Power Rangers was a show that I loved as a kid, and watched it all the time. For those who are unfamiliar with the concept, 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, and silly but also fun and exciting. For many of us, the series introduced us to Japanese monster movies and rubber suit creatures.
I was very skeptical about the 2017 film and everything I had heard about it made me nervous, but it actually was a great film to watch. The characters actually lived up to the idea “teenagers with attitude” this time, and they were all properly developed. I especially Billy Cranston, played brilliantly by RJ Cyler, as I felt this 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 if there were a couple of issues that made me scratch my head.
Elizabeth Banks as Rita Repulsa was actually an extremely well done portrayal, and she was able to switch between hamming it up and being genuinely creepy at the drop of a hat. In fact, the only cast member who felt out of place to me was Bryan Cranston as Zordon. I do not know why, but 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. That being said, I appreciate his returning to the franchise for the film, since he worked on the original series in a variety of roles.
Now, when it comes to Power Rangers, special effects and monsters are a necessity and the film does both well. The putties actual looked like a real threat in this version as opposed to the TV show, and overall the effects were not off-putting like the first movie in the 90’s. While I prefer practical effects always, I was satisfied for the most part, but would have liked more of a blend of practical effects and CGI to create an image that holds up better.
Despite the mixed reception it got, this was a great movie, and one that I watch every now and again once it released to home media. I say give it a chance, as you will find yourself enjoying it.