I weep internally now the consensus seems to be that Johnny Depp is the butt of hate and jokes, and justifiably so. How does the man who put in the brilliant shift as Donnie Brasco devolve into a mere bundle of pantomime drivel? I don’t know, but it happened and “forget about it” now feels like a dream in a lifetime long past.
Pirates of the Caribbean: Salazar’s Revenge (or Dead Men Tell No Tales) continues the parodification of Depp, who returns with zero restraint and irritable slapstick as the eccentric drunken Captain Jack Sparrow. Gone are the charm, fascination and languid charisma that made Sparrow an adventure character befitting of cavalier tag we like to attach to pirate tales. I am tempted to revisit the 2003 franchise opener but I fear I may erode what little goodwill this character has.
