157 reviews
At least a 5 would suffice. Like come on this movie is meant for kids and those whom love that little nostalgia yeah it was corny, and yeah, it was really stupid. But fellows, that is the power rangers. Many teenagers such as myself grew up on it. We fed on the corniness of having huge robots to make one mighty robot. It's just sad how people will judge a movie based on power rangers because power rangers aren't cool anymore. Most of these people believe it isn't because society tells them, "hey you kid, you're what, 10? Yeah... well, f.y.i. you;re a loser for liking power rangers still, move onto anime." What else is sad... is how critical people are. It's a KID'S movie. Yeah, sure, "Finding Nemo" was funny for everyone but, Power Rangers was never meant for adults. Simply, children. If it was for adults I'd say hell yeah, a 2 is out of remorse, but since i remember the good old days. I'm giving this movie a 5 because yes, there is much better movies, but this movie is good for its purpose. Or at least was.
Okay, if you forgive the banal dialogue and the plot contrivances, plus the fact the film tends to become silly and cheesy, it is really mindless fun aimed at kids. Yes the script is weak, and the story is suggestive of an extended TV episode, and does get very silly at times. Despite all this, it does have a sense of fun, and not as bad as the rating makes it out to be. The music is good, and an unrecognisable Paul Freeman as the villainous Ivan Ooze is surprisingly good, with some excellent delivery of the film's best lines. Ooze is not only scary but incredibly funny as well, and Freeman the great actor he is nailed that on the head. The performances on the whole are decent, certainly not Oscar worthy material, and there are some well staged fights, even if the effects are nothing special. I will confess I don't like the TV show that much, but despite the failings that this film has, it is fun to watch. 6/10 Bethany Cox.
- TheLittleSongbird
- Aug 3, 2009
- Permalink
Ok i admit it i was into the power ranger thing back in the day. This is a fairly decent big screen adaptation of the TV series. dont get me wrong but at the time Power Rangers was the Biggest thing in Childrens Entertainment. I went and saw this movie. i enjoyed it. nothing negative that i can say about it, i think its a Quirky film appealing to the tween market. This movie is better than the series when they get their Ninja Powers. but that was about it. BTW the new series is looking like it is back in stride with the originals. It nice looking back on this film as what childhood meant to me. Turbo, isnt that nice of a movie by all means. out of the two Power Ranger Feature Films pick Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie. Cast is from the TV series. enjoyable adaptation
I saw this thing in the theaters, people. Can you believe it? And I actually took the material seriously and thought it was probably the single coolest thing I would ever see in my lifetime. Thank God I went on to my 11th birthday. One of my friends still digs all things Ranger, so he started playing it during play practice breaks. After having it sit on my shelf for so long (yes, we actually own the video...shut up), I couldn't believe how much I had forgotten. The horribly obvious wire work with Billy, the 'cool' new plastic suits (as opposed to the cheap spandex suits of ye olde television era), the offensively dumb Ivan Ooze villain, and especially the giant foam skeleton of a triceretops that attacks our heroes (wow, this movie has EVERYTHING!). The whole thing just screams Early 90's, when all kids could think of to do for fun was pretend to be Tommy and break their buddy's arm while pretending he was Lord Zedd (crap, I actually remember who Lord Zedd is!). Things are just corny from start to finish here, like the new and improved Ninja Rangers with their spiffy Early 90's Computer Animated Zords (gotta love the Frog Zord). From what I remember, Turbo was even more insipid than its big brother, so if you have to choose which one to watch during your Elementary School Nostalgia-Thon Fest Bonanza, go with this puppy. Trust me, even though it's Grade-A junk food, it will make you laugh with the memories. 2/4 Stars
this is my favorite movie out of all the power rangers movie released. this is the first movie that i owned (and in VHS back when i was a tiny child).i would watch this every single week and almost had the script memorized. i would wear my pink ranger costume and held onto my action figure while reciting the lines from the movie.
cheers for our childhood.
cheers for our childhood.
