It is a film that falls short in every way. Released six years after the fourth installment, it attempts to resurrect the original essence of the saga and recapture the charisma that made the initial trilogy memorable. However, it loses in the attempt. This chapter not only disappoints, but seems a desperate effort to stay afloat, using winks and references to the past that more than nostalgia generate repetition.
Jack Sparrow, who in his first adventures stood as a charming rogue with touches of genius, here becomes a parody of himself. His character's eccentricity and madness, once subtle and entertaining, are now exaggerated and ridiculous. Jack's rebellious essence is diluted in a constant attempt to remind the audience "Hey, this is Jack Sparrow!", instead of allowing him to be the unpredictable and cunning character he was before.
The villain Salazar, played by Javier Bardem, promised to be an imposing and creepy antagonist, but ends up being a shadow of what he could have been. His origin and motivation are, in theory, interesting, but are executed without force or depth. His ghostly appearance looks good on screen, but the character lacks the genuine menace that, for example, embodied Captain Barbossa in the first film or Davy Jones in the second and third.
Another factor that weakens this installment is its reliance on CGI. Although the saga has always used visual effects, here the abuse of CGI detracts from its realism and, instead of surprising, it becomes saturated. The action scenes, rather than exciting, look like confusing choreographies with digital pirates and soldiers floating from one side to the other, without the weight or tension of the first naval battles of the saga.
And, of course, there's the humor, which tries to maintain the fun and adventurous tone of the saga, but fails to fall into jokes that seem recycled or forced. Where before the humor was a mix of wit and well-placed situations, here it feels like a cartoon without spark.
All in all, "Pirates of the Caribbean: Salazar's Revenge" attempts to revive the saga, but it becomes a sad attempt to revive the unlivable. It is a painful reminder of what was once a glorious and fun series, now reduced to a mere soulless repetition of itself.
