578 reviews
With the seemingly endless popularity of superheroes, robots, dinosaurs and gigantic monsters on the big screen, it was only a matter of time before a franchise where superheroes transform into gigantic robotic dinosaurs to battle gigantic monsters would be resurrected. That's right: everyone's favorite half-hour toy commercial from the '90s is back to kick nostalgic butt! The "Power Rangers" have been re-booted with a slickly made, big-budget popcorn flick that wants to remind you of your care-free childhood days spent in front of the TV. It also probably wants you to forget the atrocious 1995 film.
It almost works.
With a gang of fresh young faces in place, the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers get back into action, sans the clumsy Mighty Morphin title. Also missing in action is a great deal of the trademark humor and inherent corniness that made the original series so much fun to watch, even long after most of us had grown up and out of it. In place of these elements are a stronger focus on character and backstory, as we not only get to know more about the teen titans, but also about their allies and enemies. Yep, even the Rangers' big-headed mentor Zordon and his haywire sidekick Alpha (played by Bryan Cranston and Bill Hader respectively) get some time to shine, as we learn more about how they came into contact with the power of the Rangers. Likewise, villainess Rita Repulsa (Elizabeth Banks) is given ample time to roam and wreak havoc, as she murders her way across town in search of gold, all the while jamming some Social Distortion. We're a long way from after-school Fox TV, friends.
The kids all play variations of the characters we came to recognize in the original run. Here we have Jason/The Red Ranger, the natural leader and jock with a heart of gold, as played by Dacre Montgomery. Stealing nearly every scene is RJ Cyler as Billy/The Blue Ranger, a brainiac who proudly confesses to being on the spectrum. Naomi Scott steps into the role of Kimberly/The Pink Ranger. This version of Kimberly is a rebel and a frequent target of bullies (haters gon' hate). Rounding out the crew are Becky G as Trini/The Yellow Ranger and Ludi Lin as Zack/The Black Ranger. These characters feel slightly under-cooked in comparison to the three "leads." Trini and Zack both appear troubled and withdrawn, proud conformists who are tough as nails. A glimpse into their respective home lives gives each character a little more dimension. Together, the five teens must learn to work together if they are to stop Rita's plan to end all human life. In spite of the film's short-comings, all five actors are on point and keep things are lively as possible, even when the script fails them.
Most folks are going to come into a film like this expecting a super smash of monster on robot action, and although the back half of the film makes good on that promise, the hour and a half (!) that leads up to it might leave some viewers (especially the younger ones) a bit cold. While the increased focus on character is more than welcome (given how shallow the original series was), it gets a bit redundant a third of the way in. The new characters are established firmly from the start, but the story doesn't quite know how to advance from there, leaving the middle piece of the film a little laggy and repetitive. A lot of the story beats we've seen from other (and better) superhero films are repeated and to be quite honest, it gets hard not to tune out. When the slam-bang finale comes crashing down, it (mostly) quenches the thirst for big, goofy fun but not quite. The end result is a film that feels a little muddled, as if the committee that pieced it together didn't quite know what target audience they were trying to reach. Not as dumb as "Transformers" but not as fun as, say, "Guardians of the Galaxy," "Power Rangers" straddles the middle a little too comfortably. Or maybe these characters and their accompanying concepts work better in smaller doses. There's still some fun to be had here, make no mistake, but more often than not, it feels like these Rangers are operating with slightly diminished power.
It almost works.
With a gang of fresh young faces in place, the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers get back into action, sans the clumsy Mighty Morphin title. Also missing in action is a great deal of the trademark humor and inherent corniness that made the original series so much fun to watch, even long after most of us had grown up and out of it. In place of these elements are a stronger focus on character and backstory, as we not only get to know more about the teen titans, but also about their allies and enemies. Yep, even the Rangers' big-headed mentor Zordon and his haywire sidekick Alpha (played by Bryan Cranston and Bill Hader respectively) get some time to shine, as we learn more about how they came into contact with the power of the Rangers. Likewise, villainess Rita Repulsa (Elizabeth Banks) is given ample time to roam and wreak havoc, as she murders her way across town in search of gold, all the while jamming some Social Distortion. We're a long way from after-school Fox TV, friends.
The kids all play variations of the characters we came to recognize in the original run. Here we have Jason/The Red Ranger, the natural leader and jock with a heart of gold, as played by Dacre Montgomery. Stealing nearly every scene is RJ Cyler as Billy/The Blue Ranger, a brainiac who proudly confesses to being on the spectrum. Naomi Scott steps into the role of Kimberly/The Pink Ranger. This version of Kimberly is a rebel and a frequent target of bullies (haters gon' hate). Rounding out the crew are Becky G as Trini/The Yellow Ranger and Ludi Lin as Zack/The Black Ranger. These characters feel slightly under-cooked in comparison to the three "leads." Trini and Zack both appear troubled and withdrawn, proud conformists who are tough as nails. A glimpse into their respective home lives gives each character a little more dimension. Together, the five teens must learn to work together if they are to stop Rita's plan to end all human life. In spite of the film's short-comings, all five actors are on point and keep things are lively as possible, even when the script fails them.
