Jack Sparrow is a mess. By the time we hit the fifth installment of the franchise, Pirates of the Caribbean Dead Men Tell No Tales, the legendary Captain Jack had devolved from a clever trickster into a literal punching bag. You’ve probably noticed it too. The 2017 film, directed by Joachim Rønning and Espen Sandberg, tried to recapture the magic of the original trilogy, but it ended up being one of the most polarizing entries in Disney's massive seafaring saga.
People argue about this movie constantly. Some say it saved the series after the bloated mess of On Stranger Tides. Others think it’s the point where the compass finally broke.
What really happened during production? Why did the continuity feel so... off? Let's get into the weeds of the Trident of Poseidon, the weird de-aging CGI, and why the subtitle actually changed depending on where you lived in the world.
The Identity Crisis of Pirates of the Caribbean Dead Men Tell No Tales
Most fans don't realize that if you bought a ticket in the UK, Ireland, or Australia, you weren't seeing "Dead Men Tell No Tales." You were seeing Salazar’s Revenge. Disney never gave a crystal-clear reason for the regional title swap, though it likely came down to trademark issues or the belief that the villain’s name had more "action movie" pull in European markets. It's a weird bit of trivia that highlights the film's fractured identity.
The movie tries to be two things at once. It’s a legacy sequel for Henry Turner (Brenton Thwaites) and Carina Smyth (Kaya Scodelario), but it’s also a desperate attempt to give Johnny Depp’s Jack Sparrow something to do.
Honestly, the Jack we see here isn't the Jack from 2003. He's drunker. He’s luckier—in a bad way. He’s lost his "edge." In the first film, Jack was a genius pretending to be an idiot. In Pirates of the Caribbean Dead Men Tell No Tales, he often feels like an idiot pretending to be Jack Sparrow. This shift was a massive point of contention for longtime fans who grew up on the Gore Verbinski era of the franchise.
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The plot kicks off with Henry Turner trying to break his father’s curse. Will Turner is stuck at the bottom of the ocean on the Flying Dutchman, looking like he’s been through a blender with some barnacles. To fix it, they need the Trident of Poseidon. It’s a classic "MacGuffin" hunt.
The Continuity Problem Everyone Ignores
The "Compass Origin" is the biggest factual headache in the movie. If you’ve watched Dead Man’s Chest, you remember Tia Dalma (Calypso) explicitly stating that Jack "bartered" the compass from her. It was a mystical trade.
But in Pirates of the Caribbean Dead Men Tell No Tales, we get a flashback to a young, CGI-rendered Jack Sparrow. In this version, he receives the compass from his dying captain during a battle with a Spanish fleet.
Which is it? Did he get it from a voodoo priestess or a dying pirate?
Screenwriter Jeff Nathanson and the directors basically ignored the previous lore to give Jack a "cool" origin story. This kind of retconning drives the hardcore fanbase insane. It’s not just a small slip-up; it changes the fundamental nature of Jack’s relationship with the supernatural. It suggests the writers were more interested in a flashy action sequence than respecting the internal logic of the world they inherited.
Javier Bardem and the Ghost Shark Problem
Javier Bardem is a powerhouse. He brought a genuine creepiness to Captain Armando Salazar. The visual effect of his hair—constantly floating as if he’s underwater even when he’s on land—is one of the most technically impressive things in the movie.
The production team at MPC (Moving Picture Company) spent months perfecting that "drowning" look. They used complex fluid simulations to make his clothing and hair react to an invisible ocean. It’s eerie. It works.
Then there are the ghost sharks.
This is where the movie leans into its "theme park ride" roots. The scene where Jack and Henry are chased by decaying, undead Great Whites is peak Pirates. It’s ridiculous. It’s over the top. It’s exactly what you expect from a $230 million budget. But while the sharks looked great, the logic of Salazar’s curse remained a bit fuzzy. Why could they leave the ship? Why were they tethered to the Devil’s Triangle? The movie doesn't care. It just wants you to see a ghost shark bite a boat.
The Carina Smyth Connection and Barbossa’s Choice
The real heart of the film—and the part that actually lands emotionally—is Hector Barbossa. Geoffrey Rush has always been the secret weapon of these movies. In Pirates of the Caribbean Dead Men Tell No Tales, we see a different side of him. He’s no longer the scrappy mutineer; he’s the King of the Sea, living in gaudy luxury with a gold-plated peg leg.
