Raiders! The Story Of The Greatest Fan Film Ever Made

Raiders! The Story Of The Greatest Fan Film Ever Made is a heartwarming and inspiring documentary from 2015 that focuses on a group of young and passionate movie fans who embark on a journey to remake their favourite film, "Raiders of the Lost Ark".

In 1981, when Indiana Jones first burst onto the big screen, three 11-year-old boys from Mississippi were captivated and inspired. Taking on the roles as aspiring filmmakers, these youngsters, Chris Strompolos, Eric Zala, and Jayson Lamb, found a goal to live for. They decided to make their own fan adaptation of the Steven Spielberg's classic adventure film. It was not professional; it was not to make a profit, nor to get famous. It was pure passion. And over seven summers, they did just that, using their backyards for sets and enlisting their friends as actors.

The boys' spirited and audacious remake of the blockbuster made them local legends, and years later, their film caught the eye of actor Elijah Wood and Aint-It-Cool-News founder Harry Knowles, among others - sparking an unexpected and incredible second act for their childhood project.

The documentary provides audiences with an in-depth look at these boys, their friendship, their determination, and their creative process over the years. Director Jeremy Coon and Tim Skousen masterfully capture the essence and spirit of boyhood adventure, creativity, and imagination throughout the film.

The story gives a historical perspective of this incredible undertaking, using interviews, home footage, and clips from their shot-for-shot remake to illustrate their journey. We journey back in the time with the filmmakers - from childhood, through adolescence, and even towards middle age - it's a tale of how an extraordinarily tenacious and passionate endeavour of geeky childhood became an influential cultural phenomenon in their adult years.

In the documentary, we see how the young filmmakers faced a variety of setbacks and precarious situations - including a dangerously lit fire in Zala's basement, Strompolos's face-slapping mother's disappointment and worry over the project, Lamb’s group of disapproving friends, onward to Strompolos' and Zala's complex adult lives and realities. Their commitment to their vision is both impressive and awe-inspiring.

We see the film's impact on their lives, as it consumes their thoughts, actions, personal relationships and even the trajectory of their careers. But they soon realise their remake has one scene missing - the heart-stopping, eye-popping action sequence involving a huge aeroplane fight - the filming of which gives the documentary its compelling climax.

The latter part of the film is when we get to know the adults. Here we see Strompolos and Zala attempting to shoot the final, explosive, plane scene some thirty years later. It's a fascinating observation of dreams deferred coming to fruition, fanboy culture, filmmaking, hero worship, friendship, and sacrifice. We witness the strains it places on their personal lives, the crowd funding problems, and their subsequent fallouts, which adds a level of depth that excellently contrasts the initial lighthearted whimsy.

Raiders! The Story of the Greatest Fan Film Ever Made navigates the rocky terrain of friendship, the pitfalls of obsession and the magic of the movies. It's about that rarest of commodities in the default cynical world - the purity of unadulterated love for something. Above all else, it is the tribute to the power of cinema, the persistence of vision, and the lifelong bonds formed in those carefree, golden days of youth, where optimism and innovation are at their peak, powered by sheer will and boundless creativity.

This film is a homage to the spirit of filmmaking and the enthusiasm that goes behind it, showing us that sometimes our wildest dreams can become our reality. If you are a fan of Indiana Jones, a lover of Spielberg, an aspiring filmmaker, or just someone who relishes human endeavour driven by sheer passion, Raiders! The Story Of The Greatest Fan Film Ever Made is the movie for you.