Director Dean Israelite
Genre Action | Adventure | Fantasy
Cast Dacre Montgomery, RJ Cyler, Naomi Scott, Ludi Lin
Rating PG-13
Release Date March 24th, 2017
“A group of high-school kids, who are infused with unique superpowers, harness their abilities in order to save the world.”
Directed by Dean Israelite (Chronicle), Power Rangers is the 3rd feature-length film for the long running franchise. After making its television debut in 1993 with Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, they were just getting started. To date, not counting the latest film, Power Rangers has accounted for more than a dozen T.V. adaptations, two feature-length films, a Green Ranger comic book, and an endless supply of merchandise. Actor Jason David Frank, known by most as the Green Ranger and White Ranger, is the longest running Power Ranger having been involved in 8 different versions of the show, and both movies. He is not in the latest film but is rumored to have a cameo appearance. The cast for the 2017 version of Power Rangers includes Dacre Montgomery, Naomi Scott, RJ Cyler, and Ludi Lin.
With slick new armor sure to make longtime fans giddy, Power Rangers has more of an edge than ever before, while never forgetting where it came from. I was a HUGE Power Rangers fan growing up, specifically the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, as it made its debut when I was a very impressionable 9-year-old boy. I always thought the idea of "morphing" was the coolest thing ever, and have spent far too much time wondering what it would be like to be able to do so. That was always part of the appeal of the show, the fact that regular teenagers became Power Rangers- it just made it feel attainable somehow. I also thought I could be just like Deion Sanders until freshman year of high school, so at the end of the day, what did I know? Power Rangers definitely has its fair share of clichés and cheesy moments, but all in all this is the gritty version I was hoping it would be. The cheesy moments are a necessary evil when it comes to the Power Rangers we all know and love. Its simply part of the appeal. The writers clearly made the depth of the characters an area of focus, and I am glad they did. Each of the soon to be Power Rangers are battling their own demons, and must find a way to let their guards down and become vulnerable to each other in order to truly become a team. This adds an emotional element generally absent from the franchise. They also delve more into Zordon's backstory which I thought was a nice addition. The reincarnation of Rita Repulsa is absolutely terrifying compared to the corny villain I remember from the T.V. Show. A few of her earlier scenes are scarier than the entire Rings movie. Granted that really isn't saying much, but in all seriousness they did a great job with her character.
Many have complained that Power Rangers lacks a true identity, constantly bouncing back and forth between gritty and cheesy, but I feel like that is by design. We all need to understand and do our best to recall the source material, because they are not trying to reinvent the wheel here. The goal all along was to attract longtime fans while doing their best to appeal to newcomers, and I think they accomplished that. During the movie I will admit, I found myself slightly disappointed that the fight scenes weren’t a bit more intense and/or violent, but after giving it some thought I realized that my brain is tuned to Captain America: Civil War level expectations, and this is NOT that. And that’s okay. As I mentioned before, Power Rangers has a cheesy or campy sensibility that adds to the authenticity. As much as I thought I wanted a gritty version up to the level of The Dark Knight, I realize now that is unrealistic, and if anything it would take away from what Power Rangers has built over 2 ½ decades. While collecting my thoughts after getting home from the theater, I turned the T.V. on and noticed that the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie was on. Naturally, I was intrigued and decided to start it from the beginning. Let me just say that although this adaptation is a bit corny, which is certainly a homage to the original show, it is basically Pulp Fiction compared to the 1995 movie. No exaggeration.
Power Rangers put together a very impressive cast, including huge names like Bryan Cranston and Elizabeth Banks, both playing supporting yet pivotal roles. Cranston takes on the role of Zordon, the ultimate leader and voice of reason for the Power Rangers. During the scenes he was in I half expected Jesse Pinkman to burst into the control center telling Walt he was needed at the lab (just a little Breaking Bad humor, you get it). Banks assumes the role of well-known villain Rita Repulsa, and she sells the character quite well and the make-up team deserves a ton of credit. As far as the teenagers are concerned, Dacre Montgomery (Jason, Red Ranger) is the leader of the group who also gets the bulk of the screen time. He delivers a fine performance and helps to balance the dynamic of the cast. My personal favorite, although Montgomery is a close second, is RJ Cyler (Billy, Blue Ranger). As an autistic teenager, he plays the most unique character in the group, and he is definitely the funniest as well. I was thrilled when I found out he nabbed this role, as he starred in one of my favorite coming-of-age films, Me and Earl and the Dying Girl (he plays Earl, just in case you were wondering). I really cannot think of anything negative to say about the casting, they were spot on from top to bottom. Unfortunately I have bad news for the original Pink Ranger, Amy Jo Johnson, who was my childhood crush (one of many if I am being honest). You have been replaced by the new you, the U.K. born Naomi Scott (Kimberly, Pink Ranger). Don't worry, she is well over the age of 18.
Power Rangers is very much an origin story, in the sense that the majority of the film is dedicated to the buildup of these teenagers actually becoming Power Rangers. I see this as a negative and a positive, and here is why- as a fan, I would have loved to have seen more of the characters wearing the armor and battling bad guys, because simply put, they look really damn cool. On the flip side, the film sets itself up perfectly for a sequel, and thanks to a post credits scene that you should definitely stay for, I am actually pretty amped up for it. I won't give anything away but they seem to be heading in exactly the direction I hoped they would. I can't seem to get "Go Go Power Rangers" out of my head, which is certainly bittersweet. It is already rumored that a six movie story arc is in the planning stages, but obviously that is dependent on the success of this film. Overall, Power Rangers should be judged as an extension of the show that first graced our childhoods in 1993, with just enough of an adult spin to satisfy the grownups. I genuinely hope Power Rangers does well in the box office so they can green-light the sequel sooner than later. What are you still doing here?! Go see it!
