The Last Patrol (2000) – Budget, Release Date, and Success Story
The Last Patrol (2000) – Budget, Release Date, and Success Story
The Last Patrol, also known as The Last Warrior, was produced on a modest budget of approximately $8.2 million. However, the production faced significant financial challenges. According to reports, one of the producers allegedly disappeared with a substantial portion of the allocated funds just as filming began. This embezzlement left the filmmakers with far fewer resources than originally planned, forcing them to work under constrained conditions. Despite these setbacks, director Sheldon Lettich and the cast managed to complete the film, though the limited budget significantly impacted its overall quality and production value.
Release Date
The movie was filmed over 42 days in Eilat, Israel, from May 18 to June 29, 1999. It was released directly to video in several regions rather than receiving a theatrical release. In the United States, it debuted on Region 1 DVD on August 21, 2001, distributed by Lionsgate. Earlier releases included a Region 2 DVD in the United Kingdom on November 27, 2000. The film later saw additional home media releases in other markets but never achieved widespread theatrical distribution.
Success Story
Despite its intriguing premise—a post-apocalyptic world where California is turned into an island after a catastrophic earthquake—the movie failed to achieve commercial or critical success. It struggled due to its low production values, lackluster special effects (some of which were reportedly recycled from other films like Dante’s Peak), and a disjointed narrative that combined elements of dystopian survival with religious undertones and action tropes.
Critics widely panned The Last Patrol for its slow pacing and lack of engaging action sequences—elements expected in a Dolph Lundgren-led action film. Many reviews noted that there was little action until well over an hour into the runtime, leaving audiences disappointed. Additionally, while Lundgren’s performance was praised for his professionalism and charisma under challenging circumstances, the supporting cast and script were criticized for being shallow and unconvincing.
Commercially, The Last Patrol did not perform well even within the direct-to-video market. Its reception relegated it to obscurity among Dolph Lundgren’s filmography and B-movie post-apocalyptic titles. While it had potential given its premise and lead actor’s star power at the time, production issues and poor execution ultimately hindered its success.
