Discuss Power Rangers
Discuss → Movies → Power Rangers → General
Was not expecting much
posted by CraigJamesReviewSTAFFMOD on March 24, 2017 at 11:55 PM
Well I was not of the generation who was super excited for this one. I was more of a Ninja Turtles guy and then by the time this show came on the scene in the mid 90’s, I was kinda moving on to other things, like girls. My tail end did catch a little though so even though I probably couldn’t tell you who the red ranger was before this, I know what a Megazord is so I should get at least half credit.
It’s hard to forget how cheesy the show was. I mean I remember seeing school plays with better production value, costumes, and effects than this show. This movie is trying to change that, but still keep a bit of the campy charm of the show. You can say it’s going for a balance, but I would call it more teetering drunk. In the end its not really a grittier version or very funny, but its a start that I enjoyed more than I thought I would.
Like I said, it’s cheesy. First scene you got Bryan Cranston, he’s got his alien make-up on, he’s talking in an alien language. It’s good for a laugh. Next scene you got Jason, who will be the leader of the Power Rangers, but here he is for some reason trying to masturbate a cow. Later we find out he’s out on parole and at that point he looks off in the distance, and there is a voice over announcer in his head going he’s at the 10, 5, touchdown- the movie’s cheesiest way of saying he threw away his football dreams.
But you kinda take the good with the bad here, even when it’s a little bit silly. That’s due in large part to a cast that really does know what it’s doing but also a “Breakfast Club”- like vibe updated enough to know schools have been desegregated for a while now and more movies and TV shows should learn the same.
RJ Cyler is great as the clumsiest black dude nerd since Urkel. You really dig him the most because he has this great enthusiasm for finding out he’s becoming a super hero and also blowing shit up. Ludi Linn, smart-ass street punk whose hiding his softer side at home, Naomi Scott conceited cheerleader who grows less so. It’s Breakfast Club updated to 90’s, but the movie keeps hammering that teamwork and by the end it kinda works- family man.
The one I missed was Trini and if you heard, she’s the first gay super hero and I love it. In one scene Becky G. manages to add more heart to being different than all of Disney’s good-intentions last week.
Like I said before Bryan Cranston is here playing Zordon, creator of the Power Rangers, and so is Elizabeth Banks, playing Rita Repulsa. And at first the casting of both made me go, wow, did they need the money. I mean this looked like “I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here” territory. But their both giving 100 percent here, especially Banks whose like a mix of Swamp Thing, Maleficent, and Wicked Witch of the West all at once. Every time she’s on screen, just take a drink. But that’s Rita Repulsa.
Now lastly I want to talk action though, because there isn’t a lot here and that’s a bold choice for an over 2 hour film aimed at young people. Much of this is an origin story, them finding stones that give them super powers, meeting Zordon, its a getting to know one another story, the one big plot point involves finding a crystal before Rita does or she and her giant golden man (yeah, just take a drink) will annihilate the town and then presumably the world.
A lot of the bigger violence is done by Rita off screen and the Power Rangers training isn’t really much to write home about. They really don’t even suit up til the last 25 minutes and even then you wonder how they manage to work the zords as well as they do. But in that final battle there’s lots of destruction, but there is a human element there that lets you know what’s at stake too.
So Overall I like most people was not expecting much but guess what, if it came down to those Ninja Turtle remakes or this, I would say this was the better option. The cast is very good, the characters can be taken a bit more seriously than the show characters, the action when on screen is decent, it still has some cheese that sticks out like more of a sore thumb here but I don’t think it would be Power Rangers without that.
Overall- 7/10
I'm trying to go for an engaging, funny youtube channel so, if you have the time, hopefully you feel like leaving a like, suggestion for making it better, or maybe even a subscribe. Thanks so much guys. https://youtu.be/Nmw_RGJZJhg
Reply by FilmFan1983
on March 25, 2017 at 1:05 AM
I thought Elizabeth Banks was great, but her performance had greater echoes of Divatox than Rita Repulsa. In any case, it worked for me.
I wouldn't have minded if the action that was there was executed better. The film was either poorly shot or edited and it's quite a let down after all that character buildup. We never even get a good look at the Dinozords which was very strange, as is the original theme song that plays for less than 10 seconds before dropping out. The Megazord finale was also quite disappointing. People often mention the fact that the original show looked too fake or cheap, but as the series progressed, the battles became more epic, and the transformation sequences were always a highlight. I remember entire episodes that revolved around battles, multiple zords, and lasers. Sure there were fist fights as well, but since they were done by miniature figures, they were easier to enjoy. This movie, which boasts a much higher budget and more advanced technology, screams for that type of excess, which was so well utilized in films like Pacific Rim. Unfortunately, if that's what you're expecting, you'll be disappointed.
Having read that they plan to make this movie the beginning of a long running franchise, the fact that they focus so much on character development makes a little more sense. Hopefully, they'll up their game in the sequel(s). Critics are being dismissive of it, but it looks like the fans are eating it up.
Reply by CraigJamesReview
on March 25, 2017 at 1:51 AM
Yeah, I think it will work out fine. Yes it's an uneasy melding of seriousness and cheesy and yeah maybe the action could have been done a bit better but in the end I was rooting for the team and I feel that's what matters.
Reply by AgentBlue
on March 25, 2017 at 2:24 AM
I liked it although it was very cheesy and I wish they had their armor earlier.
Reply by Taylorfirst1
on March 26, 2017 at 7:36 PM
Look all of the Power Rangers TV incarnations are extremely cheap and cheesy kid's shows. Also, about 75% of each episode is footage from an even cheesier Japanese kids show.
So if you want to turn that into a big budget super hero movie, I'd say they did about the best job possible.
Reply by honeywolf3
on March 28, 2017 at 4:10 PM
I am a MMPR fan. Was there for the beginning so I remember ranger mania. When I heard about this remake, to be honest, I was apprehensive. Was not here for the casting of the red ranger & Becky G at first. After seeing it, I was surprised and like it. To be honest, I'm kinda jealous cause this should have been the original TV show. Don't get me wrong, the cheesy & over the topness of the show has it moments but I wish we got more deeper into the characters like the movie did.
Reply by simian_ninja
on May 1, 2017 at 1:47 AM
I had zero expectations for this movie, but at the end of it I thought that it was pretty damn awesome. I really ended up enjoying it.