After an extended festival journey, writer/director Christian Pavlik's The Last Pirate has arrived on TubiTV with its unique, engaging narrative storytelling that defies the usual pirate storytelling tropes in favor of something broader and more meaningful. 

The Last Pirate stars Antonio J. Medina as Arius, a lost pirate who washes up on a mysterious island completely devoid of his memories with only a mysterious and very malevolent sword serving as a sort of link. This sword is essential to everything that unfolds in The Last Pirate - possessed by an ancient demon, the sword inflicts its will upon anyone who possesses it. 

Pavlik, an award-winning screenwriter, is making his feature debut with this 55-minute cross-genre film that weaves together elements of  action, mystery, a little humor, and a wee bit of other genres. Pavlik's gift for storytelling is obvious as the film picked up several nominations and prizes throughout its indie/microcinema festival run. 

The Last Pirate is a thoughtful film, though I most confess rather oddly that it often reminded me of a more humorous pirate film from a few years back called Pirates of the Great Salt Lake. Medina, whose work I've reviewed before, makes for an engaging and charismatic central figure in this adventure and is supported well by the likes of Garth Gunderson as Ellis, Brittney Paul as Julia, and Adam Jace as Ranger Gideon. 

The Last Pirate benefits from the lensing work of William Cook. Cook accomplishes quite a bit with Pavlik's ambitious script and takes advantage of a beautiful setting and the story's more mystical undertones. 

There's little denying that The Last Pirate's budget limitations play a factor here, though the film's largely land-based action keeps things simple yet intriguing as we become immersed in Arius's fight to become free of the mystical powers of the ancient Infernalius and his search for the one marked by the ancient sword. 

Indie distributor Tribeca LLC has offered the film a chance to be seen by a wider audience and you can check it out for yourself now on TubiTV.

Written by Richard Propes
The Independent Critic