PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: ON STRANGER TIDES (Rated PG-13)

If there is a movie franchise that is basically immune to critical reviews or even the slightest measure of disapproval, it must be the elaborate Jerry Bruckheimer production that is based on a popular theme park attraction.

“Pirates of the Caribbean,” now delivering its fourth installment in “On Stranger Tides,” is in that rarefied atmosphere of successful franchise films spawned by the likes of James Bond and Indiana Jones.

With Johnny Depp’s adept swashbuckling heroics, his role of fearless, even reckless Captain Jack Sparrow seems, it would appear, comfortably similar in many respects to Harrison Ford’s earnest whip-cracking adventurer.

Though little can be said to derail the inevitable triumph of “On Stranger Tides” at the box office, it should be noted out that even this improved sequel is no match for the original.

On the other hand, it sure beats “Dead Man’s Chest” and “At World’s End,” the second and third installments, respectively, that nearly capsized the franchise.

With Orlando Bloom’s Will Turner and Keira Knightley’s Elizabeth Swann now gone from the storyline, Johnny Depp’s iconic renegade seafarer, gussied up with his usual headscarf and black eyeliner, is the alluring mainstay.

“On Stranger Tides” also benefits from being much less ponderous and convoluted in plot than the last two chapters, to the point that it is easier to understand where the story is going.

But even a clearer plot does not completely eliminate the seemingly unavoidable drift into uncharted waters, where pirate battles often rage for no discernible reasons.

What is so inescapable in this franchise is that Captain Sparrow constantly finds himself squarely in the middle of problematic situations which require his deft extraction from near death.

Escaping the authorities in London, Jack reluctantly falls in with his old flame Angelica (Penelope Cruz), but it proves to be a costly decision.

Captain Sparrow is shanghaied aboard the Queen Anne’s Revenge, the ship of the truly legendary and villainous pirate Blackbeard (Ian McShane), who apparently is Angelica’s father.

Blackbeard’s crew consists of a strange mix of dodgy pirates and ruthless zombies, with Sparrow involuntarily recruited to lead them to the Fountain of Youth.

Meanwhile, the indestructible Captain Hector Barbossa (Geoffrey Rush) is hunting for the Black Pearl, the Fountain of Youth and anything else that engages Sparrow in a similar quest.

The whole combative zombie thing has been done before, but a new twist this time is the appearance of mermaids who are far removed from the classical Disney vision of cheery, agreeable sea creatures.

With the notable exception of Syrena (Astrid Berges-Frisbey), the seductive mermaids are a deadly bunch, but their presence adds a supernatural element more inviting than the zombies.

The race to find the fabled fountain with restorative powers is not the best foundation for a stirring adventure, particularly when the swordfights take on an overly repetitive feeling.

But this being a Jerry Bruckheimer production, the enormously massive scale of production delivers an unmistakably heightened sense of adventure on the high seas.

Even when the storyline or the action gets a bit wobbly, the reassuring presence of Depp’s fey pirate, spouting his usual pithy lines, makes it all enjoyably worthwhile.

“Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides,” at times aimless and adrift, still manages to maintain its crowd-pleasing frivolity and sense of fun.

DVD RELEASE UPDATE

We hardly notice anything about Canada until a big talent emerges like Celine Dion or John Candy. OK, I’d rather think about the late great comedian.

In any case, Canada remains so far under the radar that even the popular CBS TV series “Flashpoint,” made in the Great White North, is a steady, reliable show that trundles along without much fanfare.

Thus, it might surprise you to know that “Flashpoint: The Third Season” is being released on DVD.

“Flashpoint” is a drama that depicts the emotional journey into the tough, risk-filled lives of a group of cops in the Strategic Response Unit (inspired by Toronto’s Emergency Task Force).

It’s a unique unit that rescues hostages, busts gangs, defuses bombs, climbs the sides of buildings and talks down suicidal teens. And Spider-Man is nowhere in sight.

However, Enrico Colantoni stars as the lead negotiator, and in this third season, he’s investigated after a shooting spree at a museum.

Members of the SRU team include David Paetkau, Amy Jo Johnson and Hugh Dillon. They are all trained to get inside the suspect’s head to diffuse dangerous situations and to try to save lives.

Tim Riley writes film and television reviews for Lake County News.