Most folks are going to come into a film like this expecting a super smash of monster on robot action, and although the back half of the film makes good on that promise, the hour and a half (!) that leads up to it might leave some viewers (especially the younger ones) a bit cold. While the increased focus on character is more than welcome (given how shallow the original series was), it gets a bit redundant a third of the way in. The new characters are established firmly from the start, but the story doesn't quite know how to advance from there, leaving the middle piece of the film a little laggy and repetitive. A lot of the story beats we've seen from other (and better) superhero films are repeated and to be quite honest, it gets hard not to tune out. When the slam-bang finale comes crashing down, it (mostly) quenches the thirst for big, goofy fun but not quite. The end result is a film that feels a little muddled, as if the committee that pieced it together didn't quite know what target audience they were trying to reach. Not as dumb as "Transformers" but not as fun as, say, "Guardians of the Galaxy," "Power Rangers" straddles the middle a little too comfortably. Or maybe these characters and their accompanying concepts work better in smaller doses. There's still some fun to be had here, make no mistake, but more often than not, it feels like these Rangers are operating with slightly diminished power.
- Minus_The_Beer
- Mar 30, 2018
- Permalink
Everyone that is writing a negative review of this film is saying that it didn't live up to expectations, ruined their nostalgia, was boring, was stupid, etc. So let's address some of that.
Didn't live up to expectations: If you're going into this movie expecting something amazing and ground-breaking, you're going to have a bad time. If you're expecting something more like Transformers, you'll have fun.
Ruined nostalgia: Nostalgia is a self-ruiner. Nothing ever lives up to what you remember when you were a wide-eyed child filled with wonder. Let's face it. Power Rangers was a really dumb kid's show even back then. We all just think it was baller, because we were kids when it was airing.
Boring: Some say it was boring, and I'll admit it was slow to start. It took a while to get it's stride, but if you can stick it out, it's a pretty fun movie.
Stupid: This movie has all the teenage high schooler tropes. I mean, you would almost think it were a modern day John Hughes film in the first half hour or so, because god is it tropey. That's okay though. I feel like the production team did this on purpose. This film doesn't take itself that seriously, really.
My take on it is that it was fun. There were parts where I cringed. There were parts where I wanted to just shut it off. I'm glad I stuck it out, because it's not a terrible film as long as you're not expecting something on the level of Hitchcock. If you are expecting that...why?
Remember, think for yourself when it comes to film. Don't take reviews too seriously, because not everyone has the same tastes.
Didn't live up to expectations: If you're going into this movie expecting something amazing and ground-breaking, you're going to have a bad time. If you're expecting something more like Transformers, you'll have fun.
Ruined nostalgia: Nostalgia is a self-ruiner. Nothing ever lives up to what you remember when you were a wide-eyed child filled with wonder. Let's face it. Power Rangers was a really dumb kid's show even back then. We all just think it was baller, because we were kids when it was airing.
Boring: Some say it was boring, and I'll admit it was slow to start. It took a while to get it's stride, but if you can stick it out, it's a pretty fun movie.
Stupid: This movie has all the teenage high schooler tropes. I mean, you would almost think it were a modern day John Hughes film in the first half hour or so, because god is it tropey. That's okay though. I feel like the production team did this on purpose. This film doesn't take itself that seriously, really.
My take on it is that it was fun. There were parts where I cringed. There were parts where I wanted to just shut it off. I'm glad I stuck it out, because it's not a terrible film as long as you're not expecting something on the level of Hitchcock. If you are expecting that...why?
Remember, think for yourself when it comes to film. Don't take reviews too seriously, because not everyone has the same tastes.
- NewGirlNickMiller
- Nov 29, 2018
- Permalink
- donbarredorapc
- Jun 12, 2017
- Permalink
The majority of this Power Rangers movie is just some teen angst drama. Now I have nothing against teen angst being portrayed in film and TV. But we're talking about a Power Rangers movie. This movie tries too hard to be serious and mature. There's humor every once in a while, but it doesn't fit with the serious tone. And while we're on the subject of seriousness, the color palette used in this film is very dull. It's the same washed-out color palette used in Man of Steel and Fantastic Four, which has been used in so many movies, and it's completely outdated.
The script is quite bland with several pop-culture references. Some of the dialogue can be inappropriate for the kids that watch this film.
The acting is okay, but the characters have feeble character development and can be very unlikeable. The most likable characters I can think of are Jason and Billy. Other than that, there's not a lot of characterization for the heroes of this movie. I wouldn't consider them fit to be role models. The Rangers don't have strong chemistry with each other. In the original TV show, they were already friends before becoming the Power Rangers. In this film, since they're only meeting each other for the first time, they fail to build a connection and understand each other. Even Zordon can be seen as unlikeable. In this film, he can sound irritable, whereas Zordon in the original show was more optimistic.
