Written by Logan J. Fowler and Justin Matchick
Release Date: March 24th, 2017
Starring: Becky G., Naomi Scott, Dacre Montgomery, Ludi Lin, RJ Cyler, Bryan Cranston, Elizabeth Banks, (the voice of) Bill Hader
Director: Dean Israelite (Project Almanac)
Pre-Trailer Thoughts: I was the wrong side of the Power Rangers phenomenon, age wise. While my geeky nature has tapped into many facets of pop culture, Power Rangers was never something that caught on with me. There’s a possibility that I caught a few segments (the TMNT crossover was a pretty deal), but at the end of the day, it’s just not for me. It’s understandable that company Saban wants to find a new audience with the franchise, as well as please die hard fans, but will both parties be satisfied with this gloomy looking reboot?
Pre-Trailer Thoughts: I grew up being a huge fan of Power Rangers right down to having bedsheets emblazoned with their logos, Megazord figures, video games, posters, and more all devoted to the five kids from Angel Grove. Even though the franchise has been continuously airing new episodes for the past 24 years, this film will be the series return to the limelight for the first time since the series’ heyday in the 90s. Even thought my fandom has long since subsided, I’m hoping this new movie will at least stir up a healthy amount of nostalgia. – JTM
Rate the Trailer: 3 out of 5. It’s not awful by any means. However, I can’t get behind the color palette in this movie. The Power Rangers were bright and zany and it popped. This looks like every other reboot attempt similar to The Amazing Spider-Man and Fantastic Four; it just looks dark. Why do they feel the need to set it apart so much from the original product? Anyway, the cast here, outside of the titular rangers, is phenomenal. That may help the proceedings a bit. The suits themselves need some work too, but there’s no way around that now. Overall, this could go either way. -LJF
Rate the Trailer: 4 out of 5. Man, I went into this totally expecting to hate every moment but I found myself getting swept away in it all (the use of Kanye West’s “Power” definitely helped). Bryan Cranston as Zordon and Bill Hader as Alpha 5 are surprisingly perfect, and while Elizabeth Banks as Rita Repulsa still doesn’t seem right I’m willing to give her a chance. I’m still not on board with the glittery Ranger suits, but the trailer really hooked me in when it brought in the nostalgic heavy hitters like the Putty Patrol, Goldar, and the Megazord. Those fleeting moments all brought me right back to feeling like a six year old. – JTM
Theater, Rent, No Thanks, Undecided? Undecided. I may not watch Power Rangers in the theaters, but if I come upon it on tv or streaming, I wouldn’t turn it down. -LJF
Theater, Rent, Undecided, No Thanks? Theater. Sure it might not be my most anticipated movie of the year, but it certainly will be the most nostalgic for me. I’ll gladly see it opening weekend. – JTM
