it wouldn’t be a ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ movie without a torrent of the ridiculous

Jack's back. Capt. Jack Sparrow, that is.

And, happily, so is much of the tongue-in-cheek spirit that made the original "Pirates of the Caribbean" such a riotous, rip-roaring ride.

It's taken eight years and two sequels, but "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides" finally gets things right.

Or right enough to make this fourth "Pirates" voyage the most swashbuckling fun since the 2003 original. (Oh, and did we mention it's the first "Pirates" in 3-D -- and IMAX 3-D?)

Wisely, this franchise reboot has jettisoned almost all of the previous trilogy's characters. The tiresome ones, anyway.

Of course, that excludes the inimitable Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp), who turns up in London -- just in time to rescue boon piratical companion Gibbs (Kevin McNally) from the clutches of the authorities.

And what of Jack's perpetual nemesis, the equally inimitable Capt. Hector Barbossa (Geoffrey Rush)? He's also in London, and hanging out with a much better class of people -- notably King George II, who's promoted Barbossa from pirate to privateer and put him in command of a royal ship.

Seems those deuced Spaniards happen to be hot on the trail of the fabled Fountain of Youth. Which means Barbossa's hot on their trail -- because King George has commanded him to get there before his imperial rivals do.

If only Jack had a ship.

Somebody claiming to be Jack Sparrow does -- and that somebody turns out to be Jack's former flame, the fiery Angelica (Penelope Cruz).

A pirate who's no lady, Angelica can brandish a sword with the best of them. (She also may be Jack's only rival when it comes to sporting eyeliner on the high seas.)

Angelica's pirate ship isn't hers to command, however. It belongs to her father: the notorious Blackbeard (Ian McShane) -- or, as Jack describes him, "the pirate feared by all other pirates." And because one of Blackbeard's clairvoyant zombie crewmembers (don't ask) has foretold that his boss is about to meet his doom, a refreshing (not to mention preventative) sip from the Fountain of Youth would seem to be in order.

All is not smooth sailing, however. Not with a conscience-stricken clergyman (Sam Claflin) aboard to defy Blackbeard's sinister machinations, a school of man-hungry mermaids threatening the pirates' progress -- and strange stirrings inside Jack Sparrow's heart (if indeed he has one) signaling that he may have, at long last, met his fated matey.

Working from Ted Powers' novel "On Stranger Tides," screenwriters Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio give this movie a stronger storyline than the previous "Pirates" sequels.

Of course it's a frequently ridiculous story, but it wouldn't be a "Pirates of the Caribbean" movie without a touch -- make that a torrent -- of the ridiculous. (There's also more than a touch of the familiar, with elements cribbed from movies as different as "I Walked With a Zombie," "The Princess Bride" and "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade," to name but a few.)

While the movie's screenwriters may be the same, there's a different director in command: Rob Marshall, taking over from Gore Verbinski.

A musical specialist, with "Chicago" and "Nine" among his big-screen credits, Marshall lacks Verbinski's offbeat sense of humor. But his musical expertise serves him in good stead when it comes to this movie's numerous, and rousing, action sequences, which have the rhythmic pulse and infectious exuberance of showstopping dance numbers.

Besides, Marshall doesn't need to do much in the humor department. Not with his sterling cast members on the job.

Except for the earnest Claflin and a teary mermaid counterpart (Astrid Berges-Frisbey ), everyone else seems infused with the same boisterous spirit, from McNally's hearty bluster to McShane's killer wit. Considering their collective dramatic chops, Oscar-winners Rush and Cruz may be on cruise control for much of this cinematic voyage. But Cruz's spitfire determination -- and Rush's undisguised glee at his own roguery -- prove all but irresistible.

As for Depp, anyone who's immune to Capt. Jack Sparrow's many charms won't be buying a ticket to "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides" anyway.

Watching the nimble Depp caper about, dodging danger -- not to mention anything remotely resembling the right thing to do -- remains a light but undeniable pleasure.

By now, there's little surprise in his quicksilver insouciance; after all, he's an old friend.

And because we haven't seen him in a while, there's little to do but welcome him back -- and surrender to another rollicking pirate frolic.

So drink up me hearties, yo ho!

Contact movie critic Carol Cling at ccling@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0272.