High Seas Fun?

This weekend's sole mass release was "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides." For those counting, it's the fourth installment in the franchise. Doubtless, the film was meant to show that the franchise still has legs. It's estimated to have taken in $90.1 million this weekend, but the question is whether that's a good showing.

From a money standpoint, it's not a very "Pirates"-like number. The first "Pirates" film only nabbed $46.1 million opening weekend, but it was somewhat of a surprise hit. No one knew what to expect of a movie based on a Disneyland ride, and the film's legion of fans quickly swelled. The film ended up grabbing more than $300 million domestically.

The first "Pirates" film spawned two sequels that were closely tied together. The second film, which bowed in 2006, took in more than $135 million opening weekend on the way to more than $400 million domestically. The third film, which opened in 2007, took in $139 million on opening weekend but quickly fell off that pace, taking in just over $300 million domestically.

So now we have a fourth film in the franchise that's pulled just $90.1 million opening weekend. Given the limited run films seem to get in the summer where a new tent pole or two opens every weekend, you have to wonder if this film will even have legs enough to hit the same mark as the first three films — $300 million domestically.

I'm sure Disney is even more invested in that answer, being as how the company already has a fifth and sixth installment in the works — to be released in 2013 and 2014, respectively. So the logical question is whether this franchise still has teeth.

$90.1 million isn't a pittance, but it is indicative of the fact that interest in the "Pirates" franchise has fallen off considerably. Consider, ticket prices are higher in 2011 than they were in 2007 (when the last film was released), and this "Pirates" film was released in 3D, known to boost the Box Office Haul.

In addition, critical reception has been mixed. Despite ads on TV hailing it as the best of the series, many mainstream critics were luke warm. The AP critic gave it two stars, as did Roger Ebert. Entertainment Weekly gave the film a C. And I have to agree.

The story isn't as bloated and reliant on special effects as the last one, but it lacks some of the magic and appeal of the first film. Time will tell how high this "Pirates" film can climb on the Box Office charts, but it seems that "Pirates" burnout may already be hitting audiences.

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