The first teaser trailer for the forthcoming Pirates of the Caribbean sequel, due for release next year, has hit the internet, featuring ghostly goings-on, ominous organs in the accompanying soundtrack, and the familiar child singing ‘A Pirate’s Life for Me’. The story follows Captain Jack Sparrow as he is yet again confronted with a vengeful, and apparently decomposing, high-seas enemy out to destroy him. Captain Jack must track down Poseidon’s trident, in order to take control of the seas, and in turn his own fate.
Based on this sneak peak, I have hopes that we may return to the franchise’s initial highs of The Curse of the Black Pearl, but only time will tell. Whilst we don’t receive any glimpses of the well-known and loved characters slated to make a reappearance, we are treated to a few new faces. Javier Bardem plays the villainous Captain Salazar, leading his band of ghostly sailors on a hunt for the infamous Jack Sparrow. He confronts a prisoner who bears a striking resemblance to an old cast favourite, and rumours have it that Brenton Thwaites will be the playing the child of Will Turner and Elizabeth Swan. Considering he could easily pass as a young Orlando Bloom, I’d be very surprised if this wasn’t the case!
Whilst the dark and gloomy surroundings, with jagged rocks and swirling mist sets up what promises to be a creepier and well developed film, the CGI seems a little overdone with our new lead nemesis. Although Davy Jones’ face in Dead Man’s Chest and The World’s End was a obviously CGI, basing it on actual creatures with tentacles gave it some realism. Bardem’s character has a very ghostly, decaying look that while different from what we’ve seen before doesn’t make you believe he’s really there. If anything, the overly computerised visual seems to distract from the performance itself, and in turn, he just doesn’t come across as particularly scary to me. Hopefully when he appears on the big screen he’ll be able to change my mind, and based on his performance in Skyfall, I’m sure if anyone can succeed, Bardem will.
Check out the teaser and let us know your thoughts in the comments. Here’s hoping the official trailer will give us a few more hints as to what the seafaring scoundrel have in store. Even if the dead men tell no tales, let’s hope the living will want to see them.
Verdict
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales hits cinemas in May 2017
