Pirates of the Caribean 4 On Stranger Tides

Fortunately I saw this film before X Men First Class on the same day. I had read previous reviews and so my expectations were  low, in short I was prepared to give this film the benifit of the doubt. Also this film was to be my first experience of Real 3D
       I was expecting all the failings of parts 2 and 3, fight scenes outstaying their welcome,  a story all over the place, which though easy to follow stutters  from one action scene to another. Its like excess is good but bugger wonder, and tight pacing.
       So sad to report I came away feeling disapointed once again. This  film is one big  missed opportunity and yet for Disney its a sure fire money maker. No lesson to be learned there then. Missed opportunites abound, for example in the opening scene we are introduced to the films mcguffin, the fountain of youth and what you would assume would the films main villains in the form of the spanish right? All imposing and intense looking.
       Uh no, they are mere window dressing to events and so to the inital setup. Jack Sparrows is in London     without a ship or crew  for a pirate a very inhospitable place to be.
     In a series of set pieces we are reintroduced to the usual suspects Barbossa and Gibb. We are introduced to a king who again is merely a cameo and there to press gang  Sparrow. We learnthat an imposter is recruiting a crew by assuming his identity and so you would think the story would kick underway.
     To serve his King is an unneccessary plot when the Imposter angle would have been sufficent enough to get Sparrow on his way and sharing Blackbeards company. It wasn't even necessary to get Barbossa back onto the stage, as Blackbeard has the Black Pearl and that is legitimate reason enough for Barbossa's return.
    Enter Penolope Cruz as Angelica and old flame and would be Sparrow. More over uneccassary story elements after another then Black Beard enters the scene.  Ian McShane looks the part but this should have been a scenery chewing role to rule them all. Or at least as memorable as Bill Nighy's Davey Jones from 2 and 3
      This is  a by the numbers film lacking excitement and a memorable villain. Oh and the Spanish? oh over there in a race that lacks any urgency as mere background dressing.

  The only scene in the whole film that managed to get me excited was the mermaid scene. Then its back to the race that doesnt feel like a race but a slow athritic crawl. If they make a 5th film for god sake tighten the pacing, make the story lean and mean. Simple in this case is best especially for a family audience.
      Now I have had a few days to ponder and chew the real problem is, this film was done so much better as Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, and if you've seen this fourth installment then compare the two films especially the ending. If your going to steal an ending then you had better outdo your source material.