- yashyamashita
- Mar 22, 2017
- Permalink
One thing I've noticed when watching this movie again (caught it languishing on the sleepy annals of daytime TV) is that there is an overriding theme of anti-globalization. The whole mass manufacturing of the 'ooze' to brainwash the parents of Angelgrove, seems to be like some grotesque fast food enterprise. Is this the intelligent, political message we've all been trying to find in the movie? Well, hardly, as the whole Power Rangers franchise, in its day, was one of the most wealthiest and popular businesses, and it dominated the television and toy industries.
I remember I was seven years of age when the movie was released. However loathsome you may think of it now, when the movie was launched, prepubescents everywhere were celebrating. It was what the countless hordes of kiddies were waiting for. The irony is, is that I was among those ranks of enthusiasts, who believed that the Power Rangers vehicle was deified or something. But the real irony is that we were all brainwashed, as if we had guzzled our own healthy dosage of ooze. Oh, how naïve.
The script, is of course, utterly abysmal. The movie's entire dialogue seems to be a disgusting volley of clichès. Their purpose was probably to add a touch of humour, but their delivery were so unforgivably corny they were all swallowed by the audience (apart from those too young to know) like lead bullets. They are so dull I can't remember any. There is some unintentional laughs: when Tommy stops the monorail from plummeting from the tracks 'just in time'. Everyone knows that they'll be practically teetering on the edge before they are dramatically saved.
I remember I used to vehemently abhor Bulk and Skull, but now I actually feel sorry for them. They are a duet of desperate low-lives who just seem to get in the way, but we sort of sympathise with them, because they are just so inordinately hopeless.
It is true there is nothing beyond the hammy kung-pow karate theme, but the people who saw it in 1995 (exempting the submitting mothers who promised to send their kids to the cinema as long as they'd just shut up) weren't expecting a Sartre-style treatise on existentialism, but to consume more vacuous action from the Power Rangers. Naturally, its more of the same: its basically an episode agonisingly stretched to feature-length. To my juvenile anger, Lord Zed played a very small role in the movie's plot. Instead you have eccentric despot Ivan Ooze who had been 'woken' (as most movie horrors are resurrected) who does have a sort of shine about him, but he's still terribly drab in parts. You can imagine the parents raising a smile to a couple of his sardonic comments.
To be fair, the acting isn't totally irritating. The Power Rangers were marginally better than they were on the small screen, but for anyone watching the movie today, there is little to get excited about. They are predictable and so therefore of little interest. What I still find interesting today is the costumes, such as the dinosaur fighter statues that emerge from the rocks. They look like overgrown Henson puppets. And Ooze's cloak looks like its made from purple tin foil.
The effects were advanced for their day, I'll give them that. The whole plot is like one behemoth of a computer game, so without special effects, the movie would have been further flawed. But once again, they have painfully dated, and the scene where Ivan Ooze extends and morphs into one of his giant metal insects is hysterical.
Still, its the classic schmultzy 'and they all lived happily ever after' movie, and as long as you ignore the lukewarm script and just prepare yourself for a film that doesn't delve beneath the surface, you'll find it's an alright movie to watch, maybe once, with the children or the family. Its no Citizen Kane, but then what in today's film industry really is?
And no one can deny that the Power Rangers were something almost everybody raved over in the early nineties: they were at their popularity zenith when this film was released in 1995. It WAS a big part of many children's lives, who wished something exciting as this would happen in real life. And lets face it, for many children the watchful eye of the Power Rangers would be something comforting, a protection against the bleakness of the world. Shame it's just so awful today.
I remember I was seven years of age when the movie was released. However loathsome you may think of it now, when the movie was launched, prepubescents everywhere were celebrating. It was what the countless hordes of kiddies were waiting for. The irony is, is that I was among those ranks of enthusiasts, who believed that the Power Rangers vehicle was deified or something. But the real irony is that we were all brainwashed, as if we had guzzled our own healthy dosage of ooze. Oh, how naïve.
