Series Finale...finale...finnnnaaaaalle. Remember when a show's last episode ended and by extension that was probably the last time we would see them. For toku's that's sort of weird. Yeah today, a sentai will get a vs movie that see's last year team teaming up with the current team, and by extension rider get's movie wars and generation. But that was mostly it for a while, actor's often moved on to bigger and better things or just move on from acting entirely. Their have been the exceptions, very few. Kamen Rider Den-o has had one of the most healthy post season lifelines with numerous films and appearences and a few years later, W saw two full length V-cinema film released a few years after its series finale, but those were the outliers. Then 2015 happened and Gaim started a trend that is seemingly still done to this day of squeezing a couple more films out of series by focusing on the secondary and even tertiary riders to the literally everything else. Ever since Gaim its now more common for series finale's to not be the last time we see these cast's in Kamen rider, because trust me, their will be post-season films. Which leads us to Kamen Rider Drive Saga, Drive's spin off films (and accomyping CD drama.) which gave focus to not only Chase and Go, but Heart also was apparently set to become a rider too, that's neat. Today's review is focused on Kamen Rider chaser, which see's everyone's favorite robot grim reaper turned adorkable stoic taking center stage and it's ummm... its a trip
An undisclosed amount of time after the Paradox Roidmude incident (the film makes references to that film placing it right after that.) Chase is dealing with a roidmude who, ironically he had dealt with as mashin chaser, who is robbing a bank. During the fight, a civilian is injured by the roidmude in order to give him time to escape only to all of a sudden be attacked by a silver feather, initally thinking it was one of Chase's allies it soon revealed to be a woman who claims to be a friend to all Roidmude's. While Shinnosuke and Chase go to find the Roidmude, Chase cares for the civilian who tells him her name is Hinako Tamiya. Wanting to atone for failing to protect her, Chase decides to protect her little brother Hiroshi, only to run into the issue that he finds him creepy. Wishing for emotions, he gets them from that woman, whom implants a feather that gives him emotions. But of course beneath this benevolence lies an evil plan that will force Chase to decide between his new emotions or saving the world.
Remember he died for your sins
This movie issss... weird to say the least, its not bad per se, their is some things to enjoy here, people who want more of their stoic robo boy will enjoy it, even seeing it's actors, who had been limited in acting capabilities get's to show off more of his emotions here now given the emotions of a human, and as Angel stands against what Heart believes roidmudes, it gives some time for Heart to also come into shine as the continued MVP of Drive, with Brain along for the ride to round out the original trio of roidmudes. And speaking of a villain, Angel is decent, standing opposite of the roidmudes individuality in a standard law conforming everyone into thinking similarly, though she does only work as a one-off villain... Oh yeah and for people who thought chase was hot he get's two shirtless scenes, and for the boy's and lesbian's in the crowd Angel also get's a topless scene, from the back though.
The big issue with this film... is its tone. Chaser's tone goes to all kinds of extreme's in its hour and half time. From the light hearted to the scenes ranging from the quartet of Tomari, the Shijima siblings, and belt-san shocked by the Chase's new emotions and spraying their milk, juice and whatever Belt-san is drinking (yeah even he spits don't ask me) All over Go, To much more serious affair that feels out of the most artsy of films with the aforementioned topless scene. This makes the whole thing... confused, trying to best mix drive's early goofiness with the its more dramatic second half but it doesn't do well to play into either, making some of its funny moment odd, and its attempt at dramatic moments feel narmy when you remember that this film ends with our robot pal carving out the feather in his chest in a rather obvious allegory for him tearing his heart out, it would be poignant if it wasn't so on the noise.
A false messiah... have I been a bit heavy handed with the religious overtones
Though of course their is the sub-plot going on while this whole roidmude civil war is occuring. So the reason why Go and Shinnosuke are a bit too busy to help with this is due in part to a body being found on the border between Tokyo and Futo city of all places, and the two police departments are stuck in a deadlock of who has jurisdiction over the case, which brings them into conflict with Kamen rider Accel, detective Ryu Terui, as the two try to work with him only to come in conflict with his rather cold personality. This is arguably my favorite part of the film. Yes it's because I have a soft spot for W as the first Kamen Rider I watched, and seeing any kind of representation from it is nice, but arguably the bits we get are the best natural comedy in the film and seeing Drive, Mach, and Accel fighting the amalgamation of roidmude and Dopant arguably is the highlight. Yes, it has nothing to do with the main plot and is their to give the other rider's something to do to take them out until the end but, dang it it's more W and Futo P.I better be good.
From one red detective rider to another
CONCLUSION
Drive Saga: Chaser is... not bad. It does have its moments here and their but like with say W's Eternal and skull movies, they give us more of great characters, but it doesn't feel like the most necessary thing. Considering how his story wrapped rather nicely in the main series this is for people who want a bit more insight into chase and extension the roidmudes, and while the Ryu stuff is really good. Its a tonally confused film that feels at time's a bit heavy handed in some of it's imagery. But in terms of gaiden stories. Its not the worse one and it is ride I will remember.
FINAL GRADE: C+
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