INFLUX MOVIE REVIEWS

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Are These Pirates Ready for the Mainstream?
MOVIE: Pirates of the Great Salt Lake

DIRECTOR: E.R. Nelson

CAST: Kirby Heyborne, Larry Bagby, Trenton James

THE QUICK HIT:

Pirates of the Great Salt Lake is the enjoyable tale of two socially estranged wannabe pirates seeking treasure on the Great Salt Lake. With subtle, but poignant humor, the story is more of a drama than might be expected. While having been compared to the styling of Napoleon Dynamite, Pirates should be credited on its own unique brand of storytelling ... it has a (wooden) leg of its own to stand on. GRADE: B+ Website

THE BIG PICTURE:

The story begins with two would-be pirates, Kirk (Heyborne) and Flint (James), rowing a dilapidated fishing boat over the shallow water of the Great Salt Lake. The viewer quickly learns that Kirk and Flint have chosen to remove themselves from the norms of 21st century society and take up piracy. Their success is minimal at its best.
When a mysterious treasure map and an aged curse surface, the two seek validation for their lives. Enter Drake (Bagby), the dark and evil pirate. The movie, while largely comedic, takes an unexpected turn for the dramatic. While I enjoyed this twist, it could easily have the opposite effect to viewers who want their movies to stick to a formula.

Heyborne creates a sympathetic and borderline deranged protagonist, expertly delivering a low-key humor while balancing an underlying sadness that consumes his character. Bagby delivers, playing Drake as an over-the-top antagonist in pirate fashion with plenty of "arrrgh's" to entertain.
Pirates of the Great Salt Lake delivers a unique and entertaining brand of storytelling. The key elements are very strong and this is the type of movie that will (and is) gaining a word-of-mouth following. Don't be surprised if this movie surfaces in places other than the Great Salt Lake.

TECHNICAL MUMBO JUMBO:

With an independent pricetag of $250,000, Pirates makes good use of its budget. Shot on HDCAM, a theatrical screening of the project reveals little difference from film. In this day of digital, only the true expert can tell the difference. The sound is consistent and level (often a problem with indie movies); the actors are mostly professionals; and director of photography, Brandon Christensen, knows his camera. One of the finest aspects of Pirates is its appearance on the screen. Christensen is a seasoned cinematographer with credits as first assistant director on such projects as the aforementioned Napoleon Dynamite.

Review by Gordon Shelly

INFLUX MOVIE REVIEWS www.influxmagazine.com
	Are These Pirates Ready for the Mainstream? MOVIE: Pirates of the Great Salt Lake
	DIRECTOR: E.R. Nelson
	CAST: Kirby Heyborne, Larry Bagby, Trenton James
THE QUICK HIT:
Pirates of the Great Salt Lake is the enjoyable tale of two socially estranged wannabe pirates seeking treasure on the Great Salt Lake. With subtle, but poignant humor, the story is more of a drama than might be expected. While having been compared to the styling of *Napoleon Dynamite, Pirates* should be credited on its own unique brand of storytelling ... it has a (wooden) leg of its own to stand on. GRADE: B+ Website
THE BIG PICTURE:
The story begins with two would-be pirates, Kirk (Heyborne) and Flint (James), rowing a dilapidated fishing boat over the shallow water of the Great Salt Lake. The viewer quickly learns that Kirk and Flint have chosen to remove themselves from the norms of 21st century society and take up piracy. Their success is minimal at its best. When a mysterious treasure map and an aged curse surface, the two seek validation for their lives. Enter Drake (Bagby), the dark and evil pirate. The movie, while largely comedic, takes an unexpected turn for the dramatic. While I enjoyed this twist, it could easily have the opposite effect to viewers who want their movies to stick to a formula. Heyborne creates a sympathetic and borderline deranged protagonist, expertly delivering a low-key humor while balancing an underlying sadness that consumes his character. Bagby delivers, playing Drake as an over-the-top antagonist in pirate fashion with plenty of "arrrgh's" to entertain. Pirates of the Great Salt Lake delivers a unique and entertaining brand of storytelling. The key elements are very strong and this is the type of movie that will (and is) gaining a word-of-mouth following. Don't be surprised if this movie surfaces in places other than the Great Salt Lake.
TECHNICAL MUMBO JUMBO:
With an independent pricetag of $250,000, *Pirates* makes good use of its budget. Shot on HDCAM, a theatrical screening of the project reveals little difference from film. In this day of digital, only the true expert can tell the difference. The sound is consistent and level (often a problem with indie movies); the actors are mostly professionals; and director of photography, Brandon Christensen, knows his camera. One of the finest aspects of *Pirates* is its appearance on the screen. Christensen is a seasoned cinematographer with credits as first assistant director on such projects as the aforementioned *Napoleon Dynamite*.
Review by Gordon Shelly