Pirates Of The Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales (2017/Disney 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray w/Blu-ray)

Picture: A/B+ Sound: A Extras: B Film: C+

Producer Jerry Bruckheimer and Disney's Pirates of the Caribbean franchise continues with star Johnny Depp as one of pop culture's most popular characters, Jack Sparrow. This is the fifth installment in the series and is a vast improvement over the other sequels in the franchise, with the first (2003's mega-hit The Curse of the Black Pearl) still being the best. Mr. Depp is joined by Javier Bardem (No Country for Old Men), Kiera Knightley, Orlando Bloom, a cameo by Sir. Paul McCartney and of course, Geoffrey Rush (Shine) along with a huge cast of fresh and familiar faces.

Director Gore Verbinski (The Ring, The Lone Ranger remake) stepped away from the franchise after his overblown and too complicated follow-ups Dead Man's Chest (2006) and At World's End (2007), both of which have some fun characters and ideas, but a plot that's way too complex for its own good. On Stranger Tides (2011), which was directed by Rob Marshall, wasn't all bad but not necessarily memorable either.

This installment, directed by Joachim Ronning and Espen Sandberg (Kon Tiki) is more of the same material, incorporating some of the more popular characters that have appeared in previous installments, a lot of goofy Jack Sparrow jokes involving his alcoholism and bad flirting skills, and more expensive and great looking digital effects and matte paintings.

Thrust into an all-new adventure, a down-on-his-luck Captain Jack Sparrow (Depp) once again comes in contact with deadly ghost pirates led by another old nemesis, the terrifying Captain Salazar (Bardem), who has escaped from the Devil's Triangle. Salazar's sinister plan is to get revenge of Sparrow for leading him into the Triangle in the first place as a youth and is now hellbent on wiping out every Pirate he can. Joined by Captain Barbosa (Rush) and his team of scummy yet charming Pirates, 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. Joined by the son of Will and Elizabeth Turner (Bloom and Knightley), the swashbuckling tentpole is sure to make you crave buttery popcorn and a soda.

Disney is new to the 4K UHD game and this disc is a great example of how good this new format can look. Presented in 2160p on 4K Ultra HD disc with HDR (high dynamic range 10-bit color) and a widescreen presentation of 2:40.1 and a great sounding Dolby Atmos 11.1 track (along with an English Dolby True HD 7.1 mixdown for older home theater systems), the demo disc worthy release is up to the format's high standards. Generated from the film's original 4K source, there's magnificent detail in the film's exotic locations. Also included is a 1080p Blu-ray copy with the same sound specs, yet is lacking when compared to the 4K UHD. A digital copy is also included.

The film's score is an incorporation of Hans Zimmer's recognizable themes, yet is composed by Geoff Zanelli and is overall pretty solid. I'm sure average viewers will probably not notice that the score has changed hands over the years, but one of things the franchise has been good with is consistency between films.

SPECIAL FEATURES...

Dead Men Tell More Tales: The Making of a New Adventure - Get unique access into the making of this exciting new "Pirates of the Caribbean" movie with this collection of revealing and entertaining stories that you can view individually or as a "play all."

A Return to the Sea - Two talented filmmakers, Joachim Ronning and Espen Sandberg, team up to bring "Pirates of the Caribbean" back to the screen. Hear how this new chapter of the tale was developed.

Telling Tales: A Sit-down with Brenton & Kaya - Meet Brenton Thwaites and Kaya Scodelario, the young actors behind Henry and Carina. The two sit down together for a revealing conversation on becoming a part of the "Pirates of the Caribbean" film franchise and its continuing legacy.

The Matador & The Bull: Secrets of Salazar & The Silent Mary - Oscar-winner Javier Bardem reveals more about his menacing new character and the foreboding ship he helms.

First Mate Confidential - Go on-set along with Kevin McNally, the affable actor behind the feisty Mr. Gibbs, Captain Jack's reliable first mate from all five movies.

Deconstructing the Ghost Sharks - Peer below the depths at how these ferocious, mythical monsters were designed and brought to life.

Wings Over the Caribbean - Captain Jack has a memorable encounter with Sir Paul McCartney - rock 'n' roll royalty.

An Enduring Legacy - Take one more look at the "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales" experience and the impact of "Pirates of the Caribbean" - the movies, the ride and beyond.

Bloopers of the Caribbean

Jerry Bruckheimer Photo Diary

Deleted Scenes

Highwayman

Henry Turner Learns a Lesson from Captain Jack

A Whale in Poseidon's Tomb

Alternate Coda: Murtogg & Mullroy "Flogging"

Dead Men Tell No Tales isn't the worst entry in the franchise, but a sign of the series perhaps slowing down a bit. Considering the cost of what it must produce to make a film of this magnitude and despite personal controversies, Disney still has a lot of stock in Johnny Depp. Whether this will be the last film in this series is unclear at the time of this review, but an inevitable reboot is bound to happen eventually.

- James Lockhart

https://www.facebook.com/jamesharlandlockhartv/