"Power Rangers" Movie Review - It's Rebootin' Time

I told people that I was going to see this movie this weekend. I told people I had booked to see it and was going to be seeing this before I saw the new "Beauty and the Beast" movie. Somewhat expectedly, a few people questioned this decision to put it mildly. Why would I choose to see something that looked so decidedly average over the latest live-action Disney movie, or even another movie like "Life" which looks pretty interesting actually? My answer? Honestly, nostalgia is my primary reason. I sincerely enjoyed the old Power Rangers series. I remember them fondly from my childhood, and was actually quite excited by the prospect of the Rangers being brought into the modern day. Another reason might have been because I sometimes like to see bad movies and the trailers were not the best but who knows? Well, I saw the movie on Saturday. My thoughts? Well, this movie was absolutely, no word of a lie...actually quite good. The movie is a lot of fun for the entirety of its runtime, and does a lot of things rights, subverting expectations from the often dreadful marketing campaign. That said, there are still some stupid things about this movie as you might have predicted, and I'll mainly be getting those out of the way briefly to kick things off. With all that said, let's all get nostalgic and jump into "Power Rangers"!

There's no kind way of starting this review off so I'll just put it plain: the story of the Power Rangers has become bland and clichéd. Stop me if you've heard this one before (or move onto the next paragraph in this case, I suppose). 5 teenage misfits are struggling with their stereotypically teenage lifestyles: sports, friends, relationship, and family troubles plague all of them. Suddenly, they discover that they were destined for something greater, eventually coming across a crashed spaceship and becoming the newest iteration of a team of warriors known as the Power Rangers. Struggling to learn how to control their new abilities and learn to stand as one efficient unit, the Rangers must now unite to fight against the evil Rita Repulsa (played with delightful menace by Elizabeth Banks) before she can destroy the world with her generic, bland monster henchmen, the Putties. Standard stuff, all things considered. Unfortunately with this movie, it's business as usual with this particular story, there are not a great deal of twists and turns to keep the audience on the edge of their seats. There is one scene in particular which did not end in the way I had predicted it would, and actually shocked me a little bit that they had dared to shake up the status quo like this scene did. However, the resolution and aftermath of it are still relatively predictable and it doesn't take long for the diversion to come to an end and the story to get back on the road to the feel-good conclusion. Be sure, it's not that the script doesn't have fun sometimes. There is plenty of humour scattered throughout the movie, plenty of which actually lands and is effective given the chemistry between the actors on screen. Unfortunately, it's just the curse of the reboot and the plague of the original story rolled into one again. The movie simply comes to a grinding halt in the second act with an overabundance of training sequences, and there isn't nearly enough Ranger action before the third act for the likings of many children who will see this movie I would predict. In fact, there is so much focus on the human side of the characters with very little action for the first half (which is not necessarily a problem) that you might question whether or not you are actually watching a certain John Hughes classic set in a high school detention area with a gang of misfits. I'm nearly done with the story but one other thing I just have to mention is the abysmal, often hilarious product placement in this movie. Why am I mentioning it here? Because I just have to wonder how much a certain doughnut brand had to give to Lionsgate to have their stores incorporated into the script in the most self-glorifying way possible. Executives of this movie, if you are reading this, I would like a look at your original script, because I am genuinely interested to see if it reads "[insert product placement here]" at quite a few points. You'll know them when you see them.

