I do like Babylon 5, and was anticipating yet also was dubious of The Legend of the Rangers. Seeing it for myself, it was left wanting and had a lot of problems for me. However, it was not as bad as I'd heard and feared. Technically it was not bad at all, in fact quite good. The scenery is lit well and are intriguing, the special effects are decent(if not really great) and the photography is not too haphazard. The music is beautiful as well, while the character of G'Kar was fun in a hammy sort of way even if his main role in the movie was to tie the movie with the series. On the other hand, the script is of really banal quality and feels very hackneyed. The story has some great ideas, but never develops them all that well, and a vast majority of the storytelling felt thin and uneven in pace. The characters are not compelling in personality and felt cardboard in how they were written. The Hand especially were not handled very well at all. The acting felt bland, with the exception of that of G'Kar. On the whole, not terrible but it could have been much better. 5/10 Bethany Cox

We know from the series, that Babylon 5 was eventually blown up.But between the "time" of the original B-5 series and the time of that demolition, plenty of stories could have happened. This is JMS showing us just another one of those stories.These stories are "The Appendices" of Babylon 5, and so I savor every piece, because, I myself WANT to hear stories that are not based on the Babylon 5 Station.As a stand alone, it is a clever tale, and those familiar with the B5 universe should not (although, unfortunately some are) be disappointed with it... There is plenty of what endeared us to B5 in this, including the very last appearance of G'Kar before he "went to the Rim with the Doctor" (aka both actors having passed away). They include just enough of G'Kar in this tale to make us comfortable.People who want back to the old B5 stories will never get that, because those stories have all been told, in the series.JMS tried to tell us other aspects of the B5 universe, but Crusade was so mishandled by Turner that we never got the whole story out of that series. We would have gotten more, had this pilot become a series.Fortunately, JMS is making "Lost Tales" which serve the same purpose as Token's Lost Tales and various appendices for those of us who cannot get enough of Lord of Babylon 5 The fans of B5 forget that B5 was a science fiction retelling of The Lord of the Rings, and this fact does not elude the fans of B5.Just the name of this segment: Babylon 5: Legends Of The Rangers (L.O.T.R) 0 And the fact that this came out shortly after the theatrical release of Fellowship of the Ring."We stand on the bridge and none shall pass" - And so we hear Galdalf's words from the Bridge of Khazadum in one of the basic tenets of the Rangers.And so, as Babylon 5 probably represented Minas Tirith, and we had plenty of stories from within the walls of the station, these extraneous B5 stories should satisfy those of us who want to know, what has happened elsewhere in the B5 universe. I know I am satisfied.., And I enjoyed this B5 tale as much as any B5 tale.God Bless JMS for having vision and I hope he keeps pumping out the lost tales.

I read what D-J-Phillips wrote and I have to agree with him This pilot is not that bad, and actually let me dare say that David Martail has a huge potential to be the next John Sheridan, he even shines more confidence than Mathew Gorden in Crusade, B5 needs more fans to support any new production that comes, the legend of the rangers can be a good pilot for something better, this new aliens (the hand) need not to be another shadow, may be the story will twist and they end up to be bluffing, or that new race has found those old ships and is using them to frighten everyone else.I always said that if B5 is to be revived then new story lines have to be developed and they need not be around the B5 universe itself, give the station a rest, and explore new options.It is as londo said "a very big universe" and lots can be discovered and done

I have seen B5 and enjoyed it immensely, this movie has almost no connection to it. It is set in the same universe, but the only recognizable link is G'Kar, played well, as usual, by Andreas Katsulas.The plot looks a lot like the premiere of a spin-off. You have the charismatic captain, the loyal specialized crew, the promise of a dark enemy, all the ingredients that start a sci-fi series. The movie is not bad, but it is certainly not exceptional. I have read a review here that compared this to the original Babylon 5 series which was so much better, brilliant and all that. Come on! Babylon 5 was a good idea, but the lack of funds and experience did provide, along with good scripts and depth in characters, really stupid scenes and dumb fill-the-season episodes. So in comparison, the "Legend of the Rangers", is not so different. Same low budget effects, same geeky humanoid aliens and the stark contrast between "dark" and "light" that annoyed me in Babylon 5 (after such a gray beginning).In conclusion, it is worth a watch for any sci-fi fan, even a Babylon 5 zealot. Oh, I almost forgot: casting the sidekick of Chuck Norris in a movie about rangers? Puh-lease! Some casting people should be shot.