WARNING: The following is a review of the Super Hero Time summer movies; there are SPOILERS! If you don't want to be spoiled, don't continue reading. Otherwise, go right ahead:
Another note- I am starting with the Kyoryuger film, will post Wizard later. Some details may be slightly off, or out of an order; as I'm writing this way after seeing the film
Kyoryuger, Gaburincho of Music:
-Like most Sentai movies of recent years, the Kyoryuger film is too short for my liking. Still a great movie, but I wanted to see more of it. (At least it wasn't Shinkenger length.) I'm hoping for a DC version, like we got with the Go-Busters movie
-The film starts out with the idol Meeko, (real name Mikoto...you'd never suspect her of having any supernatural powers...now would you?), performing a concert.
(Meeko, played by Nakamura Shizuka, http://wiki.d-addicts.com/Nakamura_Shizuka, is about as Eye Candy as you can get for a kids movie. This movie was very Leggy....and I'm okay with it:)
The concert, featuring the song "Dino Soul" (we'll talk music later on), is rudely interrupted by the Deiboss army; specifically a whole bunch of Zorima, and two new female baddies- Ashi and Lemunea, whose names are taken from "legs" and "chest" respectively. I told you...eye candy abounds in this film.
Anyway, the Zorima scare up the crowd, and the evil duo manage to capture the scrambling idol on stage. It would seem that Meeko has a power that the duo's boss needs to exact his plans
(Take note- if your name has the term "Miko" in it, you will likely be targeted by evil forces.)
The "Dino Girls" (Ashi and Lemunea) go from scary hot to just scary, their eyes temporarly flipping back in their heads to reveal more reptilian eye features. Their catchphrase throughout the movie is "Let's make everyone despair."
Almost as if on cue, we hear "Kyoryu Change!". One by one, the team, in civilian form, appear and do battle with the Zorima in their respective fashions. (Ian saves some girls, then hits on the girls; Nossan does some wrestling moves and makes bad jokes; Amy gives us a round of kicking...cause you know, leg shots; Souji takes out some baddies with his Caliber.) This leaves Daigo to rush the stage and start fighting single-handely (well, he does have his Gaburevolver!), with the two girls. Meeko gives an expression that she knows Daigo in the course of the fight (the action in this film is awesome!)
After Daigo manages to free Meeko, the other Kyoryuger rush on stage to join him. The Dino Girls ask the ill fated "Who are you supposed to be?" to our heroes, and they finish by answering "fire". The team changes into armor amidst the cheers from the crowd. Daigo is told to get Meeko out of there; the others will take care of the baddies.
As they run away, Meeko looses a fang shaped necklace.The others take on the Dino Girls in a pretty spectacular fight; now in a warehouse. For the most part, the Kyoryuger get their buts whooped. Amy notices Meeko's necklace on the floor.
Now safe in a forest somewhere, Diago cancels his transformation and we learn about the relationship between he and Meeko. Daigo met her while traveling around the world. His dream was to follow the "Path of the Dragon" and hers was to be an idol. Meeko notices her necklace is M.I.A., calling it her treasure,but just then the pair is attacked by an unknown assailant.
Daigo identifies the origin of the attack, and much to his chagrin, comes face to face with Deathryuger, who when asks, identifies himself as such. "I'm Deathryuger. Also known as D."
Here's the short version- D is an ancient warrior, who's trying to resurrect a weapon (Tobaspino.) Meeko has the power to do so. Daigo, not one to let his friends be kidnapped and/or used, is quick to change into armor again. Daigo and D have a really awesome and brutal fight, with D able to throw his flute weapon much like Rouki in Gaoranger. (Also, D's awesome theme is played- "Senritsu to Senritsu D no Tema")
While Daigo isn't exactly loosing, he's still getting beaten around by D, and it doesn't help matters when the others show up fighting the Dino Girls.