Some aspects in this film are just stolen from The Breakfast Club. I'm not saying that because the film opens with a detention scene. There's way more than that. For starters, the Power Rangers all follow the same character traits as the main characters in The Breakfast Club: The Nerd (Billy), the Jock (Jason), the Outcast (Trini), the Princess (Kimberly), and the Rebel (Zack). The campfire scene where the Power Rangers reveal bits about themselves is similar to The Breakfast Club's circle confession.
One of the BIGGEST issues I have with this film is the mass product placement from Krispy Kreme. My god, it's everywhere between the middle and end of the film. The final battle literally takes place at a local Krispy Kreme.
Speaking of the final battle, it's the ONLY fight scene in this 2-hour movie. If you were expecting this movie to be packed with fighting sequences, get ready to be disappointed.
So yeah, I wasn't entirely pleased with this film. It doesn't have much replay value, and I wouldn't recommend this film to kids. I liked the visual effects and the soundtrack, but yeah, that's about it. This film was just very uninteresting. Hopefully, the next reboot does something much better.
The script is quite bland with several pop-culture references. Some of the dialogue can be inappropriate for the kids that watch this film.
The acting is okay, but the characters have feeble character development and can be very unlikeable. The most likable characters I can think of are Jason and Billy. Other than that, there's not a lot of characterization for the heroes of this movie. I wouldn't consider them fit to be role models. The Rangers don't have strong chemistry with each other. In the original TV show, they were already friends before becoming the Power Rangers. In this film, since they're only meeting each other for the first time, they fail to build a connection and understand each other. Even Zordon can be seen as unlikeable. In this film, he can sound irritable, whereas Zordon in the original show was more optimistic.
Some aspects in this film are just stolen from The Breakfast Club. I'm not saying that because the film opens with a detention scene. There's way more than that. For starters, the Power Rangers all follow the same character traits as the main characters in The Breakfast Club: The Nerd (Billy), the Jock (Jason), the Outcast (Trini), the Princess (Kimberly), and the Rebel (Zack). The campfire scene where the Power Rangers reveal bits about themselves is similar to The Breakfast Club's circle confession.
One of the BIGGEST issues I have with this film is the mass product placement from Krispy Kreme. My god, it's everywhere between the middle and end of the film. The final battle literally takes place at a local Krispy Kreme.
Speaking of the final battle, it's the ONLY fight scene in this 2-hour movie. If you were expecting this movie to be packed with fighting sequences, get ready to be disappointed.
So yeah, I wasn't entirely pleased with this film. It doesn't have much replay value, and I wouldn't recommend this film to kids. I liked the visual effects and the soundtrack, but yeah, that's about it. This film was just very uninteresting. Hopefully, the next reboot does something much better.
From a power rangers point of view, I think this movie was a 10 on 10. People who are interested in watching this movie, must go into the cinema with the right expectations.
Please don't expect this power rangers movie to be as deep, as a movie like 'the dark knight', 'batman v superman' or 'shawshank redemption'. Historically speaking, power rangers had a corny production vibe to it, especially visually and this is one of the reasons kids fell in love with it. Kids at a young age, aren't as could as they are when they get older at interpreting deep philosophical messages; which is why power rangers in general isn't the type of show/movie you watch, expecting to leave the theater with a huge epiphany about life.
I'd class this movie as overall fun and entertaining to watch. What I loved about it is the was never a scene whereby I felt bored. Though let me not exaggerate things and make you feel like every scene has got action in it, which is obviously not true. The point is the movie manages to keep an audience who walks into it with the right expectations, actively engaged in it.
The were moral lessons one can learn by watching the movie. Issues like how to work as a team, how to be a leader, human mortality, opening yourself up emotionally to your friends, resisting conforming to societal expectations and having an open mindset.
A few downsides to this movie were the graphics kind of looked cheap -- as in the visual effects weren't as real-like, like a movie like star wars the force awakens in my opinion. The villain came off as corny and audiences who like serious movies, probably won't like this movie. Though keep in mind -- the cheap looking graphics, corny villain and sometimes lack of seriousness in this movie is what makes power rangers the franchise it is today.
So don't go into the theater expecting a movie with extremely deep philosophical points, that tells us humans are ultimately self-serving individuals etc.
Please don't expect this power rangers movie to be as deep, as a movie like 'the dark knight', 'batman v superman' or 'shawshank redemption'. Historically speaking, power rangers had a corny production vibe to it, especially visually and this is one of the reasons kids fell in love with it. Kids at a young age, aren't as could as they are when they get older at interpreting deep philosophical messages; which is why power rangers in general isn't the type of show/movie you watch, expecting to leave the theater with a huge epiphany about life.
I'd class this movie as overall fun and entertaining to watch. What I loved about it is the was never a scene whereby I felt bored. Though let me not exaggerate things and make you feel like every scene has got action in it, which is obviously not true. The point is the movie manages to keep an audience who walks into it with the right expectations, actively engaged in it.
The were moral lessons one can learn by watching the movie. Issues like how to work as a team, how to be a leader, human mortality, opening yourself up emotionally to your friends, resisting conforming to societal expectations and having an open mindset.
