[Kurona]

Kamen Rider X Kamen Rider Ghost & Drive: Movie Wars Genesis




So. Uh. Don't like this one either.

It's not War Core, I can definitely say that! After my rewatch of that movie yesterday I think I can certainly say it's my least favourite Rider crossover movie, and perhaps Rider movie just as a whole. And I'm counting the SHTs there. So Genesis is definitely not on that level! ... I just didn't get anything out of it.

Crossovers with series I don't like like Gaim or Drive are off to a bad start in the first place with me, but thankfully one thing I can give this movie is that it's all the things I liked about Drive (wonderful character dynamics, funny character dynamics) without all the flaws; and some of the best scenes in the movie are that cast's interactions with Ghost's, a cast that this rewatch has made me grow a newfound fondness for. There's some ~interesting~ choices such as Makoto just being part of the gang and Steinbelt being around 10 years ago with no emotional pathos and all of three lines, but those aside I could really sum up the best traits of this movie as what I feel are those of Drive's -- it's a very funny movie when it wants to be and I love how Shinnosuke reacts to and bonds with Takeru. Takeru has some very lovely scenes in this with this emotional reactions to seeing his father alive again and wanting to keep him around, and Shinnosuke acting as not just his senior Kamen Rider but as his senior human being who's gone through similar things... it's great. It's a perfect teamup when it wants to be; I recall that in a few future crossover materials Takeru will refer to Shinnosuke in terms of respect and as someone he looks up to, and that's exactly what I get here!

But what makes this movie fail for me, then? Because I've just given a glowing review of most parts of it. ... young Takeru. Like, here's the thing; the whole emotional core of the movie is formed around this 8 year old version of Takeru growing confident in himself and learning to be a ghost hunter so his life can burn bright -- much like W, Drive and Zero-One's crossover movies this is meant to be a movie that provides the series' backstory and a look at what came before with some emotional pathos (and this time time travel) thrown in. The problem for me is that this is exactly what Takeru's arc is in the modern day. It's precisely what I've been loving him for on this rewatch -- his lack of confidence portrayed wonderfully through his acting; his growing to respect himself with friends by his side gently nudging him; eventually living up to the legacy his father left behind. I just don't get anything out of learning that 8 year old takeru already went through that same development - and in VERY bad taste as well when it comes across less as personal growth and more as adults around him guilt tripping a child and thrusting a sword in his hands. I think it would instead have been a better choice to focus on contrasting modern Takeru with past Takeru; showing just how much he's grown and having his father recognise that and be proud of him. But there's no such link, and his father at the end saying "it was me who brought you here and you're great" rings hollow as a result.

Chase is back though! God I love Chase. They really made me cry at him dying AGAIN, huh; bastards these guys are. God I love a good third rider with an emotional journey of learning the best of humanity and arguably becoming the best of them.



Hey, who's that...?