Power Rangers *** (2017, Dacre Montgomery, Naomi Scott, RJ Cyler, Ludi Lin, Becky G, Elizabeth Banks, Bryan Cranston) – Movie Review

Director Dean Israelite turns in a surprisingly bright, lively and entertaining teenage action fantasy about group of high school student outcasts who meet in detention, band together and then stumble across an old alien ship, where they acquire superpowers as the Power Rangers.

John Gatins’s screenplay concentrates largely and profitably on the human elements of the lives of the teenagers, underplaying the fantasy action – at least till the amusingly bonkers climax in which the kids have to come together as their own monster to save the world from a monster.

The five main roles are in the capable hands of Dacre Montgomery as Jason (Red Ranger), Naomi Scott as Kimberly (Pink Ranger), RJ Cyler as Billy (Blue Ranger), Ludi Lin as Zack (Black Ranger) and Becky G as Trini (Yellow Ranger). The young actors share good screen chemistry, and give entertaining, likeable performances.

Enjoying a field day, Elizabeth Banks camps it up outrageously as the villainess, Rita Repulsa, who has returned to Earth for vengeance, and Bryan Cranston is a brick hologram as ancient Power Rangers leader Zordon, who passes on his stuff to Jason. Bill Hader has fun as the droning voice of drone Alpha 5.

The Weta Workshop animatronics, Pixomondo and Method Studios visual effects, Andrew Menzies’s production designs, Brian Tyler’s score, and the music soundtrack are absolutely excellent, all most enjoyable. It says a lot that the movie powers along dynamically for just over two full hours and never runs out of steam or gets boring. It is a very slick, smooth ride.

© Derek Winnert 2017 Movie Review

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