Film: Power Rangers

The problem with Power Rangers is that it can’t quite decide what it wants to do with the concept. Does it want to embrace the campiness of the original? Attempt to take a darker route? Is it exclusively a kids film, or something more wider reaching? The film can’t seem to decide, making it even harder for the audience to figure out. 

There are times when the film appears to hit its stride, working quite well to humanise the Power Rangers and make them into fairly believable individuals. All the Rangers are flawed and this makes them more compelling to watch. But this characterisation can be quickly thrown out or ignored. 

The big played up in the media issue of ‘is the Yellow Ranger a lesbian?’ is one barely mentioned in the film, but I feel it is handled in an effective way. The character’s relationships are barely touched upon, the film mostly existing as an origin story. It is clear she is unsure about her sexual orientation and the door is open for any future sequel to deal with it in more depth. Becky G doesn’t really get much else to do with the character however, as the film chooses to make her the quiet outcast. Her sudden turn into a more outgoing individual is hard to believe and just ends up being jarring.

Handled far better however is Billy’s autism, which from the start is presented in a believable way, with the Rangers embracing him not in spite of his flaws but because of who he is. This kind of portrayal is essential to help children understand and embrace people with learning difficulties, with Billy’s place on the spectrum not hindering him throughout. The film also doesn’t directly use it as a source of humour, placing it above Big Bang Theory at the very least. RJ Cyler plays the character with respect, making him into a quiet sweet individual.

Naomi Scott probably stands out best as Kimberly Hart the Pink Ranger. It is clear the filmmakers were aware of the Pink Rangers popularity and as such have given her a significant chunk of screen time throughout. Her backstory showcasing her being an awful cyber bully leaves her with a lot to atone for, whilst also tackling a very modern issue. Kimberly grows into the brave, strong Pink Ranger we know and love. Jason and Zack are fine, but definitely get the short straw in the film. Jason (Dacre Montgomery) is a bad boy almost forced into the role of leader and all too quickly settles into the role. Zack (Ludi Lin) is just incredibly underdeveloped, and not well utilised. 

Bryan Cranston just sounds bored as the voice of Zordon, perhaps being annoyed that his character is confined to a wall. Elizabeth Banks also fails to shine as the film’s villain Rita Repulsa. At times she appears able to fully embrace the camp of her role but this just doesn’t gel with the concurrent attempts to make her a darkly serious threat. Probably her best scene is when she confronts the Yellow Ranger, where Banks is able to play her in a Disney-villain-esque way.

The film spends an enormous chunk of time training the heroes, with them struggling to morph into their armour forms. They finally manage to morph but it comes so late in the film that it makes the moment feel rushed. That these scenes are suddenly accompanied by the original series’ “It’s morphin’ time!” and the theme tune is just a laughable attempt to grab at nostalgia. It’s a real testament to how much the films tone conflicts throughout. 

The entire final showdown feels rushed and is hard to follow, as the gang suddenly tear around in their Zords which have been barely mentioned previously. This isn’t helped by the poor lighting and shaky camera work that is present throughout the entire film, but much noticeable during fast paced scenes. The fight just becomes a CGI fest and I found myself thankful when it was finally over. 

As a whole the film is just a mess, with any promise in its premise being quickly crushed. I can only hope the inevitable sequel is at least a little more balanced.