Pub.lished Movie Reviews
Raiders of the Lost Ark: The Adaptation (1989)
"Raiders of the Lost Ark: The Adaptation" is an independent remake of "Raiders of the Lost Ark."
Yet somehow, this indie remake of Indy is the second-best Indiana Jones film, surpassed only by the original Raiders. Over the span of seven years, three teenagers spent their summers meticulously recreating "Raiders of the Lost Ark" shot for shot.
They did this non-sequentially. This means in one scene, the actors will be eighteen years old, and in the next scene, the actors will be eleven years old.
They filmed this on a budget of almost nothing. The resulting image quality is so poor, you could be forgiven for thinking they used a potato as a lens.
The film was largely forgotten until Eli Roth, who had received a copy of a copy during film school, gave a copy to Harry Knowles. Knowles played the adaptation to fill in time, and the audience loved it.
It ended up making the circuit around various film festivals. Steven Spielberg met the creators, and they filmed a documentary about the one scene they never actually succeeded in recreating, "Raiders!: The Story of the Greatest Fan Film Ever Made."
If you ever get a chance, do see this in a theater. The entire crowd is not just enjoying the movie. Everyone is rooting for the kids to succeed. It is one of the most uplifting experiences you could possibly imagine.
- You prefer high-budget, professional Hollywood productions. This movie is a fan-made adaptation.
- You need high-quality visuals and sound. Due to the low budget and amateur resources, video and audio quality are low.
- You're a stickler for details. As a fan-made recreation, some scenes and details from the original may not be replicated exactly.
- You prefer original stories. The film is a shot-for-shot remake of the original Indiana Jones movie.
- You are not a fan of the adventure genre. The movie follows the same adventurous plot line as the original Raiders of the Lost Ark.
- The movie may not be appropriate for children under the age of 13 due to intense action sequences and some slightly violent content.
Warning: The following may contain spoilers:
What's the deal with "Raiders of the Lost Ark: The Adaptation"? I mean, is it a parody? A tribute? Or just a bunch of kids with too much time on their hands?
This film, if we can call it that, is a shot-for-shot remake of the original Raiders of the Lost Ark, made by three teenagers over the course of seven years. Seven years! I mean, by the time they finished, Spielberg had already made three more Indiana Jones movies, two of which were arguably better than this one!
And I've got to tell you, the special effects are really something... if by "something" you mean "made from household items". There's a scene where they use a dog for a monkey and a cat for a snake. I mean, who needs CGI when you've got a pet store down the street, right?
And don't get me started on the casting. The kids play all the roles themselves. The same kid who plays Indiana Jones also plays the evil Nazi. I mean, talk about a conflict of interest!
Then there's the dialogue. They literally just recorded the movie on VHS and copied the lines. That's like me going up on stage and doing a Jerry Seinfeld routine, word for word. I mean, that's not a performance, that's just plagiarism with extra steps!
So, what's the deal with "Raiders of The Lost Ark: The Adaptation"? It's a love letter to a classic movie, written in crayon on construction paper. But you know what, it's also a testament to the power of creativity, determination, and having absolutely no budget. And for that, I give it two thumbs up... but only if they're covered in popcorn butter and I'm not expected to touch anything afterwards.
- Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
- Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
- Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (2023)
This film is unlike anything you have ever seen, or will ever see, it is a testament to the creativity and dedication of two kids.
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