This isn't really a Kamen Rider movie, though it definitely feels like one, which is still a good thing. Thankfully, the movie avoids being an origin-story take and gets right into why NEVER does what they do. NEVER was the villain group is W FOREVER, and they were bad to the bone. Didn't take anything from anyone, except lives. This movie instead follows a mission they were on as mercenaries and the events that ensue. The movie begins with Daido, NEVER's leader, as he finds Reika, the girl of the group. She is set to be executed and she dies trying to escape. No problem for a NEVER, though. With a special serum, corpses are able to be brought back to life and essentially gain immortality.
In contrast to Accel's cop-mystery setting, this movie is a warlike which fits the characters extremely well. Of course, since the movie is not a mystery, the villain is revealed right away. I don't want to get into too much detail since the movie is really something that should be enjoyed while being viewed. I will say that it deals with a concentration camp of sorts and a certain event at the end will really tug at your heartstrings. Not a tearjerker, but pretty damn close.
Characters
Given that many of the characters in this film were already introduced in something prior, there needed to be characterization for each of them to make this movie interesting. This is one of the points where the movie is weak, I think. Daido is great and his motivations are made very clear throughout, though the small amount of time we get to see the rest of his gang's past isn't the greatest it could have been. Reika gets some nice time too, as she is with Daido the most.
The villain, Eyes Dopant, is someone you are going to loathe. And for good reason. Mina is also a good character, and she's a previous tokusatsu actor, which was cool to see.
Thankfully, there are no big mysteries to solve in this movie so that leaves more time for you to appreciate what happens to these people and why you should root for them in their own movie, because you sure as hell weren't going to in W FOREVER. Daido really is a hero, even if it's not the way you might think.
Music
There are a few new tracks I noticed, one a remix of one of my favorite BGMs from the show. Pretty cool. Other than that, it was all recycled tracks, but the music just works well and doesn't detract from the experience. cod-E ~E's Sophia~, the ending theme of the movie, is very good and details Daido's life and what he's been through. Just another good part of a great movie.
Action
One W scene here, at the very beginning. While it was cool, it won't be on your mind ten minutes later in the movie where the real action starts. As I said, this is a wartime flick and as such the action is top-notch. There is much less notable wirework in this film than there usually is in Sakamoto's movies, but this is only helpful because most of the characters use weapons. Would look really silly for someone to be shooting a gun and flipping at the same time. There is also a grand total of one Eternal scene. Kamen Rider or no, this movie will work for action and W fans of all kinds. Everyone gets highlights, including the new characters, and that's always good. The Quarks are the antagonist faction and they work alright as villains, but their action scenes could have done with less shakycam.
Overall
Like Accel, more than good enough to have warranted a theatrical release even if it didn't get one. Adds tons of depth to characters we've already seen, and contains enough originality in itself to be a really enjoyable piece alone. Hopefully the W FOREVER secret ending allows for something new to be created in the W-verse, but if not, then this is an excellent note to end the series on. Really, OOO doesn't hold a candle to W. I can only hope Fourze is half as good - there are some great series before it, but I'd be hard pressed to say I think we'll be getting something I enjoyed nearly as much as I have this over the past two years.
Score: 9/10
Go for it.
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