I had to take some time to write this, and I felt waiting a few weeks after seeing it once and then going back, was the best way to go about getting what I needed for the review.
Power Rangers was a show I loved as a kid, I watched it all the time. I watched the various series up to Power Rangers: Time Force, and then fell off. For those who don’t know, Power Rangers used recycled footage from the Japanese series Super Sentai, and spliced in American footage as well to create a new show. It was cheesy, goofy and silly, but fun. It gave many of us a love of Japanese monster movies and rubber suit creatures.
So how does the newest film take on the series hold up? Surprisingly well.
I was very skeptical about the new film and everything I heard about it, but it actually was a great film to watch. The characters actually live up t the line “teenagers with attitude” this time, and they were all properly developed. Especially Billy Cranston, who was played brilliantly by RJ Cyler, in what was the most refreshing depiction of someone on the autism spectrum. He felt accurate and not like a forced attempt at pandering and I can appreciate that immensely.
Even Elizabeth Banks as Rita Repulsa was good, and she was able to switch between hamming it up and being genuinely creepy at times. The only cast member who felt out of place to me was Bryan Cranston as Zordon, as he just didn’t seem right in the role. He is a good actor, but the portrayal was not the best. There was an alternate take on Zordon in this depiction which I liked, but again, I feel Cranston just didn’t pull it off that well.
Now, when it comes to Power Rangers, special effects and monsters are a necessity and the film does both well. The toy versions of Goldar and the Megazord that people saw before the movie, didn’t give the best depiction since they looked far better on screen. The putties actual looked like a real threat in this version as opposed to the TV show.
If I have any complains, its that the product placement felt very forced, like it interrupted the narrative. As well, the rangers took a long time to get into their gear, but that one is more understandable, and the action paid off well.
All in all, this was an amazing movie and a real treat for fans of the series. I loved it and would see it again!