A Call to Arms
The way I see it, there are two different types of B5 movies: in-series and post-series. (In the Beginning is obviously pre-series, but its relevance is in-series.) IMHO, the post-series movies don't stand up well against the in-series movies because they're no longer relevant. One of the problems with a twenty-year gap between the second-to-last and last episodes is that those twenty years don't seem particularly important. Yes, the Drakh attack Earth, but Earth is clearly still standing by the time Ivanova goes to visit Sheridan on Minbar, so I'm not afraid that Earth will die.
Having said that, I like A Call to Arms. It's a great action movie where Garibaldi gets to snark and help save the day and Sheridan gets to play with a brand-new spaceship model before the Drakh send everything to crap. Sheridan and Lochley play well together, and there are fun new characters like Galen and Dureena to make the story more interesting. On the other hand, the fact that new characters are required to make the story more interesting says something about the story. Yes, the movie was made to introduce Crusade, but I think I wouldn't like it as well if I hadn't watched Crusade. For one thing, I like Galen a lot better after watching him in Crusade; I find him imperious and frustrating in A Call to Arms. Dureena, on the other hand, is more interesting to me in the movie; it seems that they toned down her look and her anger for Crusade, which I think is a shame. Who else would have the guts to attack the President of the ISA while in custody? (Other than Lyta, I suppose.)
So now let me turn it over to you. Do you think this movie can stand on its own, or does it need Crusade to justify it
Having said that, I like A Call to Arms. It's a great action movie where Garibaldi gets to snark and help save the day and Sheridan gets to play with a brand-new spaceship model before the Drakh send everything to crap. Sheridan and Lochley play well together, and there are fun new characters like Galen and Dureena to make the story more interesting. On the other hand, the fact that new characters are required to make the story more interesting says something about the story. Yes, the movie was made to introduce Crusade, but I think I wouldn't like it as well if I hadn't watched Crusade. For one thing, I like Galen a lot better after watching him in Crusade; I find him imperious and frustrating in A Call to Arms. Dureena, on the other hand, is more interesting to me in the movie; it seems that they toned down her look and her anger for Crusade, which I think is a shame. Who else would have the guts to attack the President of the ISA while in custody? (Other than Lyta, I suppose.)
So now let me turn it over to you. Do you think this movie can stand on its own, or does it need Crusade to justify it