From left: Becky G, RJ Cyler, Dacre Montgomery, Naomi Scott, Ludi Lin
One of the most popular ’90s fantasy-action series for kids gets a darker retooling with the new “Power Rangers” film—only this time, the teenage heroes’ troubled lives are more emphasized, as the show is mostly known for its live-action punch-fests and flashy stunts.
Directed by Dean Israelite, the big-screen “Power Rangers” is about the continuation of an ancient war involving powerful combatants.
The duel between the altruistic Zordon (Bryan Cranston) and the corrupt ex-Ranger Rita Re pulsa (Elizabeth Banks) restarts in the present, millions of years later, at a small town called Angel Grove, where five “screw-ups” acquire power-generating gems and form an uneasy alliance.
“Power Rangers” has a charismatic cast of twentysomethings passing off as teenagers—Dacre Montgomery as an ex-football jock; Naomi Scott as a former cheerleader; RJ Cyler as a neat freak; Ludi Lin as a reckless adventurer; Becky G as a lesbian loner—and they’re mostly attractive enough to be the new faces of the film franchise.
Banks as the gold-obsessed, immortal villainess Rita is expectedly over-the-top and campy, so she fits right in.
There’s considerably more focus on the production’s fantastical than its science-fiction aspects, which could’ve been explored for more enjoyable background information on the alien race and its culture this time, but it can be escapist, wish-fulfillment fun for younger audiences.
Although these new versions of the Power Rangers are visually overly detailed and more “edgy,” they’re aptly overpowered by the human relationships.
While the film doesn’t stand out in the current superhero boom, this angsty and inclusive reboot should still please younger viewers with its share of big, effects-heavy and bombastic conflicts.
From left: Becky G, Ludi Lin, Dacre Montgomery, RJ Cyler, Naomi Scott