Plot: Based on the 1990's kid TV show, a group of teenagers find items that contain supernatural powers. They must harness that power to defeat an evil that has been reawakened.

The Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers was a huge part of my childhood. I always watched the TV show, I collected so many of the toys and never got tired of it. The theme for me still holds up. That's 90's sound is still brilliant to listen to.

I remember when the 1995 movie came out, and obviously was all over it. But when I see it now, I know it's rubbish, but it's still great. It's a wonderful guilty pleasure that is a great bit of nostalgia.

I obviously avoided the trailers as this was something so special that I wanted to go into as cold as possible.

Directed by Dean Israelite, also did Project Almanac. I actually enjoyed that film despite its flaws. That style is very much in his first big blockbuster. There was a surprising amount of character development, which certainly impressed me. The structure of it felt very similar to something like Batman Begins, which was a pretty bold move on their part. Also very much like that film, the final act is the part where it gets silly and is there to pretty much sell the film.

Another surprise was the performances. I wasn't sure about them at first. But they definitely grew on me. I liked the sense of connection and teamwork with all the Power Rangers. The performances transcended well, and you can see how good their chemistry is. The Blue Ranger played by RJ Cyler who I remember from 'Me, Earl And The Dying Girl' was pretty cool and ended up being the best character. Some of his troupes managed to be both sweet and annoying. But I liked his development throughout.
The Red Ranger played by Dacre Montgomery is obviously the leader and was given a solid backstory to warrant a place on top. The Yellow Ranger slowly shone brighter as the film went, and I heard learning a lot about her. Played by Becky G, she could be the main bad-*** of the group. The Pink Ranger played by Naomi Scott was not as memorable as you would expect. But she was enjoyable to watch. Ludi Line as the Blank Ranger was probably the least developed. But his comedic relief did not make him unremarkable.

Elizabeth Banks really went for it as Rita Repulsa. I really like Banks on the whole. She seems to be quite committed to a lot of her roles that many people notice. That is because it is usually in films where you are not expecting award-winning performances. You can tell she did her homework, that carried this larger-than-life character from the TV series into herself. I also liked the horror angle they put into her development. I was genuinely scared in those moments.

As for the other notable character. I wasn't too bothered by Bill Hader as the voice of Alpha 5. I've never cared for the character of Alpha 5 in the TV series. He was quite annoying and in the way. It's pretty much the same in the film. So in terms of sticking to the source material, good job. However, I did not like the design of the character in the film.
I liked the choice of Bryan Cranston as Zordon. He did his job well, was perfectly fine and the design of him looked really good.

There are lots to like for the fans of the TV show. It had some cool references and cameos that was really nice to see. There was also one moment towards the end that made me smile pretty hard.

As for negatives, there are plenty of obvious flaws. But just like the TV series, it managed to add to the charm of it. Most of the silly and bonkers stuff is in the final act. They also managed to make a huge product placement become an integral part of the story.

Also, some elements I felt were rushed or had very little explanation. For people who don't know the TV series well enough. I think they'll be pretty confused by some of the small things within this particular universe.

I think it is safe to say that I had a fun time watching this. There are clear flaws and over-the-top moments. But the tone give it a fun vibe, and that is what you remember well from the TV series. If you can suspend your disbelief and go with it, you can certainly have a good time also.
Weirdly, I much preferred the character development and the grounded story rather than the big action finale. The latter part felt rushed and incoherent despite some solid visuals. But the characters were well fleshed out and the writing team deserves big props for that.

Fans of the TV show will probably get their moneys worth and get the most enjoyment out of it. As mentioned, there are some little references and cameos from the Mighty Morphin days to keep an eye out for. There were plenty of cool sequences that kept me interested in the film. Most of the visual effects were perfectly fine. Also, a lot of score reminded me of 'Tron: Legacy', which is most certainly a good thing.

I must mention that there is a mid-credits scene. Fans of the TV show will know exactly what it will be, and I look forward to see where they go with it.

Rating: 7/10