“Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl,” the 2003 film that started the franchise, was a mildly funny adventure film, based on a theme park ride, that made a mint at the box office. It was followed by two sequels, which earned over about $730 million — though they were plot-driven pictures made not so much to entertain as to make money. The fourth entry in the series, “Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides,” is poised to make similar boffo box office. And if it does, I will be even more disappointed in America.

I’m already disheartened with Dame Judi Dench, perhaps the best actress of her generation, who makes a brief cameo near the start of the film. “The Chronicles of Riddick” was one thing, Dame Judi; this mess of a movie is quite another.