D manages to get hold of Meeko, The 5 heroes try the KentroSpiker move, but D counters their "Brave Finish" with his own "Deiboss Finish". The blow is so strong it knocks them out of their transformation. D and his flunkies take Meeko away, somewhere.
In a nearby museum, Torin recounts an old tale to the Kyoryuger (backdropped by the dinosaur bones of the museum including a Spinosaurus skeleton when Tobaspino is mentioned.) A long time ago, the first ZyuDenRyu, Tobaspino, was completed by Torin. Learning of this, Chaos (i.e. Deivoss) created the first Knight to counter its' power. (That would be D) When the world was truly in danger, and it looked like Tobaspino would loose, a young Miko appeared and her song gave incredible power to the dinosaur; allowing it to seemingly destroy D. (Note- the song used by the ancient Miko is also "Dino Soul" but the lyrics are ancient-esque.)
Meanwile, at the Deivoss lair, Candylila, Luckyuro and Aigaron perform what can only be explained as an "Idol Group Video". (Name of the song is "Kokoro no Sukima World.") While I'm always a fan of Candy and Lucky's antics, Aigaron singing and dancing with them was a bit...frightening. Funny...but frightening.
After they finish, it is clear that they were singing to congratulate Deathryuger. D is essentially flaunting his victory, saying how awesome he is. Dogold doesn't much care for him, as his power is pretty much a facade- The Deathryuger batteries he uses were made by Chaos. In any case, D is made to continue his plans, which he is happy to do. Nothing complicated- he's looking to bring despair to everyone, and destroy the world.Meeko is seen strung up inside the Tobaspino cockpit, which is more "Ancient Temple" than "control room", though the podium is just like the other cockpits.
In the mix, D, flanked by his girls, tells Meeko that he'll use her power to fulfill his plans; and he's essentially going to drain her like a battery until she's dead. As the rangers are leaving the museum with Torin, the ground shakes, and out comes Tobaspino. Tobaspino's eyes change color as D throws him one of the Deivoss batteries.
In the cockpit of evil, D uses his Boomerang-flute to suck the life energy/musical ability out of Meeko (much like Basco using his trumpet.) He's then able to play the melody of Dino Soul, and control the dino.
The rangers are quick to change into armor, and are immediately joined by the 5 main dinos. However, they're pretty much useless against Tobaspino who just thrashes them, jumping on the sides of buildings and pretty much laying waste to nearby area. Even Gabutyra is having a rough time.
It's stated that Ucchi is off tending to Pteragoudon- I'm not sure if this was a cut scene; or if the film takes place right after Ucchi's joing of the team. Without Pteragoudon, and not having Plezuon yet, the team is kind of in a bind.
Then, out of nowhere, Ankydon and Bunpachy charge Tobaspino. Valiant...but a terrible idea. The rangers can only watch in terror as D calls for "Forced Biting Combination"; Tobaspino starts transforming, and Ankydon and Bunpachy, who were biting at him, are caught up within the transformation. SpinDaiOh stands tall, armed to the teeth, against the Kyoryuger.
Gabutyra tries his best to fight the robot, but he's knocked down fast. Then, the Kyoryuger try and fight, but they are repeatedly beaten down and knocked out of armor. Daigo is so badly beaten that he gets launched in the air and sent flying into the forest. The surrounding area collapses as SpinDaiOh moves out.
By the shore, SpinDaiOh causes ancient-looking pillars to rise out of the ground. Using his powers, D has SpinDaiOh create a giant energy mass. It looks like the Spirit Bomb, but purple and evil. Essentially, if this thing goes off- bye bye world.
Ian, Souji and Nossan rise from the rubble; not really hurt too bad, but still knocked down. Ian begins singing "Dino Soul" and the others soon join in, trying to rouse their spirits. At the same time, Amy is singing the same song, looking for Daigo. She eventually finds him by the river. Daigo comments on the fact that she knows Meeko's song, but Amy replies that Meeko is a superstar- everyone in the world knows the song.
Amy gives Daigo Meeko's necklace, saying that he needs to be the one to return it to her.
