B5 Legend of the Rangers(Sci Fi 2002 movie)

[Endur]

I just saw Legends of the Rangers, a B5 made for Sci Fi movie (2002).

It was the worst B5 spinoff episode I have seen. I can't believe JMS was involved with this.

G'Kar (the only character from the original series in it) was great as usual, but the rest of the acting was bad.

Particularly bad: the Captain of the Ranger ship (David) had far too much 20th century slang: "stand down," "stat", "crate" (referring to his ship), etc, etc,

The Rangers fly White Stars, but none of the Ranger ships in the film were White Stars.

In the beginning of the series, the Ranger council makes a big deal about Rangers never fleeing from superior enemy forces. SAY WHAT? Sheridan was the commander of the Ranger Fleet, and he fled from superior enemy forces all the time.

They make a big deal about some extra-dimensional race called "The Hand" that is more powerful than the Shadows. Say What? The Shadows were supposed to be the ultimate enemy. And Third-Space had an extra dimensional evil force already.

I like the idea of more B-5 films, but I really wish the writers would try to be consistent with the flavor of the original show.

The haunted ship idea was neat and the 3-d combat was interesting, but the rest of the show was a waste.

They didn't even mention the fact that Earth was quarantined and facing death within a few years (Crusade).

 

[tetsujin28]

The very introduction of the Rangers was the beginning of the end for me and B5.

 

[WizarDru]

It was the worst B5 spinoff episode I have seen. I can't believe JMS was involved with this.

I don't think I'd be quite that critical, but I agree it wasn't his best. However, I thought that about the original b5 movie, which was pretty weak, too.

The Rangers fly White Stars, but none of the Ranger ships in the film were White Stars.

More than half of the White Stars were wiped out during the war, so they were in the process of using many non-Minbari designed ships, which they note in the movie. Once of the characters even mocks the design of their ship in reference to it not being a White Star.

In the beginning of the series, the Ranger council makes a big deal about Rangers never fleeing from superior enemy forces. SAY WHAT? Sheridan was the commander of the Ranger Fleet, and he fled from superior enemy forces all the time.

I don't really recall Sheridan backing down very often during the regular B5 series...playing dirty, yes, but never actually fleeing. Of course, the Rangers are another matter...it's pretty clear that they were locked into dogma, by that point, and I suspect if the series had gone forward, that would have been a major plot of the series, namely old-guard Minbari rangers and their centuries-established codes of conduct versus the new blood.

However, that whole 'never retreat' nonsense did seem to come out of left field, somewhat, and was one of the weakest elements of the movie.

They make a big deal about some extra-dimensional race called "The Hand" that is more powerful than the Shadows. Say What? The Shadows were supposed to be the ultimate enemy. And Third-Space had an extra dimensional evil force already.

And the best expert you get on the Hand's power? Their spokesperson. Considering B5 characters penchant for lying, both to friends and enemies, I tend to think "The Hand" has self-inflated their power and importance. Most likely, they were an 'intermediate' race, older than man and considerably younger than the ancient races. Consider that Crusade originally started out about curing the plague...something that JMS had intended to be resolved in the third year of a five year arc. I expect The Hand was a Mcguffin.

The haunted ship idea was neat and the 3-d combat was interesting, but the rest of the show was a waste.

Actually, I thought the fire control system was one of the most painful things about the movie. I realize why it worked the way it did (more to do with Ranger philsophy than good design), but it was just terrible to watch.

They didn't even mention the fact that Earth was quarantined and facing death within a few years (Crusade).

I may have my dates mixed up here, but I thought that this predated the Drakh plague. "Legend of the Rangers" took place 3 years after the conclusion of B5's major arc, around 2263 or so, prior to the Telepath war and about 2 years prior to the plague. In fact, I think JMS stated that he had hoped to resolve the plague story somewhere nestled within "Rangers", had it gone to series.

Poor, poor Crusade.

 

[Kesh]

Yeah, the titles overlapped a bit, time-wise. I loved Crusade.

Legend of the Rangers had potential, but it just didn't hold together as well as Crusade did. The fire-control system was fun, but silly.

I'm really waiting to see what this new B5 thing JMS is working on is.

 

[Darrin Drader]

I loved B5. I thought Crusade had even more potential and I was majorly PO'd when it TNT cancelled it. I was stoked to see Legend of the Rangers, but when I saw it, I couldn't imagine a new series based off that. It was horrible. So horrible that it was clearly time for JMS to take some time off and rethink what he was doing with B5. Hopefully now he's had enough time and he can start over with a winner.