Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (2011)

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Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides

Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) crosses paths with a woman from his past (Penelope Cruz), and he’s not sure if it’s love — or if she’s a ruthless con artist who’s using him to find the fabled Fountain of Youth. When she forces him aboard the Queen Anne’s Revenge, the ship of the formidable pirate Blackbeard (McShane), Jack finds himself on an unexpected adventure in which he doesn’t know who to fear more: Blackbeard or the woman from his past.

Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides is an American fantasy swashbuckler film and the fourth installment in the Pirates of the Caribbean film series. Gore Verbinski, who had directed the three previous films, was replaced by Rob Marshall, while Jerry Bruckheimer again served as producer.

In the film, which draws inspiration from the novel On Stranger Tides by Tim Powers, Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) is joined by Angelica (Penélope Cruz) in his search for the Fountain of Youth, confronting the infamous pirate Blackbeard (Ian McShane). The film was produced by Walt Disney Pictures and released in the United States on May 20, 2011. It was the first film in the series to be released in the Disney Digital 3-D and IMAX 3D formats.

Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides - Johnny Depp

About the Story

After a failed attempt to rescue his first mate, Joshamee Gibbs (Kevin McNally), in London, Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) is brought before King George II (Richard Griffiths), who wants Jack to guide an expedition to the Fountain of Youth before his Spanish rivals can locate it. Heading the expedition is Jack’s old nemesis, Captain Hector Barbossa (Geoffrey Rush), now a privateer in service to the Royal Navy after losing his leg and ship, the Black Pearl.

Jack escapes, but his father, Captain Teague (Keith Richards), finds him and warns Jack about the Fountain’s rituals. He also discloses that someone is impersonating Jack. The impostor is Angelica (Penélope Cruz), Jack’s former lover and the daughter of the ruthless pirate Blackbeard (Ian McShane), who practices voodoo magic and wields a magical sword that controls his ship, the Queen Anne’s Revenge.

Jack is taken aboard the Queen Anne’s Revenge, and forced to lead the way to the Fountain and find two silver chalices that once belonged to Juan Ponce de León, both believed to be aboard his missing flagship. The Fountain’s water must be consumed simultaneously from the two special chalices.

Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides - Penelope Cruz

Any individual drinking from the chalice containing a mermaid’s tear has their life extended, while the other dies, their life drained from their body and remaining years ‘donated’ to the other. Meanwhile, Gibbs narrowly escapes execution by memorizing and destroying Jack’s personal map, forcing Barbossa to spare him so he could navigate to the Fountain.

Blackbeard seeks the Fountain’s power to circumvent his predestined fatal encounter with “a one-legged man,” (Barbossa) and charts a course for Whitecap Bay – where he hopes to harvest tears from a mermaid. A small boat of mutineers are set adrift as bait; led by Tamara (Gemma Ward) the mermaids obligingly seduce and massacre them. In the ensuing battle Blackbeard captures one (Àstrid Bergès-Frisbey). Philip Swift (Sam Claflin), a captive missionary, falls in love with the mermaid and names her Syrena. Reaching the uninhabited island where de León’s last voyage ran aground, Angelica and Blackbeard coerce Jack into retrieving both Fountain chalices. By the time he finds the explorer’s decaying vessel, however, Barbossa and a Spanish expedition have reached it first.

Barbossa declares he is only interested in seeking revenge against Blackbeard for attacking the Black Pearl, which forced him to amputate his own leg to escape. He and Jack join forces to defeat Blackbeard, then head to the nearby Spanish camp to steal the chalices. Meanwhile, Syrena, reciprocating Philip’s love, is tricked into shedding a tear which Blackbeard collects, leaving her to die. Philip is forced to continue as a hostage. Jack returns with the chalices and Gibbs, with whom he had reunited while assisting Barbossa. Jack and Blackbeard bargain for Jack’s confiscated magical compass and Gibbs’ release. In return, Jack vows to give Blackbeard the chalices and lead him to the Fountain; Blackbeard agrees and Gibbs departs with the compass.

Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides Movie Poster

Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides

Directed by: Rob Marshall
Starring: Johnny Depp, Geoffrey Rush, Penelope Cruz, Ian McShane, Richard Griffiths, Astrid Bergès-Frisbey, Keith Richards, Kevin McNally, Greg Ellis
Screenplay by: Ted Elliott, Terry Rossio
Production Design by: John Myhre
Cinematography by: Dariusz Wolski
Film Editing by: David Brenner, Wyatt Smith
Costume Design by: Penny Rose
Set Decoration by: Gordon Sim
Art Direction by: Zack Grobler, Tomas Voth
Music by: Hans Zimmer
MPAA Rating: PG-13 for sexual content/nudity, language and some violence,
Studio: Walt Disney Pictures
Release Date: May 20. 2011

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