Daigo finally explains the details. The necklace was a present from him to Meeko, as sort of a parting gift. When Daigo told Meeko about his dream in the past, she composed "Dino Soul" about/for him, but also because she wanted to bring people happiness with her dream.
With SpinDaiOh draining Meeko to power the death ball, and the robot essentially being on Autopilot, D is marching around (perhaps trying to finish off the Kyoryuger or other humans in general.) He, and his group of Deivoss, come face to face with Ucchi.
D asks him what he thinks he can do "alone." Ucchi, of course, says he's not alone, and the other 5 rangers come running out into the quarry to stand with Ucchi. What happens next is standard (and thus of course awesome) Koichi choreography magic. The fighting is awesome. Daigo and D fight each other on bikes. The others take on the Dino Girls while Ucchi takes on his usual enemies, the Cambrima.
The Dino Girls fight fierce, but this is Super Sentai, and teamwork proves to be their demise. They get killed rather apologetically. Though I was a bit unclear, it seems they were monsters made via D, like the DeivoMonsters are to the core Knights.
The fight eventually leads into a full scale dino robot VS dino robot death match, among the pillars and giant energy ball, with Kyoryujin taking on SpinDaiOh. Of course, Kyoryujin isn't exactly a match for the new robo, so the rangers up it to Raiden Kyoryujin, all 6 aboard. The fighting is amazing, and dizzying. The effects remind me of the fight in the Gokaiger movie. SpinDaiOh uses his boomerang, hammer and mace arms to flail at Raiden, while the Rangers dodge in and out of the pillars. They're not great effects, but they're pretty dang awesome.
Daigo, cause he's Red, and Meeko's friend, breaks into the cockpit of Tobaspino. It's time for the final match between these two, with Meeko life in the balance. The two go head-to-head, and it is violent. Punches, kicks, weapons getting knocked away. D does the usual cursing out of humans as Daigo starts to get beaten back. Daigo is able to land a stinging hit to D, breaking his helmet off and revealing his true Deiboss Form. D does not like this (it seems he kind of wants to be considered humanoid, even though he hates humans. He's an interesting weird character.) D, infuriated, starts beating the crap out of Daigo. Just when he is about to loose, he somehow gets Meeko her neckless, and she is able to sing for him.
Daigo gets all pumped up, and Double Arms On, gaining the use of Double Gabutyra Fangs. He knocks D out of Tobaspino and while the two are fighting in mid-air, Daigo is able to pull of a Brave Finish, and with that, D is gone, and Tobaspino (and Meeko) are saved! But...
The energy that SpinDaiOh had gathered is still about to blow. The rangers jump from Raiden Kyoryujin into SpinDaiOh. Together, Meeko and the Kyoryuger sing Dino Soul, which boosts the robot's power. SpinDaiOh uses its Brave Finish to completely decimate the energy ball.
The rangers, safely returning Meeko to her concert, allow Daigo to say his goodbyes. Daigo gives Meeko the Tobaspino ZyuDenChi, and Tobaspino and Meeko leave. As usual, there is hinted romantic interest between Meeko and Daigo.
The movie itself :
A-, the movie is great, the action is great, but it is too short
The characters:
B, D is a great villain but he doesn't get enough time to shine because of the movie length. He's sort of like a mash up of all the anti-rangers/evil rangers we've had over the years, and it's an appreciated reference. The Dino Girls are hot, and make for awesome fights, but again, I would have liked to see them more. These 3? I wouldn't mind if they somehow got resurrected in the show.
The music:
As has been the case- all the songs in the movie are catchy. I think it being billed as a "musical" is a bit over deserved, as the only song that the rangers sing is Dino Soul, and given that the song powers Tobaspino, it's not exactly a musical interlude; it's plot. Aigaron in Idol Video mode was disturbing, but funny.
All in all, it was a good time. I apologize if I got anything wrong, or mixed up timing. I'll try and do Wizard's movie if I get the chance.