The script, is of course, utterly abysmal. The movie's entire dialogue seems to be a disgusting volley of clichès. Their purpose was probably to add a touch of humour, but their delivery were so unforgivably corny they were all swallowed by the audience (apart from those too young to know) like lead bullets. They are so dull I can't remember any. There is some unintentional laughs: when Tommy stops the monorail from plummeting from the tracks 'just in time'. Everyone knows that they'll be practically teetering on the edge before they are dramatically saved.
I remember I used to vehemently abhor Bulk and Skull, but now I actually feel sorry for them. They are a duet of desperate low-lives who just seem to get in the way, but we sort of sympathise with them, because they are just so inordinately hopeless.
It is true there is nothing beyond the hammy kung-pow karate theme, but the people who saw it in 1995 (exempting the submitting mothers who promised to send their kids to the cinema as long as they'd just shut up) weren't expecting a Sartre-style treatise on existentialism, but to consume more vacuous action from the Power Rangers. Naturally, its more of the same: its basically an episode agonisingly stretched to feature-length. To my juvenile anger, Lord Zed played a very small role in the movie's plot. Instead you have eccentric despot Ivan Ooze who had been 'woken' (as most movie horrors are resurrected) who does have a sort of shine about him, but he's still terribly drab in parts. You can imagine the parents raising a smile to a couple of his sardonic comments.
To be fair, the acting isn't totally irritating. The Power Rangers were marginally better than they were on the small screen, but for anyone watching the movie today, there is little to get excited about. They are predictable and so therefore of little interest. What I still find interesting today is the costumes, such as the dinosaur fighter statues that emerge from the rocks. They look like overgrown Henson puppets. And Ooze's cloak looks like its made from purple tin foil.
The effects were advanced for their day, I'll give them that. The whole plot is like one behemoth of a computer game, so without special effects, the movie would have been further flawed. But once again, they have painfully dated, and the scene where Ivan Ooze extends and morphs into one of his giant metal insects is hysterical.
Still, its the classic schmultzy 'and they all lived happily ever after' movie, and as long as you ignore the lukewarm script and just prepare yourself for a film that doesn't delve beneath the surface, you'll find it's an alright movie to watch, maybe once, with the children or the family. Its no Citizen Kane, but then what in today's film industry really is?
And no one can deny that the Power Rangers were something almost everybody raved over in the early nineties: they were at their popularity zenith when this film was released in 1995. It WAS a big part of many children's lives, who wished something exciting as this would happen in real life. And lets face it, for many children the watchful eye of the Power Rangers would be something comforting, a protection against the bleakness of the world. Shame it's just so awful today.
- jordan_perryuk
- May 14, 2004
- Permalink
Lots of nostalgia here. I grew up watching the TV show. And as far as I can remember, I believe this was the first movie I saw in theaters. It has it's ups and downs, the acting is on par with typical Power Ranger acting, but it has it's greats. Jason David Frank as Tommy is amazing as ever. And Ivan Ooze is one of the all time best Power Ranger villains period.
First of all, the power rangers television show is the worst television show ever made, so, I guess the people behind it, want the worst movie ever made. Mission accomplished.
Power rangers is about a group of intellectually inferior kids who dress up in silly spandex outfits and play around in '70s Japanese plastic toys, they "fight" each other with Kung Fu.
You would think that Americans would have the intelligence to avoid such nonsense, but, I guess not, the youth of America were gullible enough to buy into this nonsense, so what did they do, make a silly movie to accompany their awful television show.
This is not a television show or movie, it's really a commercial to sell second and third class plastic garbage to the gullible youth of America, period.
Avoid at all costs!
Power rangers is about a group of intellectually inferior kids who dress up in silly spandex outfits and play around in '70s Japanese plastic toys, they "fight" each other with Kung Fu.
You would think that Americans would have the intelligence to avoid such nonsense, but, I guess not, the youth of America were gullible enough to buy into this nonsense, so what did they do, make a silly movie to accompany their awful television show.
This is not a television show or movie, it's really a commercial to sell second and third class plastic garbage to the gullible youth of America, period.
Avoid at all costs!
