There’s nothing more exciting for movie fans than to anxiously await the next chapter in a hot film franchise. Enter Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, the fourth adventure in the love affair with pirate rascal Captain Jack Sparrow. Unfortunately, there’s nothing more disappointing than when that balloon of expectation bursts.

I saw this film in 3D, which was a big frustration for me. At first glance -- and all the way through with those obnoxious 3D glasses on -- I thought the movie was in black and white. On Stranger Tides comes across with a dark tone to it, so much so there are scenes that appear to be shadows moving about rather than characters in a film. Adults don’t like these glasses, and kids rarely keep them on. Unless fans are watching a cute children’s movie like Despicable Me where things seem to jump out from the screen, 3D seems more of a nuisance than a pleasure. Did we really need to see a 3D cupcake in On Stranger Tides?

Okay, on with the plot. There actually is one in this film, and it involves a race to get to the Fountain of Youth. When England’s King George (Richard Griffiths) receives word about Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) being in town and looking for a new crew to voyage to the Fountain of Youth, he wants that treasure himself. The King hires Barbossa (Geoffrey Rush) -- now with a peg leg -- to find a crew and arrive there before Sparrow.

Other people, too, want to find this mythical fountain. In fact there’s a Jack Sparrow imposter in town also trying to raise a crew for the adventurous voyage. What’s a pirate movie without a few swashbucklers in a well-choreographed sword fight? And that’s exactly where Sparrow meets his imposter. Only to his surprise it’s not a he, but the lovely Angelica (Penelope Cruz). Apparently, by their banter they’ve had a previous relationship. For example, “What were you doing in a Spanish convent, anyway?” Angelica asks -- and Sparrow answers, “Mistook it for a brothel. Honest mistake.”

It seems Angelica wants to find this fountain of youth to offer her infamous father Blackbeard (Ian McShane) a few more years to do his devilish deeds. So Blackbeard’s gang kidnaps Sparrow to lead them to the fountain according to his map. On occasion Sparrow and Angelica have run-ins but as equally engaging as Cruz is in the role, there’s no chemistry between them, so their relationship remains a mystery as well as unfulfilling. McShane appears too laid back for Blackbeard’s history. Barbossa, who was a truly entertaining character in The Curse of the Black Pearl, is also dumbed down in this story. Even Sparrow is very non-active, mostly showing up with the same facial expressions in each scene and a far tamer personality than in the franchise’s  previous films. I believe this is due to the script by Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio and direction by Rob Marshall (who excelled with Chicago) rather than because of the performances.

To me, the most interesting characters here are one of the mermaids and her champion. Syrena (Astrid Berges-Frisby) is not quite like her flesh-biting sisters when around the spiritual Philip (Sam Claflin), who tries to keep her alive when she’s captured. These two have far more chemistry than Sparrow and Angelica.

Young kids definitely don’t get his movie. Most of them at the screening I attended talked throughout the entire film. The few clever one-liners flew right over their heads; there’s nothing about the plot they understand; and the almost-horror like scenes with the vampire-like mermaids are too frightening.

Naturally, many moviegoers interested in catching up on the latest Pirates of the Caribbean saga or ones who just want to see Johnny Depp, will opt to see On Stranger Tides in the theater. But because watching it in 3D is like trying to eat your dinner with a sheet of plastic wrap over the food, I suggest checking out the 2D version.  How I wish the film could have featured as much color as Disney’s photographer Peter Mountain captured in the movie’s press photos!

(Released by Disney Enterprises and rated “PG-13” for pirate violence, scary images, and suggestive humor.)

Review also posted at www.reviewexpress.com.