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Truth be told, I’m not a Power Ranger’s fan. I don’t dislike them, I just don’t have the affinity that true fans do. I’ve seen enough of the early iterations to know the characters and setup, but I’d definitely consider myself just an entry level Power Rangers ticket buyer. So going in, I had a bit of a clean slate without expectations. My only hope was that it didn’t suck. Truthfully speaking, I set the expectations bar pretty low.
That was a mistake.
This movie was a breath of fresh air. I had the best time at this movie that I’ve had in quite some time. People were cheering, clapping and were genuinely pleased with how the movie handled these well-loved characters. It was positive in tone, full of great action and good energy. The underlying plot points, built around self-acceptance and friendship, were also a welcome change in a genre that has become more obsessed with VFX destruction over actual character construction.
The Cast:
The casting for this movie was spot on, in the regards of story and plot. Like I said, I can’t compare accurately to the series like the fans will. But as your average movie watcher, I felt the actors were convincing, believable and likable. Bryan Cranston sets the tone early in the opening scenes and does an excellent job as Zordon, the disembodied mentor that helps shape the Ranger’s abilities. The rest of the cast are relative newcomers, but I have a feeling this movie will make them stars. The team has excellent chemistry and is completely believable as a group of misfits and rebels that have the unwanted responsibility of saving the planet, if they don’t kill each other first.
The Story:
Aside from one or two possible logic flaws, which I’ll avoid for the sake of spoilers, the storyline is solid. The pace is quick with dialogue that is both witty and sincere. The actor’s performances really drive the ‘feels’ when needed, but there is enough comic relief throughout to keep it from becoming overly sappy. The balance achieved by the filmmakers is fantastic and quite welcome for what essentially was a series created for the under 10 crowd, so much so that you actually feel for the characters as we get to know them and the real world hardships they face.
I can’t recommend this movie highly enough. Will it win ‘Best Picture’? Of course not. But I think it will please the fans who’ve waited for a movie of this caliber. Well acted and compelling, the Power Rangers is the kind of popcorn flick that definitely earns additional viewings.