- WhatsThePointOfThisShow
- Aug 16, 2005
- Permalink
1994 was the year of the Might Morphin Power Rangers, I was only 9 years old and was such a huge fan. I remember the summer of 1995 my friends and our parents took us to see The Might Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie and we thought it was the greatest movie ever made. I know that's sad, but we loved the show and the movie lived up to a great episode with an even better budget. I hadn't seen the movie since '95, but my boyfriend and I went to Target and found this movie on the $5.50 shelf and I grabbed it for old times sake since he was also a Power Rangers fan when he was a kid. We watched it and I have to say that despite how bad it is and how mega cheesy the lines and acting are, Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie is what it is. It was aimed at kids and was terrific for them, the story was so bad that it was actually good.
The rangers are living their lives in the fast lane, they're sky diving and roller blading, I mean is there anything they can't do? But anyways, all that is put on pause when Zordon warns the rangers of Rita and Zed's evil plan to raise Ivan Ooze. Ivan is planning to take over the world when he shrinks Rita and Zed and is putting all the kids parents under a powerful spell to make them do his bidding. Ivan then visits the command center and destroys it leaving Zordon in bad shape and now the rangers have to save the world on top of saving Zordon and become the powerful ninjas to regain their powers and defeat Ooze.
Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie is extremely silly and cheesy, but I don't know what people were expecting when they watched it that it got such a bad rating. It's one of those movies that is so bad that it's actually good. Although Zordon's face will haunt my dreams for a long time, it was classic the way the "actors" who played the rangers presented their lines, I loved how they would fight and do back flips, yet could say their lines perfectly without sounding out of breath. Also how they replaced certain rangers with people who looked like they were picked out of a kick ball team line. But Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie is a classic film I think in a sense and will be a true time capsule of 1995.
10/10
The rangers are living their lives in the fast lane, they're sky diving and roller blading, I mean is there anything they can't do? But anyways, all that is put on pause when Zordon warns the rangers of Rita and Zed's evil plan to raise Ivan Ooze. Ivan is planning to take over the world when he shrinks Rita and Zed and is putting all the kids parents under a powerful spell to make them do his bidding. Ivan then visits the command center and destroys it leaving Zordon in bad shape and now the rangers have to save the world on top of saving Zordon and become the powerful ninjas to regain their powers and defeat Ooze.
Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie is extremely silly and cheesy, but I don't know what people were expecting when they watched it that it got such a bad rating. It's one of those movies that is so bad that it's actually good. Although Zordon's face will haunt my dreams for a long time, it was classic the way the "actors" who played the rangers presented their lines, I loved how they would fight and do back flips, yet could say their lines perfectly without sounding out of breath. Also how they replaced certain rangers with people who looked like they were picked out of a kick ball team line. But Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie is a classic film I think in a sense and will be a true time capsule of 1995.
10/10
- Smells_Like_Cheese
- Oct 31, 2007
- Permalink
Starting a movie off with Red Hot Chili Peppers is always a recipe for success.
Either you grew up with the Power Rangers or you didn't. If you didn't, this is one of the stupidest movies out there, but if you're like me and were a kid through the nineties there's a good chance you watched Power Rangers. As a result, I watched this movie a lot as a kid, and so even now it's packed full of nostalgia.
Ivan Ooze was a pretty good villain too with clever dialogue. After all, Paul Freeman was the villain in the greatest adventure movie of all time, that of course being 'Raiders of the Lost Ark'.
The CGI is pretty rough, but again it's 1995 and Power Rangers, so just enjoy it for what it is.
Either you grew up with the Power Rangers or you didn't. If you didn't, this is one of the stupidest movies out there, but if you're like me and were a kid through the nineties there's a good chance you watched Power Rangers. As a result, I watched this movie a lot as a kid, and so even now it's packed full of nostalgia.
Ivan Ooze was a pretty good villain too with clever dialogue. After all, Paul Freeman was the villain in the greatest adventure movie of all time, that of course being 'Raiders of the Lost Ark'.
The CGI is pretty rough, but again it's 1995 and Power Rangers, so just enjoy it for what it is.
