Pirates of the Great Salt Lake

In short: This is a great indie flick, and if I said anything more I'd give it away, so watch it yourselves ye scurvy dogs!

In long: It's really hard for me to believe that a movie this good took six months to make from idea to post-production, it was really great. I loved the excellent characters and plot presented in the movie. The story is honestly funny with very few cheap gags, and the actors go over the top in a way that makes them genuinely believable. The film work was excellently done, and the locations that were chosen perfectly set the mood of the film. The whole movie just embodies the classic pirate feeling that pirate fanatics have come to cherish; it has cursed treasure, romance, thrills, conflict, and plenty of laughs throughout. I hate to compare it to something like Napoleon Dynamite, but there are definite similarities between the two, strictly in the sense that both are highly quotable and are destined to become cult classics. Really though, if you like pirates, you'll love this movie.

I thoroughly enjoyed the movie, I wanted to see it again, and in the end that's what matters. It is a typical low-budget indie film in that some of the acting was average at best but the two leads had a wonderful chemistry and played interesting characters. I wanted to spend time with them and see what happens. The director was good, and while definitely not perfect, you can tell he had a vision and was telling a story he wanted to tell. There is an authenticity which was refreshing, despite the odd premise. There are times it drags and feels like it's lost but no matter where you think it's headed, you'll be wrong. That being said, I found it charming. At its heart it is amusing and there are parts where it's laugh-out-loud funny. If you do NOT enjoy odd characters and quirky comedies, (a la "Lars And the Real Girl", "Napoleon Dynamite", maybe "A Mighty Wind") skip this one. If you like character-driven, unique movie experiences, give it a try.

This movie lived up to all that I had heard about it. I took many members of my extended family to a special screening in Salt Lake. I did not tell any of them about the movie they would be screening in order to keep from influencing them with any hype. The movie came as a wonderful surprise to them all. I enjoyed hearing them laugh out loud throughout the whole movie. We had the pleasure also of meeting one of the stars Trent James, who graciously answered many questions we threw at him. I do hope a distribution deal will be struck soon so it will be released nationwide. I have no doubts that it will be a sleeper hit. You would have thought that Hollywood would have taken the hint from the success of Napoleon Dynamite as to the kinds of movies that American families are craving. This movie will appeal to even a wider audience than N.D.

This film recently won Festival Choice at the 2006 Phoenix Film Festival. I was partially skeptical when I entered the theater, preparing to find the film demeaning to those who love pirates. I was pleasantly surprised to be drawn into the movie and found myself caring for the success of the characters.

E.R. Nelson should be commended for tackling a "water movie" as his first feature film and being successful with the story line. Those of you familiar with the Great Salt Lake may find some of the scenes especially funny, including the natural aspects of the environment.

If you ask why I gave this movie and 9 out of 10, the reason is at the end and I don't want to give away the ending. I just wish there could have been a little bit more.

Pirates on the Great Salt Lake, what a novel idea. The film was clever--an evil pawn broker, two pirates, a worried mother, a gypsy, a detective, and a girl seeking a bad boy. The pirates are of course looking for buried treasure; their dialogue and comic relief was hilarious and they take you to the end of the journey effortlessly. The pawn broker makes an excellent villain. The cinematography was amazing, I never realized the Great Salt Lake was so beautiful, it is breathtaking. The film has a good message and the soundtrack is very well done. I would recommend this film to anyone that liked Office Space, Oh Brother Where Art Thou, or My Name is Earl (TV show).