I've never been a fan of the POWER RANGERS franchise, primarily because I was too old when it first premiered (though it's basically along the lines of JOHNNY SOKKO AND HIS FLYING ROBOT (1967) and ULTRAMAN (1972)). But the trailer was intriguing and the PG-13 rating would make it less kid-oriented. And much to my surprise, this movie is a very entertaining science-fiction action film.
Five misfit teenagers, from an ex-football Captain to a former popular girl to a slightly autistic nerd are thrown together and discover a spaceship that's been buried in rock for 65 million years. They are greeted by a robot and then by the consciousness of Zordon, the Red Ranger who was the leader of the previous group. It's here they are given powers, though it takes them a while to "morph" into their armored exoskeletons.
The villain, Rita Repulsa (Elizabeth Banks) is appropriately named, and she awakens and becomes more powerful as she obtains gold from the local populace and the nearby gold mine. In the end there's a big confrontation in which the town is nearly destroyed, and a battle between the giant Goldar and the Rangers in their animal-vehicles.
I found the first hour the best, as we're introduced to these characters and get to know their particular quirks. Unlike the majority of recent Young Adult fare they aren't too irritating. Yes, the movie is about twenty-minutes too long, as is the current trend with Hollywood films, and the action finale is predictable (how can it not be?). Yet I can still recommend it as a solid piece of entertainment. Recommended.
I've never been a fan of the POWER RANGERS franchise, primarily because I was too old when it first premiered (though it's basically along the lines of JOHNNY SOKKO AND HIS FLYING ROBOT (1967) and ULTRAMAN (1972)). But the trailer was intriguing and the PG-13 rating would make it less kid-oriented. And much to my surprise, this movie is a very entertaining science-fiction action film.