- Slarkshark
- Jul 14, 2021
- Permalink
Yes, this movie truly does suck. But observe my review summary folks. I'm not going to say I liked this movie, but it is a Power Rangers flick after all. It's supposed to be bad! I'm sure that when the writers were cooking this up they intentionally threw in average dialogue and bad fighting. After all, when the crowd you're trying to appeal to is a bunch of 5-year-old boys who run around in clunky Power Rangers costumes and wear PR underwear, you know you don't have to work too hard.
I'll admit I never was a Power Rangers fan. I can still remember back in the mid-90's when the show was huge, and a lot of my friends were into it. But even at age 6 I never did view Power Rangers as a ray of hope from the heavens like most boys. I always thought their outfits were stupid and that the villains looked dumb. And at age 13 my opinion hasn't changed one bit (Gee, go figure.). But you see, the reason we ended up with this monstrosity is because we received it as a Christmas gift from one of my dad's students, and she comes from a family that doesn't have a lot of money, so forgive.
Now, let's get down to the point. In some construction yard an egg containing the evil Ivan Ooze (Oh god...here we go) has been dug up and opened, releasing the evil piece of snot to terrorize the world, even though he couldn't pull off a robbery at a convenience store. Ooze goes to the Power Rangers' control center and destroys everything, leaving the place in ruins and stripping leader Zordon of his powers. The Power Rangers must go to some planet and learn some powers to save him and destroy Ooze. As if the plot isn't bad enough, the film only gets worse. The first sequence has the Poopy Rangers sky-diving while a pop version of Stevie Wonder plays in the background. The song is catchy, but come on: Why is music from a genuine musician like Stevie Wonder in such a lifeless film? Anyway, let's skip everything and go to where our "heroes" discover Ivan's egg, and then engage in an incredibly fake battle with Ooze's drones. Then comes the parking garage scene, where the Rangers constantly strike their stupid fighting pose and react to drops of water. Then they find the boogers and fight them while simultaneously delivering sucky catch phrases every 3 seconds, a tradition that is revived later on. I couldn't spot any cables or tracks, but you can still tell they're being used anyway. For instance, how do you explain the scene with the blue ranger falling but going into a pillar rather than touching the ground? Nuff said. They eventually squash all of the goobers, and let me state that the scenes of them getting squashed aren't the least bit violent. I don't need to explain the rest, for it only gets dumber somehow. And I'll let you in on a very surprising secret: I haven't even watched it all the way through. I would have seen everything, but my parents told me I didn't have to watch it to be nice. Even as a teen you've got to admit that mom and dad are always right, and they were definitely right on this stinker. On the only plus side, Paul Freeman does actually deliver a good performance as Ivan Ooze, and is given the only lines that are sort of funny. He also seemed to be the only one who cared amidst an entire crew whose only intentions were to release a 6-year-old junk flick.
I'd say more, but I feel what I have stated is enough. One thing's for sure: I will never, ever forgive myself for watching this steaming pile of s***.
I'm gonna go watch some Spanish soaps now.
Overall rating: 1 out of 5.
I'll admit I never was a Power Rangers fan. I can still remember back in the mid-90's when the show was huge, and a lot of my friends were into it. But even at age 6 I never did view Power Rangers as a ray of hope from the heavens like most boys. I always thought their outfits were stupid and that the villains looked dumb. And at age 13 my opinion hasn't changed one bit (Gee, go figure.). But you see, the reason we ended up with this monstrosity is because we received it as a Christmas gift from one of my dad's students, and she comes from a family that doesn't have a lot of money, so forgive.
