I’m going to go ahead and say it right away, this movie is good.
It has no right to be as good as it is, by virtue of being a Power Rangers reboot, and that’s coming from a lifelong fan of the franchise.
I went into this movie expecting to hate it. I thought I would come out screaming about how it was ruined by being too dark and edgy.
However, that was not the case. Simply put, the movie was fun, funny, well-acted and a good experience throughout.
For the uninitiated, Power Rangers (also known as Saban’s Power Rangers) is a modern reboot of the 1990s Mighty Morphin Power Rangers TV series, which marked the beginning of a franchise that is still ongoing.
The premise is simple: Five teenagers gain superpowers and become the Power Rangers to defeat an evil witch and her monsters in order to save the world.
Not the most original script, but the movie makes up for it in other ways. For starters, it’s funny.
The main cast has good chemistry, which allowed for some natural banter and witty lines to come through in their interactions.
Speaking of the cast, the Rangers themselves are played by relatively new actors Dacre Montgomery, Naomi Scott, RJ Cyler, Ludi Lin and Becky G.
They play the Red, Pink, Blue, Black and Yellow Rangers respectively and all were good in their roles, although my favourite would be Cyler’s Blue Ranger – which was nerdy enough to be relatable and funny.
The supporting cast does a good job too.
Bryan Cranston’s Zordon is imposing and tough, countered by Bill Hader’s hilarious performance as Alpha 5.
Elizabeth Banks, who played the evil Rita Repulsa, was cheesy in all the right ways.
I liked that the movie embraced the cheesiness of the franchise and never took itself too seriously, despite what the trailers led me to expect.
However, it falters when it comes to the fight scenes.
While not terrible, they are very generic and rely heavily on CGI.
Meanwhile, the designs of the suits and Zords (giant robots that combine into an even bigger robot) felt uninspired and lacklustre.
Nothing really stood out from the soundtrack, which is a shame since it hardly ever featured the franchise’s trademark songs, instead opting for a mixed bag of modern pop.
The film is also painfully predictable, anyone who has seen a superhero movie can anticipate the story lines, plot devices and clichés from a mile away.
For fans of the franchise it is a good reimagining of the series that started it all. Those who are new to the franchise will get a kick out of a fun, light-hearted superhero movie.
Power Rangers is currently being screened at City Centre, Seef, Saar, Mukta A2, Wadi Al Sail and Al Jazeera cinemas.