Yo ho, yo ho, a Pirates life for me. Who would’ve thought such a simple ride could’ve made such a lucrative series. is difficult as each of the five contains something to love.
From The of the ‘s horror-themed aesthetic to and At World’s End‘s epic story, each Pirates of the has something for everyone.
With the news that Margot Robbie will lead a female-led ( set in the same worldpossibly co-starring Karen Gillen), there’s no better time to reflect on the so far.
So, starting off in fifth place…
5. Pirates of the : Dead Men Tell
Also known as Dead Men Tell . The is often thought to be the weakest entry in the series actually does some really great things; re-introducing series veterans Keira Knightley and Orlando Bloom for one and giving an appropriate send-off. in some countries,
What it does not handle well, however, is what almost everyone is here to see: Depp‘s . Instead of pretending to be an idiot to outwit his rivals, this Jack is just a fool. It’s truly sad to see and might have something to do with the fact that Depp was reportedly taking his lines through an earpiece on set. The action and jokes also reflect this more ‘kid-friendly’ approach, as they rely on just impossible stunts (dragging a bank, really?) or gross-out humor, and that’s not what Pirates was ever about.
However, the . So so cool. really benefits from two incredible additions; Javier Bardem’s and that sweet as heck scene where we get to see a young
4. Pirates of the : On
The comes very, very close to the same level of blandness as the but benefits from a slightly more competent .
Penélope Cruz’s Angelica makes an excellent foil and the has excellent chemistry with Depp. Regrettably, real-life Blackbeard (Ian McShane) is just … not good as this ‘s villain and is outmatched by just about every other Pirates antagonist.
On the whole, this one is a little too long, but it boasts some stunning visuals and a cool plot revolving around the fountain of youth that could be straight out of an Indiana Jones .
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3. Pirates of the : At World’s End
It’s way too long and overcomplicated, but boy do I love this . The final battle between The and The is one of the most iconic moments in the entire Pirates of the and would’ve made a fitting finale to the .
As is, Tom Hollander’s makes a fine villain, and suitably different to the nasty Davy Jones and his . Not really sure what the whole Brethren Court and King schtick was doing though. Some foreshadowing would’ve been good on that one. Also, killing the Kraken off-screen? Worst. Move. Ever.
Still, the triumphant return of movies cements them as the . trilogy of the 2000s generation Barbossa to the main cast alone makes this one worthwhile. For my money, the continuous story of the first three Pirates
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2. Pirates of the :
is how you do a sequel. It raises the stakes, fills out the lore (hello Stellan Skarsgård as an amazingly realized Bootstrap Bill), and most of all it progresses the story without rehashing the first.
It’s a little more bloated than the first and already moves towards the absurd action of Dead Men Tell Depp skewered like a kebab while pretending to be the chief of an indigenous tribe will never not be funny. , though it’s done far better and really leans into the comedy. Seeing
And of course, the introduction of the greatest villain of the series – Bill Nighy’s Davy Jones – certainly doesn’t hurt either. Jones is all at once sympathetic, scary, and cool; something that very few for best special effects. villains manage to achieve. There’s a reason this is the only one of the series to win the
Hans Zimmer’s score is also – off. The. Chain – in this one. Bravo.
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1. Pirates of the The of the :
Yes, this does mean they just get progressively worse, but how could of the not be number one? This changed everything and made pirates cool again, something studios around the world had been trying to figure out for years.
Everything about it is perfect and to me, it’s the quintessential period adventure too, drawing in an older audience in the process. , though it boldly leans into the
Of course, the cast is really what sells this Depp‘s who swaggers his way into the list of truly unforgettable characters. . Knightley, Bloom, and Rush are all exceptional, but it’s
I’m still holding out hope that we can see Mr. Depp return for one last ride as the good . One final that sees him go out with a swashbuckling bang, not a foolish whimper.
Related: Zac Efron Rumored To Play Jack Sparrow In “Pirates of the Caribbean” Reboot
How would you go about ranking Pirates of the Caribbean movies? Let us know in the comments below.