Released: March 2017
Director: Dean Isrealite
Rated PG-13
Run Time: 124 Minutes
Distributor: Lionsgate Studios
Genre: Action/Science Fiction
Cast:
Dacre Montgomery: Jason(Red Ranger)
Naomi Scott: Kimberly(Pink Ranger)
RJ Cyler: Billy(Blue Ranger)
Ludi Lin: Zack(Black Ranger)
Becky G.: Trini (Yellow Ranger)
Elizabeth Banks: Rita Repulsa
Bryan Cranston: Zordon
Bill Hader: Alpha 5 (Voice)
It’s hard to believe that it’s been 24 years since Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers hit the airwaves. It was a show about 5 teenagers who were recruited by an intergalactic being known as Zordon to fight the forces of evil led by the villainous Rita Repulsa. I was only 10 when that show came out, so I was the right audience at the right time. I loved it all: The martial arts, the suits, the teenagers, Zordon, the Zords, and the bad guys. It was just so damned cool to me when that came on. Power Rangers has been a world-wide phenomenon for so many people and so many kids. The original show is nothing short of iconic. Now, to be fair: Watching those old shows today reminds me of how truly cheesy they were. I do mean cheesy, but in the best possible way. Each episode culminated in a final battle between the rangers and one of Rita’s monsters. It was simple and fast-paced, but I didn’t realize how much of a story there really was beneath all of that. The original show lasted three seasons before changing into Power Rangers Zeo. It’s surprising to me how Power Rangers has been so popular. Yet, here we are in 2017 with another season of Power Rangers on the way and a new film that just hit theaters. With two previous movies that were……questionable at best, is the third time the charm?
The film opens as a group of teenage misfits are in detention for various reasons. Three of these teenagers stand out: Jason, Kimberly and Billy. Kimberly is the cheerleader, with Billy as the nerd and Jason as the fallen football star. Offering to help Jason with his ankle bracelet, Billy takes Jason to a rock quarry because he’s been looking for something. Encountering Kimberly, Jason runs into Zack and Trini when Billy blows up the side of the quarry, revealing a mysterious glass formation. Inside this formation are 5 coins. When these kids take the five coins, they discover they have immense physical strength and speed. Returning to the quarry, they discover a mysterious ship with a bizarre robot named Alpha 5. They are then introduced to Zordon, who was the first Red Ranger who was determined to protect a mysterious Zeo crystal from the evil Rita Repulsa. Honestly, I really like this setup better than the TV show. In the show, Zordon essentially kidnaps the 5 teenagers and drafts them into service as Power Rangers. Here, it’s a bit more expanded on how they become the Rangers. It is an origin story, so there is some buildup to be expected. Honestly, I thought the story was well thought out here.
One of the things that surprised me most about this film is the attention to the characters. While the kids in the original show were pretty much stereotypical, the teens in this new film are actually given time to grow and expand. They are fleshed out in a way that makes them feel like real people. While Zack and Trini are shortchanged a little bit, their characters are just as compelling as the other kids. I like the fact that these kids are not the upstanding kids from the original show. These kids have flaws, they make mistakes, but they ultimately do become friends and ultimately a team. Zordon, however, feels like a crotchety old man just constantly nagging on these kids to get better so they have a chance against Rita. Rita Repulsa is rather interesting in this one. In the show, she was just an evil space witch out to destroy the universe. In this movie, she has a more personal connection to Zordon and why she hates him. I really like how the film expands upon such memorable characters. It would all be for naught if the characters were portrayed by actors who weren’t up for the task. Thankfully, the acting is really, really strong here. The actors that play the teenagers do an incredible job, and the fact that they are relatively unknown actors makes it even more impressive. I can’t really single out just one person in that team, that’s how good they are. Bryan Cranston, who actually did some voice-work for the original show in ’93, plays Zordon. While the character isn’t particularly well-written, Bryan Cranston is such a good actor, he makes it work. There’s been a lot of controversy over the casting of Elizabeth Banks as Rita. I’ll be honest, I don’t necessarily think that she was the right person for the role, but she did a pretty good job with what she had. Her character is very intimidating and is willing to get her hands dirty. Overall, the characters and the acting are fairly top-notch in my opinion.
Before I talk about the action, let’s talk about the suits. There’s been a lot of controversy over the past year concerning the Power Ranger suits. In the original movies and shows, the actors wore spandex and were generally pretty silly-looking. Here, they have a more mechanical look to them. People were concerned about the suits being CGI only, and yeah. They are, but they’re done in such a way that it looks real. The helmets are familiar looking and there’s no sign of that goofy spandex. I actually rather like the new suits. This being a Power Rangers film, you would expect there to be a lot of action. Not quite, and that’s where the film falters a little bit. Because the film spends so much time building up the characters and having the audience get to know them, not enough time is actually spent in showing what these are truly capable of. The action that IS there is pretty solid, even though it’s really a bunch of CGI effects. The putties are…meh. So, seeing the Rangers take them on is alright. When the Zords enter the picture to take on Rita’s monster, Goldar, that’s where things get really interesting. Each Zord is given its moment to shine, and I just love the designs for these things. The Megazord left me with a huge smile on my face. That’s what I wanted to see.
Brian Tyler did the music for the film, and for the most part it’s really epic, emotional and very personal at certain points. I really like what this guy can do with music. So, what about the Power Rangers theme song? It’s in there. It definitely is, but not as often or as loud as it needed to be. It’s a very iconic part of the original show and I’m sad to see that it doesn’t really have a more prominent spot in the movie. Aside from that, the music is absolutely phenomenal.
For all the good things I said about this movie, there are some negative aspects to the whole affair. One, Rita Repulsa comes across as a bit cheesy at times. While the actors playing the 5 kids were giving it their all, Elizabeth Banks felt like she was trying to channel the original Rita, and the tones kind of collide. Zordon, as I said above, is more of grouchy old windbag this time around, and doesn’t really give the kids that much encouragement. Alpha 5, while annoying in the original show, is still annoying, just not as much. I’m still not sure I like what they did with Goldar, but it’s done. There’s also a very blatant use of product placement in the film which bugged the hell out of me. I’m sorry, Krispy Kreme is highly overrated as a donut shop.
Overall, though, I would have to say that I’m pleasantly surprised by the new Power Rangers. I was on the fence before, but now I’m convinced. This is easily the best Power Rangers movie yet, although that bar was not set particularly high. It may be the nostalgia talking to me, but I loved this movie. While I’m sure that there will be detractors, but this film hit the mark for me. I would definitely recommend it for fans of the show and for those willing to give it a chance.
Final Score: 8.5/10