TYPE OF REVIEW 
: GOOD OL’ REVIEW
No spoilers.
Kamen Rider Heisei Generations FOREVER (仮面ライダー平成ジェネレーションズFOREVER) is a thrilling send-off and loving tribute to the Heisei Era of the Kamen Rider franchise.
The build up to this film had been a few years coming. And while multi-season crossovers are certainly not new, this film was able to effectively carry the weight of its position as the finale to an era.
What’s more, the film also served as a love letter to the fans who have been with the franchise throughout the Heisei Era and earlier.
Heisei Generations FOREVER focuses on Sougo, Sento and friends teaming up to take on TimeJacker Tid who aims to erase the entire Heisei Era of Riders from existence. Central to the effort is a young boy named Shingo who Tid chases after as the key to achieving his goal. And there’s Kamen Rider fan Ataru who shocks Sougo and Sento with the idea that Kamen Rider is just a television show.
The film proceeds to use Zi-O and Build‘s stories to craft a way to pay tribute to 20 years of Riders in a way that respects the original seasons while maximizing the opportunities for explosive action.
Without spoiling the film, it gives a nod to fans young and old who hold Kamen Rider in a special place in their hearts. Touching on the emotional connection people have to Kamen Rider and the impact it has had over the years, the film helps both the characters and the viewers embrace the history and shows how it has bridged the gaps both in-series and in real life.
At its most basic, Heisei Generations FOREVER is as exciting and thrilling an action movie as any Rider movie can be. But the emotional core of the film’s story serves as a perfect send-off to the Heisei Era. And at the same time reminding us that there’s still a bright future of many Kamen Riders to come.