A few downsides to this movie were the graphics kind of looked cheap -- as in the visual effects weren't as real-like, like a movie like star wars the force awakens in my opinion. The villain came off as corny and audiences who like serious movies, probably won't like this movie. Though keep in mind -- the cheap looking graphics, corny villain and sometimes lack of seriousness in this movie is what makes power rangers the franchise it is today.
So don't go into the theater expecting a movie with extremely deep philosophical points, that tells us humans are ultimately self-serving individuals etc.
- wmig-86583
- Sep 3, 2021
- Permalink
Acting is a little overdone, but then again so was the original. As a person who grew up with the show when it first aired, this rendition is meant to be another genesis story. Provide a little more background and bring it up to today's technological specs.
While I think it tried too hard and perhaps did try to take itself a bit too seriously, if you come in with an open mind about it, you'll be somewhat surprised and may find that you enjoy it. I found that the camera angles and cinematography was okay, but it had moments where it felt very cheesy.
If they could have picked up a really good director for action / sci-first (eg Whedon), we could have had a really excellent and fun movie. Alas, it falls slightly short of good. If you're looking for a bit of a campy movie with some good cheese factor, check it out. Otherwise, perhaps pass this one up.
While I think it tried too hard and perhaps did try to take itself a bit too seriously, if you come in with an open mind about it, you'll be somewhat surprised and may find that you enjoy it. I found that the camera angles and cinematography was okay, but it had moments where it felt very cheesy.
If they could have picked up a really good director for action / sci-first (eg Whedon), we could have had a really excellent and fun movie. Alas, it falls slightly short of good. If you're looking for a bit of a campy movie with some good cheese factor, check it out. Otherwise, perhaps pass this one up.
Power Rangers is an atrocious movie with a poorly developed plot and an disinterested cast. I did not have high expectations for this film, but I was a fan of the television series as a child and thought it would be a fun tribute. Instead of that, it takes what made the Power Rangers a hit in the late nineties and forcefully updates it for today's standards, taking itself far too seriously for such a ridiculous property.
The majority of the cast are uninspired, clearly only there for a pay check. The Rangers, with the exception of RJ Cyler and Ludi Lin, seem to have no desire or ambition to act. The more A list cast do not shine either, Elizabeth Banks is far too sweet and attractive to thrill us as the lead antagonist, while Bryan Cranston just seemed out of place, which was a shame, as he could do so much better.
For an action film, it is not very exciting. It takes up far too much time setting up the Rangers, followed by about twenty minutes of poor action sequences that are jam packed with CGI and poor one liners.
I found myself regretting my decision to watch this movie more and more throughout. Dull and poorly paced, Power Rangers is too serious to be fun, but not serious enough to be intriguing, I would avoid this one.
A group of teenagers use new powers that they have been bestowed with to protect the galaxy.
Best Performance: RJ Cyler / Worst Performance: Elizabeth Banks
The majority of the cast are uninspired, clearly only there for a pay check. The Rangers, with the exception of RJ Cyler and Ludi Lin, seem to have no desire or ambition to act. The more A list cast do not shine either, Elizabeth Banks is far too sweet and attractive to thrill us as the lead antagonist, while Bryan Cranston just seemed out of place, which was a shame, as he could do so much better.
For an action film, it is not very exciting. It takes up far too much time setting up the Rangers, followed by about twenty minutes of poor action sequences that are jam packed with CGI and poor one liners.
I found myself regretting my decision to watch this movie more and more throughout. Dull and poorly paced, Power Rangers is too serious to be fun, but not serious enough to be intriguing, I would avoid this one.
A group of teenagers use new powers that they have been bestowed with to protect the galaxy.
Best Performance: RJ Cyler / Worst Performance: Elizabeth Banks
- lesleyharris30
- Apr 14, 2017
- Permalink
- destinymckenna
- Jun 16, 2017
- Permalink
I didn't grow up with the power rangers. I really didn't care for the power rangers and the people who liked them. This movie was a good movie. Better than alot of crap Hollywood pours into us.
- djfrost-46786
- Nov 17, 2018
- Permalink
- lalegre-05136
- Mar 23, 2017
- Permalink
I saw lots of reviews for this movie, I guess most of those people are real Power Rangers fans. And i still can't realize: WHAT THE **** DID YOU EXPECT?!
This is a REBOOT. A completely new story, just like director said. This is the first movie in a new superhero franchise, and it needs to have a focus on the story and its characters, not on battles and morphing sequences. It's made for everybody except kids, because it's dark and much more serious than the TV show which was made mostly for kids. We have five teenagers and each of them has his own issues he needs to solve himself in order to become a hero (Power Ranger) and save the world. Every next situation in the movie makes our heroes closer to each other and stronger as a team.
