome upstart. Fold in a waterlogged supernatural villain, then haphazardly sprinkle a daring heist, an execution escape and several nautical battles. Finish with a supremely outlandish denouement. …
Katie Walsh, Tribune News Service
…retells an all-too-familiar story… CGI extravaganza …lacks the spark that made the original 2003 flick so beloved… [2/5]
Jack Shepherd, Independent [UK]
…Depp should walk the plank for disastrous new ‘Pirates’… Equally wearisome is the spectacle of a once-entertaining franchise staggering around, devoid of purpose. …[1/4]
Sara Stewart, New York Post
…It’s difficult to imagine this film inspiring happiness in anybody—not the executives who conceived the idea, not the artists and craftspeople who brought it to life, and certainly not the audiences resigned to endure it. …[1/4]
Calum Marsh, National Post [Canada]
…Geoff Zanelli’s score is like pugil sticks for the ear: Bash, bam, you will submit. It’s a strange thing for a movie to get more quiet when cannons fire. … [2½/4]
Mark Feeney, The Boston Globe
…stop this ride, I want to get off. … [2/4]
Stephen Whitty, The Star-Ledger

PLEASE share your observations and insights to be posted here.