The Rangers ready up in their state-of-the-art Iron Man suits

So it's true, the writing does not serve the plot particularly well, but what about the characters? Somewhat surprisingly, they all come across remarkably well-rounded and likeable for the most part. Each of the Rangers is given a reason to care about them on an emotional level, and are given relatable, understandable backstories and motives for their behaviour throughout the movie. The acting on the part of each of the Rangers is also solid for the most part. Probably the most troublesome performance in the entire movie is Dacre Montgomery as Jason, the Red Ranger. Unfortunately, his performance comes across as considerably more generic and wooden than the rest of the cast, especially when acting alongside his cohorts. Thankfully, the rest of the Rangers do not suffer from similar problems. RJ Cyler is the heart and soul of the movie as Blue Ranger Billy, now re-worked to include a maturely handled autism element to the character. Naomi Scott is great fun as Pink Ranger Kimberly, who goes through an unexpected but satisfying character arc. Becky G is great as outsider Trini, the Yellow Ranger, and her story of learning to fit in with the Rangers is an enjoyable if slightly familiar story (although her character is also re-worked to include a current issue in movies). Ludi Lin gives possibly the most well-rounded performance of the Rangers as Black Ranger Zack, initially a stereotypical bad boy but a much more emotionally relatable character as his backstory is revealed. The main five are also supported by Bryan Cranston as mentor Zordon and Bill Hader as resident eyesore Alpha-5. Honestly, neither of them give terrible performance, and are only weakened by their underwritten characters. Hader gets some funny lines as Alpha and is intended to be comic relief of course, and Cranston's Zordon is given some interesting background details throughout the movie, including some that actually bring him into conflict with one of the Rangers, an interesting proposition that hasn't really been explored by any Rangers movie or series before that I can think of.

Can't tell which Ranger is which? Look at the colours of their clothes, that always helps

However, with all that said and done, the true star of the show is Elizabeth Banks as the villainous Rita Repulsa, a name which is undeniably silly by even Power Rangers standards. Don't let the name fool you though, this Repulsa is a force to be reckoned with. This is not the old Rita with her absurd costume screaming orders from the moon; Banks gives this character an intimidating, and even I dare say terrifying, edge for a great deal of the movie. To start, she is possibly one of the best written characters in the movie, being given an intriguing backstory right out of the gate, and a revamped design which may or may not tie into a certain fan theory that's been doing the rounds. I'm saying nothing. Repulsa makes a full appearance in the present day as you might expect at the start of the second act after the Ranger set-up, and it is her short appearances through this part of the movie that really kept me invested and interested to see where the writers would go with the character. However, it is in her confrontations with the Rangers that Banks really shines. Her bedroom fight with Trini glimpsed in the trailers really sells the willingness of the character to take the fight to the Rangers on a personal level, while her power level is shown in it's entirety in the finale. Admittedly, some aspects of the direction of the performance and the delivery might come across as a bit over-the-top on occasion, but, for me at least, this just added to the fun of this character. The original Rita was always ridiculous and off the wall, and it's great to see this character retain that brilliance in this iteration. That said, it is the fear, conniving nature, and straight-up nastiness that Banks brings to this character that makes her such an engaging part of this movie.

Elizabeth Banks plays the creepy (and often scary) Rita Repulsa

The action sequences of the movie are where the heart of this movie is, and these are a lot of fun. As I said, there are surprisingly few set pieces in the movie where the Rangers actually wear their suits (now given a modern overhaul to look more like Iron Man than the old-fashioned morphsuits), but there are still small scenes pieced throughout the movie to keep the action fans in the audience entertained for the entirety of the runtime. The stunt work in these sequences is excellent, and the performers do a solid job of convincing the audience that they are actually fighting real beings, even though they are unfortunately only being faced down by disappointing CGI monsters the majority of the time. The fights involving Repulsa are also a joy to watch on screen, particularly when the Rangers are not in their suits. It is at these moments where the stakes feel real for the team. They are not protected by their suits and can barely work as a functioning unit for the first two thirds of the movie, so the weight of their every action is felt as they face the trained and considerably more experienced Rita as is the pain of each injury they suffer as a result. The movie surprisingly (but gratefully) does not shy away from the impact the fights have on these characters as teenagers. They are not trained fighters or durable people. They are young, and so the injuries are going to have much more of an effect on them. They are even shown to take serious physical damage from the training sequences, making the real action against Repulsa and her forces more intense and enjoyable as a result.