Now, let's get down to the point. In some construction yard an egg containing the evil Ivan Ooze (Oh god...here we go) has been dug up and opened, releasing the evil piece of snot to terrorize the world, even though he couldn't pull off a robbery at a convenience store. Ooze goes to the Power Rangers' control center and destroys everything, leaving the place in ruins and stripping leader Zordon of his powers. The Power Rangers must go to some planet and learn some powers to save him and destroy Ooze. As if the plot isn't bad enough, the film only gets worse. The first sequence has the Poopy Rangers sky-diving while a pop version of Stevie Wonder plays in the background. The song is catchy, but come on: Why is music from a genuine musician like Stevie Wonder in such a lifeless film? Anyway, let's skip everything and go to where our "heroes" discover Ivan's egg, and then engage in an incredibly fake battle with Ooze's drones. Then comes the parking garage scene, where the Rangers constantly strike their stupid fighting pose and react to drops of water. Then they find the boogers and fight them while simultaneously delivering sucky catch phrases every 3 seconds, a tradition that is revived later on. I couldn't spot any cables or tracks, but you can still tell they're being used anyway. For instance, how do you explain the scene with the blue ranger falling but going into a pillar rather than touching the ground? Nuff said. They eventually squash all of the goobers, and let me state that the scenes of them getting squashed aren't the least bit violent. I don't need to explain the rest, for it only gets dumber somehow. And I'll let you in on a very surprising secret: I haven't even watched it all the way through. I would have seen everything, but my parents told me I didn't have to watch it to be nice. Even as a teen you've got to admit that mom and dad are always right, and they were definitely right on this stinker. On the only plus side, Paul Freeman does actually deliver a good performance as Ivan Ooze, and is given the only lines that are sort of funny. He also seemed to be the only one who cared amidst an entire crew whose only intentions were to release a 6-year-old junk flick.
I'd say more, but I feel what I have stated is enough. One thing's for sure: I will never, ever forgive myself for watching this steaming pile of s***.
I'm gonna go watch some Spanish soaps now.
Overall rating: 1 out of 5.
- marshall89
- Jan 10, 2003
- Permalink
When I was 8 I used to rush home from school to watch the Power Rangers fight their new baddie of the week. I thought it was great! And then the movie came out and I was able to see them on the big screen. I've gotta tell you that it was fantastic! As an 8 year old I fell in love with Tommy (my first crush) and couldn't help but laugh at all of the jokes. 10 years later I found it sitting on a shop shelf, WHAT! POWER RANGERS ON DVD??? NO WAY! SO, as you do, I bought it and it was just as good as I remembered. Perhaps not for the same reasons though. Some of the jokes have worn off but as a now 18 year old I am understanding all of them now. I still find Tommy to be absolutely adorable and I have found this trip down memory lane to be quite an exciting adventure. I would recommend this movie to anyone who was a fan of the show as it is quite funny to see them talking with their fists all of the time no matter the context and the different fashion back then. How often do we see teenagers dressed with their shirts tucked into their jeans with a nice brown leather belt? Ha ha ha. I thought this movie was great for a laugh. POWER RANGERS ON DVD??? WOW!!!
I hate to admit this, but "Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie" is one of my major guilty pleasures. I really shouldn't like this movie since it's aimed squarely at kids. But to my astonishment I did. It's no classic to be sure. It's mostly ridiculous. It's absurd in many ways. However for some odd reason, it entertained me. The thing I liked best about the movie is the six young actors who play the Power Rangers. They're all good, although I wish the screenplay would have let their characters delelop better that it did. Then this movie would have been better. I wish this movie, as well as the TV show, could have been aimed at teenagers instead of kids. Then some of it wouldn't be so juvenile. However, this movie is nowhere near as childish as the terrible second movie "Turbo: A Power Rangers Movie". One good thing about "Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie" is that you don't see much of two of the most brainless characters in the history of show business, Bulk and Skull. Cut those guys out! The six actors who play the rangers (Karan Ashley, Johnny Yong Bosch, Steve Cardenas, Jason David Frank, Amy Jo Johnson, and David Yost) give far better performances compared to the two actors who play those goofballs (Jason Narvy and Paul Schrier) in this movie and on the TV show. Of all of these actors, only Johnson has gone on to some fame (on TV's "Felicity"). "Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie" has better special effects than on the show and in "Turbo", and that helps alot. This is one odd picture. It ain't all that good, but it's not all that bad either.
