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07-05-2023, 10:50 PM | #651 |
Kamen Ride Or Die
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KAMEN RIDER REVICE: FINAL STAGE
Y’know, not bad. I honestly find the pace of Final Stages to be a little taxing. I was stopping this thing after 15 minutes, then after 25 minutes, then after 30 minutes. It’s these really long fight scenes against mooks and grunts, and I just… I am not a child with a glow stick in a Japanese theater? I don’t find it that thrilling, honestly. It’s good for what it’s trying to do – and there’s some very inventive uses of screens and costume changes in this one – but it’s a more minimal level of storytelling than what I need to get engaged. This one, however, had a pretty solid story? The specifics are Final Stage-level dumb (Wakabayshi’s heretofore unmentioned overseas twin brother), but I really liked the story this stage show decided to tell. It’s all about how we deal with loss, and the danger of letting memory drive us to abandon our future. It’s also a nice way of honoring Vice’s sacrifice, and not undoing it too quickly. (I imagine that’s what the Geats movie is for!) Vade and Ikki are both hurting after a family member’s death/”death”, but while Ikki tries to lead a happy life the way Vice wanted, Vade blames the world for what he’s lost. (He’s hurting, so I know he’s not acting rationally, but targeting Daiji and Hiromi specifically is a pretty big leap, revenge-wise. Fenix is gone! Commander Chameleon is dead! Akaishi, who set this all up, is dead! Giff is dead! You are grasping at some straws here, my dude!) It’s this sweet little story about how not to lose yourself in grief, and how to take that energy and try and make something new. Like a new suit! Two new suits in this one, Shin Revice and Vade, but they’re obviously both Revice repaints. They’re okay, but nothing on the level of Tassel Dark from the Saber stage show. Light repaints, nothing too clever or unexpected. And that’s sort of this stage show? It’s a lot of lights and smoke and action, which I get bored watching, but then a nice little emotional epilogue for Ikki tucked inside of it. Didn’t hit me super hard emotionally (not like Sakura and Hana, who were visibly tearing up as they waved goodbye at the end), but I thought this was a solid coda for the Revice TV show.
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07-06-2023, 02:43 AM | #652 |
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Yeah, I thought this was thoroughly ok more than anything. I like the retooled new Deadman monsters and the rather creative Revice Shin suit. But other than that, not much to talk about. But it is better than much of the show.
And my personal main gripe was the sound mixing during the final battle, which made the jingle for the True Rex Vistamp impossible to hear. But I did get a kick out of Sakura complaining that George never made her a power-up… before pulling out her own power-up. Ikki: It’s Ikki’s Stamp Navi. Everyone, I hope you enjoyed our Final Stage. Because now we’re going to close it off with a look at this special Vistamp. True Rex! Synchro Up! OK! Printing! Rex! Calling! Kamen Rider! Revi! Vice! Revice! Shin! George: This Vistamp is Ikki’s Rex Vistamp, enhanced by the traces of Vice’s DNA left within Ikki. With this, he can transform into Kamen Rider Revice Shin, gaining 100% output with himself. This mean, he can continue to fight for (the True Rex stamp glows) world peac… (the stamp then turns back into Rex). It appears that this was just a temporary thing. Ikki: So, I’m back to being useless by myself. George: No, no, no! I’m going to boost your output so you’ll be able to fight the next time a threat emerges. After all, we still have that large glowing Giff-shaped hole in the sky. And who knows, maybe Olteca will try something. (Enter Tamaki and Hikaru) Hikaru: Sorry we’re late, the crowd at the idol live was way too big to move in. Tamaki: But now we’re here to… George: Too late, fools. (Both turn and walk away, dejected) Ikki: Everyone, thanks for supporting Kamen Rider Revice for the last year. Me and my family couldn’t have made far without your support. Hana: Way to snub me, George, Hiromi and Hikaru. Tamaki, not so much. Ikki: I’ll say it again. (He goes and hugs George and Hana) Me and my family. George: Ohhh! Hana: Well your mother did ask me if I’d like to be godmother to your new baby sibling when they’re born. Guess I have to accept now. Ikki: Wait, wha-? Lights go out. |
07-06-2023, 11:01 AM | #653 |
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And thanks for the fun skit!