Meet the Breakfast Clu...I mean, the Power Rangers

The effects work in the movie is on point thankfully. The Zords in particular look excellent while on the movie and in battle with the monsters and Rita's primary giant force, which is to say the gold monstrosity glimpsed in the trailer. I call this a monstrosity if only because it is an incredibly poor rendition of one of the monsters from the show known as Goldar. Although the new monster looks good enough, look up the two versions on Google and honestly tell me which version you would rather see on the big screen. Of course, the Megazord (in typing this I am getting sick of the apparent spelling errors that keep popping up with this review because of these names) also makes an appearance and looks great on the movie and when the Rangers are practically at war with Rita and Goldar in the finale. I have seen many different reviews complaining about the look of the Megazord in this movie, but my response is the same that I have when I hear complaints about the new suits. This is a reboot and so the designs have to match up with this new technological, alien aesthetic that the writers have chosen to commit to with this version of the characters and the source material. These designs are considerably more modern than the old versions that simply would not have worked as well on the big screen. The Megazord in particular looks more realistic and efficient than the old toy robot used in the TV show (let's be totally honest though, that's a budget issue). The main point I'm making here though is that these effects are always effective and realistic enough to never break the immersion of the audiences in what is happening on screen. The cinematography of the movie is also well done, and luckily refrains from cutting too much between shots unnecessarily. Consistently clear and steady, the camera work throughout the movie is handled as well as the effects work, and the two work in perfect harmony throughout.

Apparently the Rangers walked onto the set of "Man of Steel"

Honestly, there is one factor which I cannot deny might have played a big part in me enjoying this movie to the extent that I did, and that is the nostalgia that I experienced watching this movie. The Power Rangers were a massive part of my childhood, from the original Mighty Morphin' to some of the later shows (personally, I still remember "Dino Thunder" and "Mystic Force" fond but that's just my opinion). The references scattered throughout the movie make it clear that the writers and crew of the movie have the utmost respect for the legacy that this show has built and the place it holds in the hearts of so millions of people worldwide. These references range from the original Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers to even some of the later shows which I didn't pick up on on first viewing but gathered after doing some reading online about the movie and was impressed by how the writers have put these in. For readers and audiences too afraid that the crew of this move had completely lost touch with the fun and meaning of the show: rest assured, they haven't. A few classic lines in particular are uttered, you can hear the iconic "It's Morphin' Time" in the trailer above, and there might be a few others throughout the movie. Maybe, maybe not. As I said, I'm not saying anything. The only other crazy piece of nostalgia which sticks out in mind as myself and my two friends almost cheered when it came on was a particular song began to play at the most opportune and perfect moment in the movie. The original, unedited version of this song from 1995, no problems like the "Ghostbusters" movie had last year with the theme. This song (I'm sure you've guessed what it is by now but for spoilers sake I'll refrain from mentioning it by name) created one of the best images of the movie and is sure to get the nostalgia of any Power Rangers fan, long-term or short-term, going. There is a mid-credits scene as well, so be sure to wait a couple of minutes for that.

You know those toys with the pins you push through to make a shape? Zordon's changed

A movie with it's ups and it's downs to be sure. On the one hand, the writing is not great in the story department on this film, not that time has been particularly kind to the now slightly clichéd story of the Rangers anyway. There isn't nearly enough Ranger action to maybe keep kids entertained for the entirety, and the product placement is simply too hilarious and off-putting to not mention. With that said, the characters and the cast are handled with much better care, particularly the Rangers themselves and villain Rita. The effects are great, the action is unashamedly over-the-top, and the nostalgia I got from the movie was unlike any I have experienced in one of these reboots film studios have become so fond of to date. Like I said, this movie has a legacy to pay respect to, given that the show has been running in it's different iterations for a jaw-dropping 24 years now. The Power Rangers have always had a silliness to them. Make no mistake, with it's returning dinosaur robot vehicles and ridiculous martial arts action, this movie is silly too, and that is it's greatest strength. There are far too many reboots which try to go "darker" with the source material, and in doing so lose whatever it may be that people love about a certain franchise. This movie has a different edge to it, absolutely, but it retains the fun, the craziness, and the humour that we loved from the old series. If you hated those shows, you might be able to find some fun here (although I honestly doubt it). If you loved them or never watched them but you're willing to take a gamble on the Rangers, then chances are you'll find something to enjoy in this, and it'll be well worth you giving it a watch.

Pros

• Unashamedly fun, cheesy action
• Great effects
• Solid acting and characters
• Well filmed
• A great nostalgia road-trip

Cons

• Absolutely senseless, but it tries to have some
• A slow second act
• More Breakfast Club than Power Rangers most of the time
• The worst (but possibly best) product placement ever put to film

Rating: 7/10

Original Release Date: 24th of March, 2017

Starring Dacre Montgomery, Naomi Scott, RJ Cyler, Becky G, Ludi Lin, Elizabeth Banks, Bill Hader, and Bryan Cranston