**1/2 (out of four)
**1/2 (out of four)
- jhaggardjr
- May 28, 2000
- Permalink
The first series of Power Rangers was good, then it all went down hill. The movie is better than Turbo: The Power Rangers Movie but still could be ALOT better. It suffers from a very bad script and below average acting. Ivan Ooze is not scary and the special FX are extremely poor. This could have been a good childrens martial arts film but instead it's...not.
When I first heard about a Power Rangers movie (long ago), I was thinking, "Japanese footage on the big screen." When the movie came out, I decided to check it out.
The MMPR movie doesn't have much of a groundbreaking plot (bad guy is free, Rangers must kill bad guy, save world, blah blah) and the special effects aren't exactly awe-inspiring, but at least you know those are movie effects, not like Turbo's "big-screen television episode." The first film was clearly superior because of the time, effort, and money these people has put into making a film look better than the TV show it is based upon. Some of the fight scenes are better than on TV. The impressive final battle made up for an ugly Megazord (well, I thought it was ugly). The orchestrated soundtrack wasn't reused on television. And there were only two instances where we had to hear that damned "Go Go Power Rangers" theme song in the whole movie.
The MMPR movie isn't the greatest piece of work out there. It doesn't have any major elements that will introduce new fans into the world of spandex-wearing heroes fighting rubber monsters from Japan, but it makes for an enlightning ninety minutes.
The MMPR movie doesn't have much of a groundbreaking plot (bad guy is free, Rangers must kill bad guy, save world, blah blah) and the special effects aren't exactly awe-inspiring, but at least you know those are movie effects, not like Turbo's "big-screen television episode." The first film was clearly superior because of the time, effort, and money these people has put into making a film look better than the TV show it is based upon. Some of the fight scenes are better than on TV. The impressive final battle made up for an ugly Megazord (well, I thought it was ugly). The orchestrated soundtrack wasn't reused on television. And there were only two instances where we had to hear that damned "Go Go Power Rangers" theme song in the whole movie.
The MMPR movie isn't the greatest piece of work out there. It doesn't have any major elements that will introduce new fans into the world of spandex-wearing heroes fighting rubber monsters from Japan, but it makes for an enlightning ninety minutes.
I've got good news and bad news. Here, there is dual cause for celebration, and dread. The good news: In "Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie," the Saban-backed children's television commodity-turned-feature-length movie is pretty much everything fans of the awesome color-coded defenders of good could ever want. The bad news is, that's about it. This big-budget feature-length movie plays out pretty much like an extended version of the television show, and doesn't really offer much - to outsiders or the hardcore fans accustomed to the high-kicking action and special effects.
As a fan of the Power Rangers from about 1994-1996 when I was between the ages 9 and 11 (the movie features the best and most popular cast from the television series, when Power Rangers were at their peak), I was one who eagerly waited in anticipation for a "Power Rangers" movie. I collected the toys, and I watched the show almost religiously on weekday afternoons on Fox Kids. Believe me when I finally saw the movie, I was blown away.
In 2007, I'm 21; I've grown up. But I've still found myself attached to a lot of stuff from my more youthful years; Power Rangers aren't one of them. Some of it's because I haven't watched the show since the cast from the '94-'96 season changed, and a recent viewing of "Movie" offers little to a former fan. Maybe it's because I, like my favorite high-kicking teenagers, grew up.
As a youth, it's easy to fall in love with this stuff. You got cool-looking characters, really bad guys, lots of kung-fu action, crazy plots, cheesy dialogue, and explosions and stuff. If you're an adolescent into things that go BOOM!, you're in the right place. I was one such adolescent with a big imagination and wished he had awesome morphing powers like his heroes. Some parents even got angry because they believed "Rangers" taught kids to fight out their problems rather than talking them out. Please.
If you were into the show, you remember that six teenagers of the fictional city Angel Grove, California, were chosen by the being Zordon to become the hyper-charged Power Rangers, ninja-like warriors sworn to defeat evil everywhere it reared its ugly head, with awesome powers and their Zords - gigantic machines that represented prehistoric animals that could be used to fight their enemies in kaiju-style showdowns. Aisha (Karan Ashley) became the (second) Yellow Ranger, Adam (Johnny Yong Bosch) became the (second) Black Ranger, Rocky (Steve Cardenas) became the (second) Red Ranger, Tommy (Jason David Frank) became the White Ranger, Kimberly (Amy Jo Johnson) became the Pink Ranger, and Billy (David Yost) became the Blue Ranger; Billy was always my favorite. Together, they defined teamwork and were perfectly suited to fight off the extraterrestrial and domestic evils that threatened mankind.