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07-06-2023, 10:30 PM | #654 |
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KAMEN RIDER GEATS X REVICE: MOVIE BATTLE ROYALE
Ah, Movie Wars. I can’t say I’ve missed them? They’re an interesting enough remnant of Phase 2 Heisei: a transitional state from Phase 1’s non-canonical summer movies to the eventual Winter Crossover movie and Summer Double-Feature adventures. They were this tentative half-step, where the old show gets some additional closure, the new show gets a low-stakes one-off battle, and the fans get to see a brief team-up between the two title Riders. But inevitably, they turned into the more viscerally entertaining Heisei Generations events, where we got one complete story built out of two different casts and concepts. I don’t want to play the It Was Better Back In My Day card, but – Heisei Generations Final rendered Movie Wars permanently obsolete by being the best Kamen Rider movie of all time. Doing a split epilogue/team-up movie afterwards just seems limited, and wasteful. Which is sort of how Movie Battle Royale felt for me, sadly. I liked the individual components well enough in isolation. Revice got to tell a story about the ways families change and grow without losing their power or substance; and Geats got to tell a story about the difference between fighting for a reward, and being rewarded for fighting. Those are perfect themes for each section to explore, but they never really add up to one complete story. The Revice part just feels like a prologue for the Geats part, and the Geats part barely feels like a Revice story. They don’t… they don’t mesh, really at all. Honestly, the Geats part gets more juice out of its Very Special Legend Rider Guest Stars than it does Ikki and Vice, who are mostly treated like a MOTW victim to be saved. Like, the Ryuki cast makes perfect sense in the back half of the film, as a way of contrasting Ace and the gang’s motivations against those of the villains from Ryuki. Ace fights to achieve a goal, while Asakura and Ryuga fight for pointless things like Power and More Fighting and Destruction. They’re destined to lose to heroes like Revi and Geats, because they inherently lack the vision of a world beyond survival and death. In the most delicious irony, Seeker is a construction-themed villain who doesn’t know how to build a better world. The thematic coherence on the latter half of this film is Geats in its goddamn zone. (Even the Desire Royale stuff is typically smart commentary from Geats. The Desire Grand Prix represents the way culture and influence commodify our desires; how they sell us our dreams and profit off of our hopes. The Desire Royale is that concept curdled into nihilism: the way hollow, pointless entertainment tells us that hopes and dreams are ridiculous notions in a world of abject cruelty. Also, Tsumuri looks great in her redesign.) The Revice bits, though… I just wish they felt less perfunctory, or irrelevant? The cast integration is pretty fun, but Ikki and Vice’s story only ever feels like a runner, and the circumstances of Vice’s resurrection and disintegration lack the compelling details that help make it all feel less authorial in its payoff. Vice comes back because Ikki will do anything to save his family? Fine. I get that Ikki can’t miss a partner he doesn’t remember, but it still sort of sucks that Vice’s big return has such an Any Devil In A Storm feeling to it, instead of an Ankh-esque reunion moment. But Vice leaving again because it was a limited-time miracle? And Ikki’s going to lose his memories again, despite that only ever being a thing from the last contract? It never comes off like an established turn in the story, just a contrivance to put Revice back where the movie found it. I mean, why can’t Ace’s wish be that Vice sticks around? Why vanish Vice for a second time, when you could leave Revice fans with a happy ending? It feels forced, and it’s hard for even a Revice fan like me to defend. And, ha ha, that’s this movie! I enjoyed Revice, Geats is my favorite Kamen Rider show of all time, and this movie doesn’t really do either of them any favors. The Revice parts don’t add anything to the Geats story, and the Geats parts don’t really add anything to the Revice story. I wish this had been two movies, or, honestly, maybe just the Geats movie. (It does not help that the Revice villains are total ciphers, and don’t feel like either Revice or Geats characters. I think they’ve got a LunaTrigger and HeatMetal thing going on, which is maybe a Movie War reference? At best?) What I got didn’t exactly do justice to two shows I like a whole lot, and that’s a bummer. At least Neon and Sakura got to hang out, though!
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07-07-2023, 02:47 AM | #655 |
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I mean, given that Revice’s whole ending was about how Ikki needed to overcome his reliance on Vice to grow up, bringing him back for good would feel like they’d were reneging on that. This movie basically has his appearance fall under “sometimes, you have to ask for help”.
