Nate and Hayes

This is a great movie, not necessarily the most historically accurate film, but its still a really good pirate movie. I'm not sure of the year this movie was supposed to take place but at the beginning they are trying to sell thirty-thirty lever-action rifles... which didn't come out until the early eighteen hundreds. throughout the rest of the movie there are a bold mixture of period firearms that don't really let you get a grasp on when this is supposed to take place. What I really found interesting was that it had a scene in the beginning with the rope bridge that was amazingly close to the famous scene in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom... especially since this movie came out a year before Temple of Doom. No matter what... it's a good watch.

Some comments regarding the film "Nate and Hayes" have made note of it's similarities to "Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom", but called it superior to Spielberg's film. I can only assume the people who said that haven't seen "Nate and Hayse" in a LONG time. Sure, "Temple of Doom" is a flawed film, but it's far more slick and eye-popping then this pirate romp, which shares the same flaws regarding story and dialog. When I was a kid, I put "Nate and Hayes" in the same category as the Indy films - After seeing it again as an adult, I can't say that I still do.

"Nate and Hayes" is one of the better and more creative of the early 80s "Raiders" knock-offs, largely due to it's setting, and the charismatic performances of Tommy Lee Jones and Michael O'Keefe. In addition, there are some rousing action sequences. But director Ferdinand Fairfax simply doesn't have the skill or flair of authentic Spielberg. In addition, the film is chock-full of hokey touches which, at times, seriously undermine the proceedings.

In the end, "Nate and Hayes" is a fun little movie.

I loved this movie! It is fun and has a great sense of humor! It has wonderful action and is just campy enough to be a blast....Tommy Lee Jones is a great Pirate. Miles O'Keefe is good as a missionary, with maybe a little pirate in his heart? It is a great rainy Saturday afternoon movie with popcorn... enjoy!

I was lucky enough to go to the European premiere of this film in London ( although strangely enough i seem to remember that it ended up on a double bill with TOP SECRET in some cinemas). Made before Tommy Lee Jones became a big star it was quite obviously the inspiration for Pirates of the Caribbean. It was released in the UK under the title SAVAGE ISLANDS but in some places it was called NATE & HAYES. However, shame on Paramount for not exploiting it better. I know they had a lot riding on the not dissimilar Indiana Jones films but this is a cracking adventure and deserves better treatment (and why oh why has it not been seen on UK television for about 15 years?).

Good news though. The film is finally getting a DVD release (on region 1 only) on June 20th 2006 so keep an eye out for it.

I thoroughly enjoyed Nate and Hayes as a "tween"---it had all the things a young fella would look for...action, adventure, and wry, often purposefully bad humor.

Certainly ranks up there with the Indiana Jones flicks as far as scripting and subject matter, just lacked the funding to be as over the top. Still, the film does not stretch beyond its means in this regard, as Temple of Doom tended to (ie the inflatable lifeboat "parachute" sequence).

As many folks here have mentioned, this is Saturday afternoon fare at its finest. Not to be taken seriously, does not take itself seriously, yet remains a class act.