"That they had a movie playing wasn't a huge surprise; many booths at gaming conventions use them as a gimmick to attract passersby. What was surprising was that it wasn't the typical gamer bait of Street Fighter or Resident Evil or some hacked to ribbons anime, but rather a homebrew homage to Metal Gear Solid. More surprising still was that it was actually quite good; well acted and sharply written, it suffered from none of the self-indulgence and in-jokes that typically plague fan-made films. When I looked up from the DVD, the man who I would later learn was X-Strike's founder was grinning broadly at me. Though he looked exhausted, Tim Ekkebus' enthusiasm for X-Strike's movies radiated out of him in waves that, if properly harnessed, could end our country's dependence on foreign oil."

Susan Arendt speaks to the volunteer indie filmmakers of X-Strike.

X-Striking a Blow for the Fans