I personally enjoyed watching this movie because it is dark, amazing, emotional, funny(of course not that much like the TV show), and has AWESOME introduction to the whole story and its main characters. I can only imagine what's planned for the sequel. CAN'T WAIT FOR THAT!!! #GO #GO #POWER #RANGERS
This is a REBOOT. A completely new story, just like director said. This is the first movie in a new superhero franchise, and it needs to have a focus on the story and its characters, not on battles and morphing sequences. It's made for everybody except kids, because it's dark and much more serious than the TV show which was made mostly for kids. We have five teenagers and each of them has his own issues he needs to solve himself in order to become a hero (Power Ranger) and save the world. Every next situation in the movie makes our heroes closer to each other and stronger as a team.
I personally enjoyed watching this movie because it is dark, amazing, emotional, funny(of course not that much like the TV show), and has AWESOME introduction to the whole story and its main characters. I can only imagine what's planned for the sequel. CAN'T WAIT FOR THAT!!! #GO #GO #POWER #RANGERS
I was one of the first people to be asked to watch power rangers in December of 2016. I went into the theater not expecting much from this movie but I was wrong, it was a good movie. Not great or OK it was simply good. It had great CGI and the acting was good for a young cast. I loved the first 2 acts of the movie they were really strong and had good story telling. But act 3 in my opinion seemed silly and sort of rushed. The first 2 acts were great because of 2 things. Great characters and a steady pace. The character development was great and I liked how the writers really stuck to making them interesting so that the audience would care about them, especially RJ Cylers character. Nothing was rushed and was going at a great pace and then all of a sudden act 3 came into play and it turned into a mediocre action film and wasn't very exciting and I believe that is due to the villain. I was not a fan. Her motives are too over used and simply a lame character. The actress was fine but the character it'self wasn't anything special and made the action scenes dull. Other than that the kids will love it and if you are a power ranger fan I think you will be pleased. It's fun for the whole family.
- jackwarner999
- Mar 20, 2017
- Permalink
- WhenAmyMetSalad
- Apr 20, 2017
- Permalink
- MichaelNontonMulu
- Mar 21, 2017
- Permalink
This movie is boring, poorly written, and stupid. It's not stupid in a fun way, either.
I went into this movie with expectations that I would have for a Transformers movie; I hoped for explosions, fun action scenes, and cool CGI. Guess what this movie had? NONE OF THAT. Because it was so boring, I was forced to sit through boring scenes of people talking about boring back stories.
This movie suffered from the same problems that Superman v Batman and Suicide Squad suffered from: they tried so hard to fit so much stuff in, that the pacing is terrible and nothing feels like it goes together. The whole movie is very forgettable except one scene... (Spoilers, kinda)
The opening scene, when the Red Ranger (who's character name I can't remember and can't be bothered to go back and look) gets into a car chase with the police after pulling a prank at the high school. The cinematography and camera-work is fantastic and really got my hopes very high for the rest of the movie. It's reminiscent of the tank scene from Dawn of the Planet of the Apes. It's a little difficult to pay attention to everything that's going on, but at least it looks cool and keeps you engaged, UNLIKE THE REST OF THE MOVIE.
Overall, I would say that no matter what reviews people read, they're going to see it no matter what. Also, (spoilers again) when they finally morph into the animal robots (I never watched the show much, so maybe I just don't get it) they play the original theme song from the show for no reason other than to force nostalgia.
At least the original show, from what I did see, was campy and fun. This movie can't decide if it wants to be serious or funny (just like Suicide Squad). Come to think of it, this movie has a lot of similarities to Suicide Squad, except with Suicide Squad, it had more than THREE ACTION SCENES IN THE WHOLE MOVIE.
This is a bad movie. Go see it.
I went into this movie with expectations that I would have for a Transformers movie; I hoped for explosions, fun action scenes, and cool CGI. Guess what this movie had? NONE OF THAT. Because it was so boring, I was forced to sit through boring scenes of people talking about boring back stories.
This movie suffered from the same problems that Superman v Batman and Suicide Squad suffered from: they tried so hard to fit so much stuff in, that the pacing is terrible and nothing feels like it goes together. The whole movie is very forgettable except one scene... (Spoilers, kinda)
The opening scene, when the Red Ranger (who's character name I can't remember and can't be bothered to go back and look) gets into a car chase with the police after pulling a prank at the high school. The cinematography and camera-work is fantastic and really got my hopes very high for the rest of the movie. It's reminiscent of the tank scene from Dawn of the Planet of the Apes. It's a little difficult to pay attention to everything that's going on, but at least it looks cool and keeps you engaged, UNLIKE THE REST OF THE MOVIE.
Overall, I would say that no matter what reviews people read, they're going to see it no matter what. Also, (spoilers again) when they finally morph into the animal robots (I never watched the show much, so maybe I just don't get it) they play the original theme song from the show for no reason other than to force nostalgia.
At least the original show, from what I did see, was campy and fun. This movie can't decide if it wants to be serious or funny (just like Suicide Squad). Come to think of it, this movie has a lot of similarities to Suicide Squad, except with Suicide Squad, it had more than THREE ACTION SCENES IN THE WHOLE MOVIE.
This is a bad movie. Go see it.
