Power Rangers Movie Review

Power Rangers is the big-screen reboot of the hugely popular '90s TV show about a team of teen superheroes who are imbued with powers from ancient crystal coins. Unlike earlier takes on the characters, this movie amps up the violence and features strong language and mature themes (teen substance use, juvenile detention, cyberbullying, questions about sexual identity, and more). So even though it might appeal to young elementary-aged kids, it's far better suited for middle-schoolers and up. There's mass destruction, with a relatively high body count, as well as injuries, crashes, fights, and more. On the language front, characters use words like "s--t" and "ass," as well as one "motherf" that's purposely cut short. Subtle hints at potential romance include longing looks and flirting, and there are references to how someone digitally shared a student's inappropriate photo. Positive messages mirror those of the original series: teamwork, courage, training, sacrifice, and trust.

The film is directed by Dean Israelite, a semi-unknown South African director of which we know has directed to date a single film, also of science fiction and oriented to the youthful public. This is Project Almanac (2014), a film focused on a group of young people who manage to set up a time machine that they use to solve their problems and obtain personal benefits. The film was a great success at the box office and has the peculiarity of being shot as a "metraje found". We know from Israelite that he also directed several short films before the film: "Magician" (2006), "The Department of Nothing" (2007) and "Acholiland" (2009).

WHAT'S THE STORY?
POWER RANGERS opens 65 million years ago, with Red Ranger Zordon (Bryan Cranston) sacrificing himself to ensure that villain Rita Repulsa (Elizabeth Banks) can't take hold of Earth's Zeo Crystal. Zordon also releases the five Power Coins to find those "who are worthy" to be the next five Power Rangers crew. Fast forward to the present, when Angel Grove High's former golden-boy quarterback Jason Scott (Dacre Montgomery) has to go to Saturday detention for his entire senior year due to a team prank gone wrong. There, he meets tech-savvy Billy (RJ Cyler) and angry ex-cheerleader Kimberly (Naomi Scott). The trio ends up at a mine, where Billy uncovers brightly colored crystal coins. Two other teens -- Trini (Becky G.) and Zack (Ludi Lin) -- are also present for the discovery, and, as each kid takes one coin as their own, they team up and attempt to avoid police pursuit. The next morning, the team of misfit teens realizes that instead of dying in a car accident, they're alive and healed, with inexplicable super-strength. After returning to the site of their discovery, they find an underwater space ship where an android, Alpha 5 (voiced by Bill Hader), and the trapped spirit of Zordon explain that they must train to become the Power Rangers -- but first they must morph. If they can't morph, they won't be able to fight Rita, who's come back to life and plans to find the Zeo Crystal and destroy Earth in the process.

MOVIE INFO
Rating: PG-13 (for sequences of sci-fi violence, action and destruction, language, and for some crude humor)
Genre: Action & Adventure, Drama, Science Fiction & Fantasy
Directed By: Dean Israelite
Written By: John Gatins, Matt Sazama, Burk Sharpless, Michele Mulroney, Kieran Mulroney
In theaters: March 24, 2017
Runtime: 124 minutes
Studio: Lionsgate Films
Cast: Bryan Cranston, Elizabeth Banks, Dacre Montgomery, RJ Cyler