When the Power Rangers film was announced it’s safe to say that many had some preconceptions about its quality, given that it was on the long line of recent franchises that are getting modern reboots. But the question is – how does it hold up?
In short, it’s fantastic. Reminiscent very much of The Breakfast Club – if it was a fantasy modern remake about the Power Rangers, that is – the film is an outstanding balance of story and action while making you genuinely care about each character and their journey. It really is a joy to watch everything unfold.
Its story is brilliantly character-driven – there’s plenty of well-shot action sequences to get your teeth into, but the fact that you actually care about the characters means that Power Rangers is more than just enjoyable – it’s heartwarming, tear-jerking, and at times, a true emotional rollercoaster as the Power Rangers grow and battle together. You may not expect a film like Power Rangers to couple a fantastic story and action with an emotional punch, but boy, does it deliver, and deliver incredibly well, so much so that they’ll definitely be tears at certain points and twists in the story.
Each and every actor also does an excellent job of making their characters come alive on screen – their complexities and issues are explored and given incredible depth by all, but particularly Becky G as Trini, the yellow ranger, and RJ Cyler, the blue ranger. However every ranger – Naomi Scott, (pink ranger) Ludi Lin (black ranger) and Dacre Montgomery (red ranger) are all incredible in their respective roles and very much deliver performances that balance the emotive, action-packed and humorous scenes throughout the film, while making you care about each of their characters, as well as the Power Rangers as a group.
Elizabeth Banks is also a great villain – pulling off an atmospheric, and at times a genuinely frightening performance that also packs a punch and helps to carry the big fight at the end of the film just as much as the Power Rangers themselves. Together, their performances mean that the final battle of the film is truly tense and nail-biting.
Not only is the film fantastic – but it also contains some of the best product placement we think we’ve ever seen in a film. Witty and funny, hats off to the creative team that have thought and crafted something so clever out of mere product placement. You’ll definitely be craving Krispy Kreme after this. That alone just sums up Power Rangers as a film – witty, fun and humorous, that really goes the extra mile to entertain you and tell a heartwarming story that is worthy of a re-watch.
Power Rangers is a perfect mixture of action, drama, fantasy and fun in a coming-of-age movie that defies any expectations. A genuinely enjoyable, and well-done film that is a true delight to watch.
POWER RANGERS / CERT: 12 / DIRECTOR: DEAN ISRAELITE / SCREENPLAY: JOHN GATINS / STARRING: DACRE MONTGOMERY, BECKY G, RJ CYLER, NAOMI SCOTT, LUDI LIN, ELIZABETH BANKS, BRYAN CRANSTON / RELEASE DATE: 31ST JULY