- asillett-57045
- Mar 28, 2017
- Permalink
Terrible script & story. Knew it from the trailers, but still had the balls to watch it... Came with minimal expectations but was STILL DISAPPOINTED. This is soo cringy in an awful way. It is not that cringy and corny type that'll make you laugh because of how awful it is. It is just plain sad, awful, and painful to watch. THIS IS THE ONLY SECOND TIME WE WALKED OUT OF THE CINEMA IN THE MIDDLE OF THE MOVIE. (FYI, FIRST TIME WAS INSURGENT 2015)
Anyone that was a child when the Power Rangers was on TV will be early 30's to late early 40's. Writing a review based on your memories stating that this movie destroyed the Power Rangers of old time is just sad.
I actually liked it and yes I am one of those kids. The movie is very simple. They are building up the characters, each being a misfit, they are teenagers so YES you will get a lot of the teenager drama that comes along with being a teenager. It is pretty much an Origin Superhero movie, slow at start but ending with a Bang when the heroes discover their full potential.
Why would anyone compare this to the Transformers? It is filmed the same way, the special effects are pretty much the same but this is because at the end of the day they have similarities (robots, transforming) and they can only show them one way. Bear in mind that Power Rangers type of series have been around since the 70s and 80s especially in Japan and China. So NO they did not copy Transformers and the first Power Ranger movie was actually done before any of the Transformers movies. Unfortunately any movie that shows big robots and morphings will be compared to the Transformers.
The movie does keep true to the original series and I have enjoyed it. I also liked seeing some of the original rangers in the crowd.
Does it deserve a 10? Probably not but neither does a 1 nor do other waste of time movies/series deserve a 10. Your kids will enjoy it and so will you.
I actually liked it and yes I am one of those kids. The movie is very simple. They are building up the characters, each being a misfit, they are teenagers so YES you will get a lot of the teenager drama that comes along with being a teenager. It is pretty much an Origin Superhero movie, slow at start but ending with a Bang when the heroes discover their full potential.
Why would anyone compare this to the Transformers? It is filmed the same way, the special effects are pretty much the same but this is because at the end of the day they have similarities (robots, transforming) and they can only show them one way. Bear in mind that Power Rangers type of series have been around since the 70s and 80s especially in Japan and China. So NO they did not copy Transformers and the first Power Ranger movie was actually done before any of the Transformers movies. Unfortunately any movie that shows big robots and morphings will be compared to the Transformers.
The movie does keep true to the original series and I have enjoyed it. I also liked seeing some of the original rangers in the crowd.
Does it deserve a 10? Probably not but neither does a 1 nor do other waste of time movies/series deserve a 10. Your kids will enjoy it and so will you.
Another installment in nostalgia.
When I first heard about the Power Rangers being brought back as a film franchise I was pretty jazzed about it. It does not hurt that the closest thing to bad press I heard about the movie was that they needed to push back the filming, which only allowed them to add the star power of Bryan Cranston and Elisabeth banks.
Only indifference I had towards the movie was that as corny as the TV show was the concept of a group of overachieving teenagers being selected to become the best of the best makes sense (Especially because they are teenagers, they should be the best of the best at lease). Because dark is cool these days, the Rangers needed to have more edge to them, which is why this new team is made of "diamonds in the rough" who society has scrub off as screw-ups. So the idea is that Bryan Cranston who plays the big giant head Zordon, has the power coins pick those who have the potential to be the best of the best.
Out of all the superhero movies that are coming out, Power Rangers is not the best of the best, it's definitely a diamond in the rough that has potential, but still needs more training. I did like the cast of teenagers who had some very distinctive personalities, as they try to even out the characters. I did love the fact that the Blue Ranger was played by a black dude, and The Black Ranger was played by an Asian dude (it's less distracting than what happen in the TV show).
Bryan Cranston's star power did nothing to make his Zordon a better giant head, but Elisabeth Banks was great as Rita Repulsa. In a time with Superhero movies having weak antagonist, I got to say, I enjoyed what Banks did with the character and loved to see her on the screen.
So I went into this really wanting to see this and I was not disappointed. It's not really what I expected as it's not the kung fu spectacular the TV show was, but it is a good movie. Not great just good.
http://cinemagardens.com
When I first heard about the Power Rangers being brought back as a film franchise I was pretty jazzed about it. It does not hurt that the closest thing to bad press I heard about the movie was that they needed to push back the filming, which only allowed them to add the star power of Bryan Cranston and Elisabeth banks.
Only indifference I had towards the movie was that as corny as the TV show was the concept of a group of overachieving teenagers being selected to become the best of the best makes sense (Especially because they are teenagers, they should be the best of the best at lease). Because dark is cool these days, the Rangers needed to have more edge to them, which is why this new team is made of "diamonds in the rough" who society has scrub off as screw-ups. So the idea is that Bryan Cranston who plays the big giant head Zordon, has the power coins pick those who have the potential to be the best of the best.
Out of all the superhero movies that are coming out, Power Rangers is not the best of the best, it's definitely a diamond in the rough that has potential, but still needs more training. I did like the cast of teenagers who had some very distinctive personalities, as they try to even out the characters. I did love the fact that the Blue Ranger was played by a black dude, and The Black Ranger was played by an Asian dude (it's less distracting than what happen in the TV show).
