“Power Rangers” is directed by Dean Israelite and stars Dacre Montgomery, Naomi Scott, RJ Cyler, Ludi Lin and Becky G as the five rangers. These actors are supported by Elizabeth Banks, Bryan Cranston and Bill Hader.
STARS: 4/5
The Power Rangers series has always been incredibly cheesy. However, when the initial advertising for the film came out, it looked like Lionsgate Films was going for a gritty look to bring the series into the modern day, disappointing some fans.
However, while “Power Rangers” has the color palette of a dark, gritty film, it plays on the feel of the original show. But more importantly, the film is fun.
The film struck the perfect balance between being a cheesy nostalgia trip and standing on its own merit. I am happy to say “Power Rangers” surpassed all of my expectations, and the final product is incredibly entertaining.
What was most surprising about the film was its character-driven plot. The film spent quite a lot of time building the group dynamics while also focusing on the individual characters.
I think the film took a risk by casting five relatively unknown actors and turning a campy kid’s show into a character-driven action film. But hats off to the filmmakers, because they pulled it off. The five rangers stole the show, despite not appearing in their iconic armor until late into the film.
The chemistry between the actors was apparent on screen, and each character had at least one memorable moment in the film.
While the plot didn’t break new ground, there were a handful of moments in which the film went in a different direction than I was expecting. The film managed to subvert a handful of tired tropes that too often turn a film into a predictable, boring story.
Another quality aspect of the film was its cinematography. The way the camera moved around the scene kept the audience interested in the film, and it refrained from the trend of choppy editing to hide an actor’s lack of fighting skills.
The pacing of the first two acts was well done. The filmmakers had a sense of when to slow down and speed up the plot to keep the audience’s attention.
While there were no glaring flaws in the film, the pacing of the third act felt rushed. A common way to tell an origin story is to keep the villain’s plan small and contained and allow room in the film for the character to grow without spending too much time building up to the climax of the villain’s plan.
The first “Iron Man” film is a good example of this. The villain tests the character, but the stakes are more personal.
“Power Rangers” went straight to saving all of humanity, and there was no time for buildup to those stakes, leaving the third act feeling rushed.
Another issue was Banks’ performance as villain Rita Repulsa. While the rest of the cast went for more serious portrayals of their characters, Banks gave a performance that might have been straight out of the ‘90s show.
While her performance was not bad or unenjoyable, it caused an awkward tonal clash against the rest of the film.
Even before the box office success of the film, Lionsgate was planning to turn “Power Rangers” into a series.
Producer Haim Saban said in a Variety interview that they have plans to make a six-movie story arc. However, the film avoided devolving into blatant sequel-bait.
“Power Rangers” told its story to completion and can easily stand on its own as a film. While there were hints at sequels sprinkled throughout the film, there were no loose ends in the plot, and everything was resolved.
“Power Rangers” is an entertaining film that surpassed many expectations. It plays on the nostalgia factor but never overstays its welcome.