This may be very random, but I suddenly missed my favorite film of all time. I might be a film lover, while other film lovers will say that their favorite film are the likes of Citizen Kane or some other Best Picture contenders, mine is Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End. Some of you might laugh. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy those Best Picture contenders too. But in Pirates of the Caribbean trilogy, I repeatedly found myself transported to a world better than our current world. That's what movies do, isn't it? You find two hours to kill, and you transport yourself to another world. A darker world, a magical world, a happier world, all other sorts of world. A couple of days back, I stumbled again on POTC: AWE clips on YouTube. I watched the 'Up is Down' set piece and Will and Elizabeth's marriage scene. And suddenly a thought came to mind: Hollywood don't make these kind of movies anymore. Nowadays they tend to play it safe, yes, I'm looking at you On Stranger Tides. Let me tell you why At World's End may be the last big summer blockbuster.
1. It has memorable characters that we can care for and adore
Captain Jack Sparrow, Will Turner, Elizabeth Swann, Hector Barbossa, Davy Jones, Cutler Beckett and even former Commodore Norrington were very much memorable in the trilogy. The last great Pirates film (yet) also added Sao Feng and a whole new world of Pirates. The characters are crazy good and the scope of the film utilizes the characters well. Both protagonists and antagonists were superbly written.
2. It has great ideas and originality
What lacked in recent movies like Gangster Squad, Oblivion or John Carter were originality. But in AWE, we were offered crazy stunts like 'Up is Down' or the supernatural elements of the film, or even the might-be-Hollywood-cliche-type but super memorable, greatly-executed Will and Elizabeth's marriage scene. The supernatural elements particularly, cleverly spun popular culture references like Davy Jones' locker into reality on screen. And who could forget the last whirlpool-set battle?
3. Large scale, nothing-to-lose-attitude production
When you have money, you can spend it all you want. When you have lots of money, and a giant franchise to carry, you make sure those money worth the stuff put on screen. And that's what Jerry Bruckheimer did. $300 million was spent and I'd say that's money well spent. Add all that with super talented crew on screen and off screen. They don't make this anymore. Just look at On Stranger Tides which suffered budget cuts or the latest Verbinski-Depp collaboration The Lone Ranger which was almost cancelled due to budgetary issues.
Some critics may argue that the story was too convoluted for normal audience to follow. But that's what makes this film special. It's not the usual hero-gets-a-problem-and-solves-it type of story. The writers Terry Rossio and Ted Elliot made sure that the audiences' favorite characters got enough screen time and role. The dizzying twists in the film is the reason for multiple viewings.
Now, moving on to how to make the fifth entry equally incredible in the same scale with the first trilogy. First of all, the fourth movie is despicably based on a book. Don't do that again, ever. The fourth film, to me, was lazily made. The distinguishing character of Jack Sparrow is slowly fading, especially when you compare this to the first film. The music was recycled. Hans Zimmer's great score for the second and third film was notably absent. We did got introduced to new kind of sound by Rodrigo y Gabriela but that's not enough for a film like this. Let's hear a fan opinion on how to make the fifth one in the same league as the first trilogy.
1. Push the timeline
Do a Tokyo Drift on On Stranger Tides. Let's forget for a while that it exists. The franchise will ultimately get back to that film just like Han said in Fast Five: we'll get there, eventually.
Now, do a Fast & Furious 4 on the fifth film. Bring back Torettos and Letty which means bring back Will Turner and Elizabeth Swann. If Disney could get $1b for bringing that silly missionary character to life, I'd like to bet you'll get $2b for Will and Elizabeth Turner (note: rumor has it Orlando Bloom is slated to return). And also plus point if you bring Gore Verbinski back (which might not happen because Kon-Tiki directors are already hired)
3. Take note of the four points I mentioned above
Fuck the studio. Do what you need, Bruckheimer. Don't play by their rules.
4. Disown the fourth film
Let's get back to why do you need a fourth film? At World's End closed the trilogy nicely and with that the franchise too. In a super high note. Now do a Superman Returns and pretend Gus Gorman and Nuclear Man never existed.
5. Exclusively for Zimmer
Compose some new music man. I know you can. It frustrates me when you can compose great music for Rango but no new music for On Stranger Tides.
6. Attention to details and continuity
If you're the one who asked why do they have to go to Singapore, because it's mentioned throughout the trilogy and that's a nod to those references. More importantly, pirates roam the seas not land. Let's bring them back to the seas, shall we? Also, the three Pirates films have different logos that distinguishes the film, but the fourth film didn't. Let's not do that again and spin your heads people.
7. Last point
If you can't do these six points, don't think about making the fifth.
It is very strange that news about the new Pirates film do not excite me a bit. Thanks to the unnecessary, budget-conscious fourth film. Please restore my awe on Pirates films please. Don't let me down.
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