Overall : B+
Story : B
Art : A
Music : B.
Like with Shin Ultraman-the last tokusatsu re-imaging penned by Evangelion creator Hideaki Anno-Shin Kamen Rider feels like it should have been a mini-series rather than a movie. The film is split into five distinct acts, each with its own largely self-contained plot and a mutant cyborg to be defeated. Unfortunately, the 120-minute nature of the film means that not all of them get the time they need. This is most apparent at the start of the film, where the origin of Kamen Rider, the backstory exposition dump, and the first big battle are all crammed into the first 15 minutes.
Overall, Shin Kamen Rider is a solid film and a love letter to one of the grandfathers of tokusatsu TV shows. Clearly, everyone involved with this film had a real passion for their work and what came before. While it has problems in pacing due to its insistence on following an episodic format, it also has the best character work and emotional moments seen in any of the three "Shin" tokusatsu films. Whether you're a Kamen Rider fan or not, if you've enjoyed Evangelion, Shin Godzilla, or Shin Ultraman, this film is worth watching.
Like with Shin Ultraman-the last tokusatsu re-imaging penned by Evangelion creator Hideaki Anno-Shin Kamen Rider feels like it should have been a mini-series rather than a movie. The film is split into five distinct acts, each with its own largely self-contained plot and a mutant cyborg to be defeated. Unfortunately, the 120-minute nature of the film means that not all of them get the time they need. This is most apparent at the start of the film, where the origin of Kamen Rider, the backstory exposition dump, and the first big battle are all crammed into the first 15 minutes.
Overall, Shin Kamen Rider is a solid film and a love letter to one of the grandfathers of tokusatsu TV shows. Clearly, everyone involved with this film had a real passion for their work and what came before. While it has problems in pacing due to its insistence on following an episodic format, it also has the best character work and emotional moments seen in any of the three "Shin" tokusatsu films. Whether you're a Kamen Rider fan or not, if you've enjoyed Evangelion, Shin Godzilla, or Shin Ultraman, this film is worth watching.