Today’s quick review: Power Rangers. Five teenagers (Dacre Montgomery, Naomi Scott, RJ Cyler, Ludi Lin, and Bekcy G) from the small town of Angel Grove are recruited by Zordon (Bryan Cranston), an alien warrior, to become the next Power Rangers. Given superhuman strength, weapons, and armor, they set out to defend the Zeo Crystal from Rita Repulsa (Elizabeth Banks). But to stand a chance, they must first master their powers and learn to work together.
Power Rangers is a sci-fi action adventure based on the Power Rangers television series. The movie unites five misfits teens as the unlikely defenders of the crystal responsible for all life on Earth. Power Rangers makes a credible attempt at adapting the premise of the show, sporting fun characters and some decent action. However, its slow start, generic villain, and missteps regarding its plot and characters keep it from being a memorable watch.
Power Rangers feels like two separate movies combined into one. The bulk of the movie is spent introducing the cast, turning them into Power Rangers, and building up to the full use of their powers, with an emphasis on character development and comedy. The action only kicks in for the last half-hour, which is packed with the colorful fighting that’s largely absent from the rest of the movie. The abrupt shift isn’t unexpected, but it’s still jarring.
Much like the action, the characters can be a mixed bag. The Rangers’ personalities are distinctive, their banter is entertaining, and they are drawn at the right level of detail for the story. But there’s not much that’s truly original about them, and their repeated bad choices and forced camaraderie can easily turn off a critical viewer. Rita Repulsa is another miss, too violent for a kids’ villain and too single-minded to be a mature antagonist.
Power Rangers is worth a watch for those who want a light adventure and don’t mind a few flaws. Back-loaded action, mixed humor, and an over-reliance on characters who can’t quite carry the weight all keep Power Rangers from holding the broad appeal it intends to have. But even though it’s not the most impressive or original entry into its genre, the movie gets enough right to entertain those who are willing to be entertained.
For a sci-fi action movie with even more giant robots, try Pacific Rim, Pacific Rim: Uprising, or the various Transformers movies. For a sci-fi movie that takes a similar premise in a darker direction, try Chronicle. For an action comedy with a similar setup, better humor, and less reliance on its action, try Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle. For a comedy about a similar group of teens, try The Breakfast Club.
6.0 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 6.5 for an earnest but flawed adaptation.