The thrill is definitely gone from this blockbuster franchise

NO matter how spectacular a theme park ride may be, it inevitably loses some of its allure after the umpteenth go-around - especially when it entails a two-hour wait for a two-minute ride. Not surprisingly, Pirates of the Caribbean, a multi-billion-dollar blockbuster movie franchise modelled on a Disney amusement park ride, follows a similar law of diminishing returns - providing much less bang for its buck these days.

Pirates of the Caribbean: Salazar's Revenge is the fifth instalment of a series that originated in 2003 with Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl. As bluesman BB King might say, the thrill is definitely gone. Despite a supersize budget in excess of US$230 million, the latest Pirates film - the first since On Stranger Tides in 2011 - is notable mainly for a distinct lack of yo-ho-ho's.

Viewers expecting fast-paced CGI action sequences involving pirate ships, ghoulish crews and heavily-mascaraed protagonist Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) stumbling around doing his patented shtick won't be disappointed, but the sight of so many buckles being swashed has gotten a little tired.