Power Rangers

In 1984, businessman Haim Saban was introduced to the Super Sentai TV series in a Japanese hotel room. He thought the concept of rainbow-spandexed super heroes with giant robots punching rubber monsters was a good concept. He just needed to re-contextualize the action scenes with new material starring American actors. After years of rejection, his concept became a 90's cultural legacy: Mighty Morphin Power Rangers.

It was a matter of time before Saban's low-budget concept became a big-budget reboot film. And with director Dean Israelite, the Power Rangers are back on the big screen for the first time since 1997. The end result is unlike anything you'd expect from the franchise.

Jason Scott (Dacre Montgomery) used to be a High School Football Star until a prank benched him in detention. He immediately befriends nerdy Billy Cranston (RJ Cyler), who invites him to explore the local quarry. Their trespassing attracts the attention of disgraced former cheerleader Kimberley Hart (Naomi Scott) and loners Zack Taylor (Ludi Lin) and Trini (Becky G). They soon find five glowing coins that make them stronger than before.

Further exploring leads them to a ship. They meet the ancient warrior Zordon (Bryan Cranston), who's now a face on a wall, and his robot helper Alpha 5 (Bill Hader). Zordon tells them they are the Power Rangers, who must defend Earth and its life-giving Zeo Crystal from evil. Rita Repulsa (Elizabeth Banks), the treacherous Green Ranger, has risen to take the crystal for herself. The Rangers have to become friends if they are to morph and take on Rita and her giant minion, Goldar.

The film spends a lot of time developing the Rangers' personalities and relationships. The cast succeeds quite well. We get to know them well beyond their chromatic arrangements. They behave like teenagers with attitude than paragons of virtue. Their problems are understandable. They only morph within the last half-hour; their chemistry makes it worth it.

What about the supporting cast? Banks is certainly a standout as Rita. She's delightfully hammy and legitimately creepy, sometimes in the same scene. Cranston is reliable as always as Zordon, who has an ulterior motive for training the Rangers. Hader was nice as the voice of the snarky, yet nice Alpha 5. David Denman is also great as Jason's father, Sam.

There's a lot of effort in this production. The Rangers' new armored suits are practical costumes with CGI enhancements. You'll be fine with them once you see them in action. The same goes for their Zords and their combined Megazord form. In fact, the best visual effect scene of the film was the Megazord rising from the ground. It helps a lot that the action is coherently strung together by editors Dody Dorn and Martin Bernfeld. Matthew J. Lloyd's cinematography is also great. Brian Tyler's score is also worth a listen.

Power Rangers is a good mix of seriousness and silliness. There's some minor story nitpicks but they're minor in the grand scheme of things. It's story is a lot more profound than what you'd might expect from the franchise. It's a good way to pass the time before the latest incarnation, Power Rangers Ninja Steel, returns from its hiatus this fall. Its mid-credit scene promises another ranger in the sequel.