Bryan Cranston's star power did nothing to make his Zordon a better giant head, but Elisabeth Banks was great as Rita Repulsa. In a time with Superhero movies having weak antagonist, I got to say, I enjoyed what Banks did with the character and loved to see her on the screen.
So I went into this really wanting to see this and I was not disappointed. It's not really what I expected as it's not the kung fu spectacular the TV show was, but it is a good movie. Not great just good.
http://cinemagardens.com
- subxerogravity
- Mar 22, 2017
- Permalink
The whole experience started kind of good. The first 20 minutes were mostly alright, but in my mind what the movie failed to capture as a whole was that the fact it is not the 90s anymore and even tho CGI was decent I failed to find that nostalgia feel that I was in search of when I heard the new Power Rangers movies was coming out. You do not feel anything for the characters and by the end I had felt that it was only starting to get good. It mostly feels like an elderly man tried to make something teenagers would find interesting, but the problem is, that elderly man is stuck in the last century and most of us had moved on. They forgot that kids of today couldn't care less about Power Rangers and that only people like me who used to watch the shows as a kid would be interested tho laziness added to it not being interesting and in my opinion pretty dumb. Characters are stereotypical high school kids you cannot relate too because I guess the writers couldn't bother or were afraid of any backlash had they done anything mildly interesting with them, as we see in all sorts of media today. There are certain points where you can feel what it could have been but those moments drop off pretty quickly and you find yourself either mocking scenes or plainly not caring for the characters or anything really as I did. Overall I cannot give it one star because I had paid to see it, which in my opinion is already too much for something like this, but I think had the characters been interesting as individuals and if the story hadn't felt rushed by the end it might have even been a good movie worthy of my time and nostalgia.
In the 90's Saban unleashed onto our homes five teenage heroes dress in multicolored, state of the art underwear. What followed was legacy of aspiring actors fighting men in ashen grey costumes, before turning their attention to unique costumed antagonists that tried to stop their quest. And to this day Power Rangers continues to be a hit amidst the adolescent world as Nickelodeon continues to inspire them to fight as the rainbow warriors. So of course, we needed a movie to really seal the deal, based on the original series that started it all. Robbie K here to cover another movie. Let's get started.
Summary: If you were a fan of the series like I was, then you will certainly be looking for that nostalgic adventure you had as a kid. Well the movie is able to bring some of that back as traditional characters (in new, hot, youthful skins) return to fight the forces of evil. But past the new cast, you'll be go go going crazy for all the throwbacks including: Zords, monsters, Rita's dramatic speeches, cameos, and of course the suits. It's fun to relive those childhood moments, making one laugh at all the memories that come rushing back in this new adventure.
But if nostalgia won't make you smile, then certainly the comedy of the movie will be an entertaining factor. Power Rangers surprisingly is funny (and not in the cheesy way the classic series was). Each of the teens has their moments where they put their foot in their mouth or get a taste of humility as they eat pavement. But it is Billy who steals the show, as the autistic youth delivers well-timed comedy that grounds all the drama brought by this new generation of rangers. Yes, you heard me drama, this origin movie has far more drama than the series had back then and with it some surprising character depth. Where the 90's was cutesy love and bullying, this movie goes deeper down the teenage angst path. It works at times and helps expand on what once was limited roles.
As for the action, Power Rangers is also decent in this category as well. This film has some fast-paced karate chopping action, that quickly melds into robot on monster smashing. The special effects are semi impressive, not so much in terms of realism, but capturing the spunk of Power Rangers. The Zords in particular are much smoother, and the modern twist on their design matches the edgier theme of the movie. And of course, there are lots of thrilling explosions and sound effects to bring it all to the front. While not as cheesy as Saban's classic fights, the battles in this film still have that energy we all fell in love with.
Summary: Despite the deeper lore of the series, the teenage issues were also a little eye rolling as well. I know not to expect a masterpiece, but this Power Ranger plot felt like an after school special meeting a special effects show. I'm sure this will speak to many of the modern generation, but these issues just felt out of place compared to those in the 90s. Plus, the rebellious, delinquent protagonists aren't necessarily the ideal role models for the younger generations. Perhaps it was also the darker atmosphere that also detracted it from me. Despite added suspense and danger, the darker moments made the movie less fun for me at times. And to be honest, some of the darker moments were a bit disturbing at times, so please exercise caution if your kids are easily scared.
Speaking of scary, the new direction they took with Rita Repulsa was not the most comforting thing to see. This portrayal was much more nightmarish, replacing Rita's grandiosity with pure insanity and lust as she feasted on "gold" from every source. While the edginess wins points for danger, the creepy (somewhat adulterated) portrayal of Rita did not impress me, nor did the overacting (again dramatic) walks/speeches she made through the movie. In addition, I wasn't a fan of the new Goldar, wondering why they replaced the cheesy (yet creative) chimera design for a CGi golden Velveeta monster? Yes, the monsters certainly lacked that design we all loved, for again darker, edgier forms.