As for the Geats half… I liked the part where it’s just Michinaga and Vice on the train, complaining about how dying sucks and coming back afterwards is exhausting. I also liked the implication that Ace has kept every Buckle he’s used in the past, or were used in past DGPs. (Since aside from Beat, that’s what the Buckles he’s shown to have fall under) And now for some production stuff. The baby playing Koshiro belonged to a production assistant. Despite spending a lot of time with the younger actors, he actually was more calm with the actors playing Genta and Yukimi. Everyone else couldn’t make him stop crying. A lot of the Baby Devil’s dialogue (in all honestly, I have no idea how a demon born from a baby can speak fluently) was ad-libbed in post, hence why there’s little reaction to it. During the commentary, the guy playing Ace gave away the twist that his characters longevity is due to reincarnation rather than immortality by mentioning that it was Ace Garfield that knew Shakespeare personally. And Keiwa’s inner demon was an idea devised by the director, meant purely to hint at Keiwa going down a darker path. And yet, there are a few people expecting him to return in Geats proper, despite inner demons being a Revice-specific thing. Tamaki: It’s Tamaki’s and… Hana: Hana’s… Both: Stamp Navi. George: Wow, I’m really stuck with you two for this? Hana: Well everyone else took off after that guy in the mask who abducted Koshiro. I’d love to have joined them, but as the commander of a peacekeeping agency, I can’t really join them and go gallivanting off. Tamaki: But that just means you’re here to help me cover my Vistamp. Giraffa! Dazzling fire! Dazzling fight! Giraffa! Tamaki: After Karizaki trashed the Kuwagata Vistamp as Juuga, he built this to replace it. Hana: And because of that, you’re still a Rider. Just with a slightly different name, colour scheme and helmet. Delete Up! Unknown. (Unknowns) Unrest. (Confusion) Unlimited. (Exceed it) Kamen Rider Get Over Demons! George: This Rider is the ultimate form of Demons. Taking combat date from Demons, Vail, Over Demons, the Demons Troopers and Destream allowed me to create the ultimate form of the Demons Driver. Truly wonder- But he gets interrupted by a mask latching onto his face, before changing his clothes to a more 18th century style. Vision Driver: Hacking On! Crack Start! (Colus then steps forward) Tamaki: That guy who took Koshiro. Colus: You work for me now, Mr. Karizaki. I’d like to use your vast knowledge of Kamen Riders to provide some insight to my viewers at home. George: Yessir. (Both he and Colus then teleport out) Tamaki: Should we go after them? Hana: Like I said, I’m a big shot Commander now. I have other duties to attend to (she walks off) Tamaki: (shrugs) I guess it’s up to Ikki and the others then. (He also walks off) Last edited by Androzani84; 11-09-2023 at 09:06 AM.. |
07-07-2023, 10:46 AM | #656 |
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I mean, given that Revice?s whole ending was about how Ikki needed to overcome his reliance on Vice to grow up, bringing him back for good would feel like they?d were reneging on that. This movie basically has his appearance fall under ?sometimes, you have to ask for help?.
But thanks for the fun skit!
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07-07-2023, 11:06 AM | #657 |
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Not much I can add here.
Very meh movie, especially the Revice part. It's antagonists are aliens Giff wronged in the past, which, interesting idea, but... nothing is done with it. And the less said about the baffling Vice mechanics, the better. I like the Geats part, but it's probably one of the weaker parts of the show still. I get what they were going for with resurecting the movie war format hear and it's cute, but it's a relic of a bygone era. It's one of the better ones but I hope it stays a novelty. In general, on par with Generations Final, enjoyable popcorn cinema if you don't think too much about it. A solid 6. Next!
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07-07-2023, 06:26 PM | #658 |
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Since Geats isn't done yet and you've reviewed all of the Heisei and Reiwa shows up to Revice, I was wondering if you are going to wait till Geats is over or you're going to review it anyway whenever you are ready since it's ending soon anyway. If you plan on waiting for it to end to begin your review of it I was wondering how you would feel about reviewing older stuff like Kamen Rider Black.
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07-07-2023, 06:34 PM | #659 |
Kamen Ride Or Die
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Quote:
Quote:
Since Geats isn't done yet and you've reviewed all of the Heisei and Reiwa shows up to Revice, I was wondering if you are going to wait till Geats is over or you're going to review it when your ready since it's ending soon anyway. If you plan on waiting for it to end to begin your review of it I was wondering how you would feel about reviewing older stuff like Kamen Rider Black.
I will say that Geats (and Gotchard etc) is way off in the future. I think doing these types of threads so close to the airdates maybe is not the right context for my approach? Distance allows for a little more evenhandedness, and the wounds of a show's mistakes become less intense with the addition of time. I got plenty of other stuff lined up, though! I hope folks are interested in what the next phase of these threads look like on Monday!
