Kermode on Film

Episode: Convincing Mark Kermode Pirates of the Caribbean is Good
Date: March 17, 2026
Host: Mark Kermode
Guest: Jack Howard
Location: The Sun Pub, London

Episode Overview

This episode pivots deliberately away from the expected Oscars discussion—both hosts agree the awards are quickly forgotten—to a lively critique of blockbuster director Gore Verbinski, his latest indie pivot Good Luck, Have Fun, Don't Die, and, crucially, a spirited debate over the legacy and merits of the Pirates of the Caribbean movies. The episode is a wide-ranging, conversational deep-dive into what distinguishes authentic indie creative expression from corporate “faux-indie” filmmaking, the pitfalls of nostalgia, and Blockbuster era auteurs versus contemporary franchise machinery.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Why Skip the Oscars?

• Ephemeral Relevance: Kermode and Howard dismiss the Oscars as fleeting, quickly forgotten ("by Tuesday, everyone's forgotten" — [01:37], Mark Kermode). Even recent winners are a blur for them.
• Example: Jack can't remember last year’s Best Actor until prompted, and jokes about how little these things seem to matter a day later ([02:06]).

Gore Verbinski’s Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die: The “Faux-Indie” Problem

The Setup

• Gore Verbinski, known for The Ring remake and Pirates trilogy, returns with a much smaller, time-loop indie Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die, starring Sam Rockwell ([03:19]).
• Film’s premise: A time-traveler assembles people in a diner, trying repeatedly to save the world from AI takeover ([03:30]).

Jack’s Initial Reaction

• Enthusiasm for time-loop mechanics and films à la Palm Springs ([03:58], Jack Howard).
• Disappointed by overlong backstories, lack of payoff, and a sense that promised weirdness never delivers ([04:45]).

Mark’s Core Critique (“Corporate Faux-Indie”)

• “Unhinged” Gore Verbinski? Kermode laughs off marketing calling Verbinski “completely unhinged,” countering, “He’s hinged. He’s bracketed...solidly insulated...the most locked down corporate director you could imagine.” ([06:09–06:10], Mark Kermode)
• Accuses the film of echoing “an idea of an indie film” but seen through a corporate studio filter ([06:44]).
• References to 12 Monkeys, Groundhog Day, and Everything Everywhere All at Once — all films Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die borrows from, but lacks authenticity ([08:16]).
• “It looked like a corporate idea of what a crazy mixed up movie looks like.” ([08:17], Mark Kermode)

Jack on Authenticity

• Contrasts with Everything Everywhere All at Once: “It feels authentic...People who aren’t emulating it, they’ve lived it...It’s like the way Bo Burnham’s Inside could only be made by Bo Burnham” ([08:47], Jack Howard).
• Feels Verbinski’s new indie attempts are “mutton dressed as lamb” — a wannabe youth aesthetic from an older, out-of-touch filmmaker ([10:10], Jack Howard; [10:30], Mark Kermode).

The Problem with the Film’s Ending and Themes

• Late escalation to generic Marvel-style action set-piece undermines any edgy/indie ambition ([11:43]).
• AI-as-villain plot feels dated; “This is already out of date. This has already all happened.” ([11:59], Mark Kermode)
• Riffing on other blockbusters’ endings, notably Into the Spider-Verse ([12:22]).

The Gore Verbinski Debate: Blockbuster Craftsman or Corporate Hack?

Jack’s Defense: Childhood Nostalgia and Craft

• Grew up loving Pirates of the Caribbean (“In 2003, I was 11...that has been part of my life forever.” — [13:31], Jack Howard).
• Initially dismissed them, but revisiting realized: “They are the kind of big blockbuster movies I miss now...there was a voice and there was a style...” ([13:49], Jack Howard).
• Praises the first film (Curse of the Black Pearl) for filmmaking prowess missing in today’s studio blockbusters ([14:41]).

Mark’s Rebuke: Insufferable Formula & Depp’s Performance

• Finds the series, especially Johnny Depp’s Jack Sparrow, “insufferable”—an endless karaoke schtick gone wild ([15:21], Mark Kermode).
• Depp’s schtick: “It’s like being in a room with a drunk karaoke singer” ([15:21], Mark Kermode).
• Criticizes Verbinski’s lack of directorial control, suggesting Depp just ran wild ([15:45]).

