Power Rangers (2017) - Movie Review
Power Rangers! Brought to you in part by the good people at Krispy Kreme Doughnuts for some reason! See this movie to get that joke, but until then... Let's break this one down.
Power Rangers is directed by Dean Israelite and is a film based off the classic children's TV show of the titular characters. Five rowdy teenagers are strangely recruited to take on the mantles of the legendary warriors known as the Power Rangers in order to save their city from the wrath of Rita Repulsa, a powerfully sinister witch.
Everyone knows the Power Rangers. At some point, everyone had the old Power Rangers show on their television. This show was the cornerstone for a lot of childhoods back in the day. Personally, I was never a Power Rangers fan. I always thought it was too cheesy, even for kid standards. Despite that, I wanted to go into this movie with an open mind because I know how much the franchise means to its legion of fans. This also means I'm not looking for fan service or homages, I'm just looking for a good film.
I'm surprised to say that's what you'll get if you walk into this one. Maybe it's because I didn't have any prior recollection of these characters to judge, but I really had a fun time with this reimagining. It's not perfect, but I say it's as close to perfect as a Power Rangers movie in 2017 could get.
The chemistry amongst the cast of Power Rangers is what I love the most about this film. The camaraderie of this imperfect team is very well realized. They functioned incredibly well as a unit, complementing one another's different personalities and strengths. There's just a great sense of play in group of teenage actors. Speaking of the actors, they all did a great job and there's not a weak link among them. I believe these young talents knew this was their "big break" and they knew they had to make a statement, which they do effectively.
Bryan Cranston voices the Rangers' mentor, Zordon and he does a great job fulfilling the ancient wiseman role to the leads of this film. On the other hand, Elizabeth Banks thought she was in a different movie. Banks plays the antagonist in Rita Repulsa and her portrayal was easily one of the cheesiest performances from a villain I've seen in awhile. Tonely speaking, her character didn't mesh well with the serious tone that the film and the main characters established in the beginning.
The real action doesn't come until the third act for the climax because beforehand, the film is devoted to developing the characters of the Power Rangers which is very much appreciated. They're the glue holding this movie together and the audience should care about the Rangers going into this final showdown. Unfortunately, I found the big ending to be a big mix of "transformers" wackiness and cheesiness. Keeping it spoiler-free, some of the action really paid off and a lot of it just doesn't look right at all.
Final Take
That all said, I'm willingly to look past the climax because I truly enjoyed the build up and friendship formed among the Power Rangers and in the end, I think that is what matters. I believe the general audience is going to want to see more of these characters because of how much we really liked them in this new incarnation. I was surprisingly satisfied with Power Rangers and I wouldn't mind getting a sequel. That's coming from a person that has never seen one full episode of the original 90's show.
I'm going to give Power Rangers a "B-" on the movie grading scale. Check it out in theaters and you might surprise yourself like I did. Color me shocked because of how much I enjoyed this movie and color me blue because the Blue Power Ranger was my favorite.
As always, thanks so much for reading and make sure to stay posted to Frank’s Takes for more reviews. Until next time, keep it 100.
– Frank