The reveal that Carina Smyth is Barbossa’s daughter adds a layer of depth that the franchise usually lacks.
Carina is a woman of science. She’s an astronomer. In the 18th century, that gets her labeled as a witch. It’s a sharp bit of social commentary buried in a Disney movie. Her journey to find the "Chronometer" and her father’s legacy provides the only real stakes that aren't tied to magic CGI trident.
When Barbossa sacrifices himself at the end, it feels earned. It’s a rare moment of finality in a series that loves to bring people back from the dead. (Though, let’s be real, in this universe, "dead" is more of a suggestion than a rule).
Production Troubles and the Depp Factor
Making this movie was a nightmare. Filming took place in Queensland, Australia, and it was plagued by delays.
- The Injury: Johnny Depp famously injured his hand during production, requiring surgery in the US. This shut down filming for weeks.
- The Weather: Tropical cyclones hammered the sets.
- The Script: It went through multiple iterations before they landed on the "Final Adventure" vibe.
The budget ballooned. Rumors swirled about Depp’s punctuality on set, which allegedly cost the production thousands of dollars for every hour he was late. You can almost see the exhaustion on the screen. The movie has a frantic energy, like it's trying to finish the race before the engine falls out.
Does the Trident Actually Make Sense?
The Trident of Poseidon is the "reset button" for the franchise. The movie establishes that the Trident can break all curses of the sea.
Think about the implications of that.
If the Trident breaks every curse, it doesn't just free Will Turner. It destroys the very fabric of the supernatural world the previous four movies built. It’s a convenient way to wrap up storylines, but it feels a bit like a "Deus Ex Machina."
Suddenly, the Dutchman is just a regular ship? Salazar and his crew become human again just in time to get hit by a boat? It’s messy. It’s convenient. But it provides that big, emotional reunion between Will and Elizabeth Swann (Keira Knightley) that the marketing department knew people wanted.
Why Dead Men Tell No Tales Matters for the Future
Despite the mixed reviews, the movie grossed nearly $800 million worldwide. That’s not a flop. It proved that audiences still have an appetite for high-seas adventure, even if the recipe is getting a bit stale.
The post-credits scene—don't tell me you missed it—teased the return of Davy Jones. The barnacle-encrusted shadow and the crab claws suggest that the Trident's "curse-breaking" wasn't as permanent as we thought.
Currently, the franchise is in a weird limbo. There are talks of a Margot Robbie-led spin-off, and constant rumors about Depp’s return following his legal battles. But Pirates of the Caribbean Dead Men Tell No Tales remains the current "ending" to the main storyline.
If you’re planning to revisit the film, keep an eye on the background details. The production design is genuinely world-class. From the crumbling St. Martin jail to the shimmering "Stars that follow no map," the visual storytelling often outshines the script.
Actionable Steps for Your Next Rewatch
To truly appreciate (or dissect) the movie, try these specific focal points:
- Watch the background in the "Bank Heist" scene. The entire building being pulled through the streets was a practical effect involving a massive tractor rig. It's a feat of engineering.
- Compare the Young Jack CGI. Compare the de-aging in this film (2017) to more recent efforts like Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny. You can see how the tech evolved from the "uncanny valley" look.
- Track the Compass. Try to reconcile the two origin stories. (Hint: You can't, but it's fun to try to find a "head-canon" explanation, like Jack losing it and getting it back multiple times).
- Look for the cameos. Paul McCartney appears as Jack’s Uncle Jack. It’s a direct nod to Keith Richards playing Jack’s father in earlier films.
The movie isn't perfect. It's a loud, salty, CGI-heavy spectacle that treats its own history a bit loosely. But as a piece of blockbuster entertainment, it’s a fascinating case study in how franchises try to grow up while staying exactly the same.
Whether it's the final voyage or just a long pit stop, the legacy of Salazar, the Turners, and a very tired Captain Jack remains a massive pillar of modern cinema history. If you want to dive deeper into the lore, start with the "Tales of the Code" short films—they fill in more gaps than the fifth movie ever tried to.