Jack’s Rebuttal: Subversive Success

• Notes Depp’s Jack Sparrow was originally meant to be a “Han Solo” type, but Depp’s spin turned Disney off—yet the result “has aged really, really well, especially the first film” ([17:17]; [14:41], Jack Howard).

Mark’s Challenge: What Else Has Verbinski Done?

• Presses Jack to name other great Verbinski films. Jack only lists Pirates and partially Lone Ranger, admitting the rest of the director’s filmography is uneven ([22:06], Mark Kermode; [22:14], Jack Howard).
• Both agree Rango is Verbinski’s best (and perhaps only fully successful) non-live-action effort ([23:51], Mark Kermode; [23:53], Jack Howard).

On Blockbuster Direction in General

• Jack: “I have a lot of admiration for directors who can helm movies of a huge scale...I think that making movies on that kind of scale is probably more difficult than I can even imagine.” ([33:01], Jack Howard)
• Mark quotes Terry Gilliam: “A film in production is like a ship on the brink of mutiny and your job as the captain...is to bring it into port without loss of life or money. And if you can make art at the same time, well done.” ([33:44], Mark Kermode)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Gore Verbinski’s Directorial Personality:
  “He’s hinged. He’s bracketed. ... He’s double glazed. He’s solidly insulated. He is like the most locked down corporate director you could possibly imagine.”
  — Mark Kermode ([06:10])

• On Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die:
  “It looked like a corporate idea of what a crazy mixed up movie looks like.”
  — Mark Kermode ([08:17])

• On Authenticity in Filmmaking:
  “It feels like filmmakers who grew up on the internet making a feature film...It is authentic.”
  — Jack Howard ([08:47])

• Summary Judgment:
  “Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die is mutton dressed as lamb or skateboarding Larry Clark.”
  — Mark Kermode ([10:41])

• Pirates & Depp:
  “It’s like being in a room with a drunk karaoke singer. And I speak as someone who used to really love Johnny Depp.”
  — Mark Kermode ([15:21])

• On Directing Blockbusters:
  “I have a lot of admiration for directors who can helm movies of a huge scale...”
  — Jack Howard ([33:01])

• Terry Gilliam Wisdom:
  “A film in production is like a ship on the brink of mutiny and your job as the captain is to bring it into port without loss of life or money. And if you can make art at the same time, well done.”
  — Terry Gilliam, relayed by Mark Kermode ([33:44])

Timeline of Key Segments

| Timestamp | Segment/Theme | |-----------|---------------| | 00:33–03:16 | Oscars apathy explained; intro to episode’s real focus | | 03:19–06:44 | Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die: plot summary, comparisons & initial reactions | | 06:44–08:47 | Kermode’s critique: “faux-indie” vs. authentic indie voice | | 08:47–10:41 | Defining authenticity; “mutton dressed as lamb”; generational tension | | 11:43–12:53 | Thematic and structural flaws in Good Luck…—derivativeness, AI tropes | | 13:05–15:45 | Pirates nostalgia vs. critical dismissal; the Depp debate | | 16:50–17:17 | Oscars trivia: Depp’s “supporting” nomination | | 22:06–24:00 | What else has Verbinski done? Focus on Rango | | 28:24–30:33 | Big studio filmmaking—challenge & shift after Lone Ranger flopped | | 33:01–33:44 | Respect for blockbuster directors; Terry Gilliam’s ship analogy | | 33:44–34:46 | Closing thoughts; preview of next episode |

Final Thoughts

• Jack’s Position: Verbinski is not a visionary auteur, but a skilled blockbuster craftsman—the kind of “safe pair of hands” missing from many current big studio efforts. He’s nostalgic for that era and feels Pirates particularly ages well.
• Mark’s Position: Verbinski epitomizes the corporate hack—derivative, safe, and unable to achieve true creative chaos or indie spirit. Even his “indie” outing feels corporatized and tired.

Both agree: Whatever you think of Gore Verbinski, directing huge movies is a distinct (if underappreciated) skill, and Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die sharply illustrates the limits of corporate attempts to mimic authentic indie innovation.

Next episode tease:
The duo will return soon to discuss Project Hail Mary, the Ryan Gosling sci-fi epic directed by Phil Lord and Chris Miller.

End of Summary