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07-07-2023, 06:40 PM | #660 |
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REVICE FORWARD: KAMEN RIDER LIVE & EVIL & DEMONS
Golly, was that not a very smart movie. It works emotionally, at several points, but it’s such a phenomenally dumb movie at so many other points that it’s hard to say this one ended up working for me. Most of the revelations are just things we already saw the characters overcome on Revice (or Dear GaGa), and the end result is, like, a Director’s Cut of a finale to the character arcs of Daiji and Hiromi. The one fresh thing in here is, perhaps unsurprisingly, the best thing this movie has going for it: Rumi and Hiromi’s bond. Way more than new suits (hideous) and an EP’s worth of new songs (not my thing), the addition of a niece for Hiromi is a legitimate evolution of his character, and an exciting concept to explore in a film. We’ve seen Hiromi as a son, and as a Work Dad, but what is he like with a child to protect? What does that do to his sense of responsibility? How does that interact with his new outlook on supporting others, rather than charging recklessly into battle? Sadly, we don’t get nearly as much of this as I’d like. Rumi ends up getting yoinked for good by the villains/Kagerou (...it’s complicated) midway through the film, which gives us a huge chunk of the story where the best part is absent. But when the story slows down a bit for Rumi and Hiromi to connect, it’s ridiculously watchable. The way she calls him Uncle, because he’s old! The way he keeps trying to say he’s only 28! It’s adorable, and I wish these two had been the entire movie. They are the spark that kept me watching this movie, even during its darkest moments. Which would be the majority of this film’s mystery/plot, which was at once blindingly obvious, and absolutely absurd. Like, I never for a second thought Muramasa was Hiromi’s devil. For one, everything Kagerou (forever the voice of reason) points out via flashbacks: Hiromi’s devil was seen and destroyed in the first episode of Revice; while some people can generate a new devil, it’s not heart-on-their-sleeve goodies like Hiromi; we never saw it happen, so why are we taking Muramasa’s word for it. For another, the Chameleon Vistamp is right there in the opening sequence. The Chameleon Vistamp, which was integral for switching out Wakabayashi with a duplicate in Revice. It all adds up, and it’s frustrating to watch the movie insist It’s Definitely A Devil for so long when it’s obviously not. It requires no one to trust Hiromi, which is a huge thematic thing in the film, and it also requires multiple characters to be morons, which is not as much of a theme. (It’s more of a motif.) Sakura, Hana, and Tamaki watch a Hiromi that’s dressed up like a gangster change his hair and eye color while calling a wounded Hiromi a devil, and they’re all like YES KILL immediately. It’s dumb, and most of this plot is dumb. Until it becomes absurd, like when the answer turns out to be clones?! Clones, everyone’s clones, the mystery was clones, I hate it. I get why it’s clones thematically – the point is that there’s a difference between a duplicate and a part of you, which is integral for Daiji/Kagerou’s arc. It just feels unbelievably out of left field, and nothing that necessarily feels logical to guess from earlier in the story. The idea of a movie that’s about seeing characters like Kagerou as an aspect of Daiji, rather than an evil twin or whatever… I don’t think that was a thing we needed to learn? I feel like that’s a huge part of Daiji’s arc from Revice, and the introduction of Eviltytlive is built on the idea that Daiji now sees the value and necessity of Kagerou in his life. I don’t know why Revice Forward thought we needed to hear that lesson all over again, alongside Wakabayashi yet again becoming a Force Ghost to tell Hiromi the same lesson he learned back on the Revice TV show, but I guess it fits alongside this film’s use of so much footage from Revice. Jesus, it’s so much archival footage. Characters couldn’t get two sentences into a story without a clip show being generated. If the producers had felt like the characters needed more of their backstory explained (I disagree, but) I wish they’d’ve found some way to make it organic to the scene, rather than making me sit through Ikki and Vice’s final battle, when Vice isn’t even in this movie. This story’s emotions did not need nearly so much explanation. So, yeah, I don’t think this one worked, structurally. Hiromi and Rumi are fantastic, but the character arcs are retreads, the villains don’t make a lot of sense, and the new suits are garish in the wrong ways. It’s also at least ten minutes too long, for what the narrative requires. Hopefully the inevitable Revice Forward: Jeanne & Aguilera & Over Demons comes up with a plot that’s a little smarter!
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