6.5 | / 10 |
Users | 4.5 | |
Reviewer | 4.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
Captain Jack Sparrow searches for the trident of Poseidon.
Starring: Johnny Depp, Javier Bardem, Geoffrey Rush, Brenton Thwaites, Kaya ScodelarioAdventure | 100% |
Action | 85% |
Fantasy | 73% |
Comedy | 9% |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.40:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
French (Canada): Dolby Digital 5.1
Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1 (640 kbps)
English SDH, French, Spanish
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Two-disc set (1 BD, 1 DVD)
Digital copy
DVD copy
Slipcover in original pressing
Region free
Movie | 2.5 | |
Video | 5.0 | |
Audio | 5.0 | |
Extras | 2.5 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
Pirates of the Caribbean has been a major moneymaker for Disney, even with some steadily declining domestic box office returns. Take worldwide gross into account and the first film, The Curse of the Black Pearl, remains the low-water mark while this fifth film, Dead Men Tell No Tales, holds down fourth place. Return on investment hasn't been much of an issue, but steadily declining critical reviews are, and that proved particularly troubling during Summer 2017 that saw a steady decline in box office revenue as well as a steady stream of panned blockbusters, including this Pirates film. But there's no denying that the films have lost appeal and gained bloat (even as this is the trimmest of the franchise in terms of gross runtime) while failing to innovate, prancing around the same core qualities that shaped the first film and that has been shaping and defining the franchise ever since. Gone is the freshness, here is the staleness, a franchise that has become dependable only in its ability to recreate itself not in terms of innovation but rather recreate itself in terms of throwing the same elements onto the screen time and again.
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales was digitally photographed and the Blu-ray transfer is impeccably clean and precise. The image presents with gorgeous texturing, robust colors, perfect blacks, and little-to-no source or encode anomalies. Textures of great visual significance are readily apparent throughout. Battered and weathered woods on ship's decks, torn and tattered banners and sails, dense seafaring costume materials, Barbosa's deeply carved facial features, and bunched and individual hair are just some of the mainstay highlights. The Blu-ray delivers so much robust texturing and intimate clarity it's almost like being there on the set; no element, near or far, is left wanting for anything else the format can muster for it. Colors are just as impressive, bold and flawlessly saturated, alive and revealing no shortage of punch and vitality. The palette's diverse shades -- from the brightest reds to the dullest grays -- never want for increased precision, nuance, or vibrance. Foggy seas, densely dark nights, and other less visually complex but no less technically demanding scenes never stumble. Blacks are perfectly deep and true. Flesh tones appear spot-on. Blu-ray doesn't get any better.
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales sails onto Blu-ray with a power-packed and constantly engaged DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 lossless soundtrack (note that Disney continues in the ways of Sony by not offering the UHD's Atmos track on Blu-ray, though in this case, it's the UHD that's missing out on this track). Intensive surround activity engages right off the bat as a fire engulfs the rear channels. A thunderous low end jolt accompanies Henry's plunge to the ocean floor. The powerful aquatic depth puts pressure on every speaker, and moments later the Flying Dutchman surfaces from its watery grave with extreme potency and ribcage-rattling bass. Water splashes about and drips around with remarkable precision. Footfalls follow rearward. It would be easy, and fitting, to simply give a blow-by-blow of the track's dominance, as it seems to best itself with every new sequence, but suffice it to say that there's never a dull moment and, more important, a moment when the track doesn't engage with both power and precision alike. Be it cannon fire that thumps with prodigious weight and from all over the stage, all of the wonderfully clear and perfectly positioned creaks and moans that sonically define an old wooden ship-at-sea, the eerie natural (or unnatural, as the case may be) sounds as the ship enters the triangle near film's start, drenching rains, or airy dialogue reverberation, there's no shortage of fun and reference-worthy moments along the film's course. Expert dialogue reproduction makes this track complete.
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales contains several extras. A DVD copy of the film and a Disney digital copy voucher are
included with purchase.
This ship has sailed, as the saying goes. Dead Men Tell No Tales may offer serviceable entertainment, great visual effects, and the return of fan-favorite characters, but it also offers more of the same of everything else. There's no identity, a convoluted plot, forgettable new faces, and repetitive action. And with talk of a sixth film on the drawing board and with the resounding chorus of "hang it up!" echoing along ship's deck, the filmmakers had better find a way to reinvent the franchise, though no doubt the next film will be a moneymaker, too, regardless of critical voices, franchise fatigue, or stale plot elements. It's only a question of how much it'll make. ROI, baby. Today's movie are all about ROI. Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales does excel on Blu-ray. Video and audio are of reference quality. Supplements are fine. Fans can buy with absolute confidence, but those fatiguing on the franchise should wait for a good sale before dropping any money on it.
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