After watching a shitload of Ultraman movies, I decided to keep the Tokusatsu train going by watching some Kamen Rider movies. I have to admit before starting this review that I’m not well-versed in Kamen Rider lore. I’ve enjoyed episodes of the original series and dug the new Shin Kamen Rider, but I haven’t seen any of the more recent shows. That probably explains why I was so goddamned confused watching this.
A green cyclone brings a little boy to Earth. He is pursued by an evil “Time Jacker” and it’s up to various Kamen Riders to save him. The problem is, after they’ve been on Earth too long, they develop amnesia and forget they’re really grasshopper-powered motorcycle-riding superheroes. The Kamen Riders must regain their memories and eventually team up to take the bad guy down.
Imagine if you tried to watch Spider-Man: No Way Home and you were only familiar with the ‘60s cartoon show, and that might give you an idea of how I felt watching this. I mean, No Way Home at least tries to set everything up for the audience on the off chance they didn’t see the originals. This one does little to catch newcomers up to speed. Because of that, the only thing you have to hang your hat on are the fight scenes.
Even the fights are lackluster and unsatisfying though. Most of the problem stems from having too many Riders wearing ever-evolving armor. Because of that, it gets hard to tell who’s who. Likewise, the fights themselves are interchangeable and unmemorable too. (I did like the one fight that featured Batman-style cartoon bubbles though.)
Once we finally get an explanation of what’s going on, it’s depressingly juvenile, even for a movie about guys in bug suits who ride motorcycles. And to make matters worse, there’s very little of that either. We finally do get some motorcycle action near the end, but by then, it’s too little too late. Like the amnesiac characters in the film, you’ll probably have no memory of what just happened after you watch it.
i'm not too well versed in Kamen Rider but still enjoyed this.
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