In regards to the action, well as always, I wanted more. Power Rangers runs just a little over two hours, but only about twenty minutes of that is actually action. It would have been nice to have a little more investment in the combat scenes to really deliver the promised punch the first 90 minutes promised. For one thing, it would have been nice for all the weapons, not just a random appearing sword, to make an appearance as they fought for the sake of the world. That minor detail aside, the kung Fu scenes could have been longer, and the Zords could have had a little more coordination than just one or two taking a punch. In addition, the edgier Rita needed some more time to show off her skills (other than speeches and walking through CGI streets).
The Verdict:
Power Rangers is certainly a fun stroll down memory lane, filled with plenty of nostalgic references to make you feel sort of like a kid again. With a new edge comes character development and special effects that for the most part work. Yet, there are still some balance issues that need work, including stepping back from the darkness and increase the emphasis on action (and story). Still not a bad origins story. Worth a trip to the theater? For the special effects and adventure, definitely, but there are other movies better worth the price of admission.
My scores:
Action/Adventure/Sci-Fi: 7.5 Movie Overall: 7.0
Summary: If you were a fan of the series like I was, then you will certainly be looking for that nostalgic adventure you had as a kid. Well the movie is able to bring some of that back as traditional characters (in new, hot, youthful skins) return to fight the forces of evil. But past the new cast, you'll be go go going crazy for all the throwbacks including: Zords, monsters, Rita's dramatic speeches, cameos, and of course the suits. It's fun to relive those childhood moments, making one laugh at all the memories that come rushing back in this new adventure.
But if nostalgia won't make you smile, then certainly the comedy of the movie will be an entertaining factor. Power Rangers surprisingly is funny (and not in the cheesy way the classic series was). Each of the teens has their moments where they put their foot in their mouth or get a taste of humility as they eat pavement. But it is Billy who steals the show, as the autistic youth delivers well-timed comedy that grounds all the drama brought by this new generation of rangers. Yes, you heard me drama, this origin movie has far more drama than the series had back then and with it some surprising character depth. Where the 90's was cutesy love and bullying, this movie goes deeper down the teenage angst path. It works at times and helps expand on what once was limited roles.
As for the action, Power Rangers is also decent in this category as well. This film has some fast-paced karate chopping action, that quickly melds into robot on monster smashing. The special effects are semi impressive, not so much in terms of realism, but capturing the spunk of Power Rangers. The Zords in particular are much smoother, and the modern twist on their design matches the edgier theme of the movie. And of course, there are lots of thrilling explosions and sound effects to bring it all to the front. While not as cheesy as Saban's classic fights, the battles in this film still have that energy we all fell in love with.
Summary: Despite the deeper lore of the series, the teenage issues were also a little eye rolling as well. I know not to expect a masterpiece, but this Power Ranger plot felt like an after school special meeting a special effects show. I'm sure this will speak to many of the modern generation, but these issues just felt out of place compared to those in the 90s. Plus, the rebellious, delinquent protagonists aren't necessarily the ideal role models for the younger generations. Perhaps it was also the darker atmosphere that also detracted it from me. Despite added suspense and danger, the darker moments made the movie less fun for me at times. And to be honest, some of the darker moments were a bit disturbing at times, so please exercise caution if your kids are easily scared.
Speaking of scary, the new direction they took with Rita Repulsa was not the most comforting thing to see. This portrayal was much more nightmarish, replacing Rita's grandiosity with pure insanity and lust as she feasted on "gold" from every source. While the edginess wins points for danger, the creepy (somewhat adulterated) portrayal of Rita did not impress me, nor did the overacting (again dramatic) walks/speeches she made through the movie. In addition, I wasn't a fan of the new Goldar, wondering why they replaced the cheesy (yet creative) chimera design for a CGi golden Velveeta monster? Yes, the monsters certainly lacked that design we all loved, for again darker, edgier forms.
In regards to the action, well as always, I wanted more. Power Rangers runs just a little over two hours, but only about twenty minutes of that is actually action. It would have been nice to have a little more investment in the combat scenes to really deliver the promised punch the first 90 minutes promised. For one thing, it would have been nice for all the weapons, not just a random appearing sword, to make an appearance as they fought for the sake of the world. That minor detail aside, the kung Fu scenes could have been longer, and the Zords could have had a little more coordination than just one or two taking a punch. In addition, the edgier Rita needed some more time to show off her skills (other than speeches and walking through CGI streets).
The Verdict:
Power Rangers is certainly a fun stroll down memory lane, filled with plenty of nostalgic references to make you feel sort of like a kid again. With a new edge comes character development and special effects that for the most part work. Yet, there are still some balance issues that need work, including stepping back from the darkness and increase the emphasis on action (and story). Still not a bad origins story. Worth a trip to the theater? For the special effects and adventure, definitely, but there are other movies better worth the price of admission.
My scores:
Action/Adventure/Sci-Fi: 7.5 Movie Overall: 7.0