Surprise Enemy Visit,” and “Revealing Them As Rivals.” However, this is still a satisfying continuation to the saga. “Rivals” brings us to a point in this series where the focus of the narrative switches from a specific war with the Covenant, to a story about the history of all the characters on a much larger scale. So far, the Spartans have been at war with the Covenant, but on a planetary scale, with the entire galaxy on the line. This new story makes “Rival” much more significant than I thought it would be, and I like that the Spartans get more of a spotlight. Now, I don’t necessarily think it would be a good idea to make the next Spartan movies focus on one person exclusively. However, I’m glad we got a bit more information on John-117 (at least until 343 comes and ruins it) and got to see the character arc he’s been on from a much bigger perspective. The Spartans are a fascinating group of soldiers with a history that makes them an interesting story line, and while I wouldn’t necessarily call this a “best” Spartans film, it’s still a lot of fun. This movie’s got some great moments of action, and if you’re a fan of “Spec Ops: The Line,” then you can see some similarities there as well. “Rivals” is just as bleak as its predecessor, and as an action movie, it gets across the fact that things are going to get worse. Unlike “The Line,” though, this movie actually feels like the climax of a trilogy. The final battle is tense and exciting, and I was even surprised to see that it was the first time we’d been in space in a while. While there were some clichés and inconsistencies within this movie (again, see “The Line” for an idea of where this is headed), they all kind of work well enough to make the movie at least passable, if not quite enjoyable. If this was any indication, then “Rivals” is off to a great start. Like this: Related About the author:Matt Staggs is an avid fan of movies. Matt has been writing movie reviews for several years, and recently became an author for Inverse. He also runs a blog where he likes to take on tough film debates that he's had with friends. View all posts by Matt Staggs 4 thoughts on “Review: “Rivals”” Great review. I did find this one a bit more enjoyable than “Rise of the Spartans” but i still enjoyed it. I always thought the war machine look was something you got out of the comics but in this film and “The Last Stand” they seem to be overdone. But i liked the first one at least because it felt different and new compared to the war film cliches. This is defiantly a different story from what you’ve been used to, and really felt like a stand alone story more than we’ve been seeing in the latest films. I think my favorite part of this movie, the more I think about it, is when John is talking about all the stuff he’s been through. It’s one thing that the audience gets to be in on, as if we’re experiencing what he was, and it’s something that’s really been lacking in past Spartan films. It was a touching moment, and it made me think about the way I personally felt when I finished the game. I’ve really enjoyed the first two “Spartan” films, though I’ve always found the plot and characters to be a bit lackluster. As for the “Last Stand” film, I quite enjoyed that as well, but, admittedly, felt the same way you did about the Spartan’s war machine. I like that the filmmakers decided to cut that out and show only the humans. And, in the final battle, it is the humans who win and save the day. It really works and stands as a great ending to one of the most important “Spartan” films yet. Thanks for the comment. It’s great to hear that you’ve been enjoying the films. I agree about how this one feels like it’s got a more unique and different tone than previous films. The war machine sequence isn’t as necessary or exciting, though, but it does bring the characters into the mix. It’s fun, but since it’s something we’ve already seen, it just doesn’t make as big an impression. About Us Founded in 2006, Rightstuf Is My Favorite T-Shirt Printing Service has become the first choice for most discerning individuals. While we specialize in funny shirts, this service is also used by celebrities, comedians, businesses and more for product printing. This blog covers any topic related to our business.