In "Movie," Ivan Ooze (Paul Freeman, chewing up all his scenery) is freed from a 6000-year imprisonment when Angel Grove construction workers accidentally stumble onto his lair. The nefarious Lord Zedd and his motor-mouth wife Rita Repulsa and their two minions Goldar and Mordant go to meet him and allow his revenge on Zordon. But he must first deal with the Rangers. After a few confrontations with Ooze's foot-soldiers, Ooze attacks their base, which leaves robot Alpha 5 short-circuiting and Zordon with only a few days to live. This renders the Rangers without their powers or their Zords, and they must journey to far-off Vados to receive new powers. With help from bikini-clad warrior chick Dulcea (Gabrielle Fitzpatrick), you can pretty much bet your $8 that this trip will be worth it, again, if you're a fan.
For those of us who are die-hards for "Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie," screenwriter Arne Olsen and director Bryan Spicer ensure that this is one adventure that won't disappoint. Except for a few minor changes, Spicer and Olsen stay remarkably faithful to all that we knew and love about the source material. This is also the first incarnation of "Rangers" to feature completely original material, instead of stock footage borrowed from Japan's "Super Sentai," the show that inspired "Mighty Morphin Power Rangers." The choosing of the show's original stars instead of new actors was also a plus.
Problems abound in "Movie," the simple fact that it seems like an extended of version of the show. A rundown: an evil appears, and the Rangers come together to fight it. The movie pretty much follows the same formula, except it's 101 minutes of your life that you'll either love or want back desperately. Original "Rangers" show was never much for performances (so it's a moot point here to even mention it), and the dialogue never really goes beyond typical Ranger-speak ("Let's do it, guys!" or "You ooze, you lose!").
The one having the most fun, however, is Freeman. Unrecognizable under some heavy-duty prosthetics, he relishes playing the bad guy ten-fold in the best (and somewhat hokey) performance. Comic bullies Bulk (Paul Schrier) and Skull (Jason Narvy) are remarkably underused, and youth Fred's (Jamie Croft) is also underused. Most telltale about how much we've grown up, are the film's CGI special effects, which were brilliant for 1995 but have obviously dated and are yet another reminder that this is a film showing its age from a time when television was so much simpler.
I guess "Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie" found its audience 12 years ago but will definitely have a hard time finding new viewers. I personally loved the cast and the show, but have a hard time looking at the movie now. Regardless of my misgivings now, 10 years ago this was it and probably about as good as it was going to get for the Power Rangers. Unfortunately, this is all we have left of the glory days when the Power Rangers ruled the world. When they lost their powers in the movie, some people today might wonder why they didn't lose their powers permanently.
4/10
As a fan of the Power Rangers from about 1994-1996 when I was between the ages 9 and 11 (the movie features the best and most popular cast from the television series, when Power Rangers were at their peak), I was one who eagerly waited in anticipation for a "Power Rangers" movie. I collected the toys, and I watched the show almost religiously on weekday afternoons on Fox Kids. Believe me when I finally saw the movie, I was blown away.
In 2007, I'm 21; I've grown up. But I've still found myself attached to a lot of stuff from my more youthful years; Power Rangers aren't one of them. Some of it's because I haven't watched the show since the cast from the '94-'96 season changed, and a recent viewing of "Movie" offers little to a former fan. Maybe it's because I, like my favorite high-kicking teenagers, grew up.
As a youth, it's easy to fall in love with this stuff. You got cool-looking characters, really bad guys, lots of kung-fu action, crazy plots, cheesy dialogue, and explosions and stuff. If you're an adolescent into things that go BOOM!, you're in the right place. I was one such adolescent with a big imagination and wished he had awesome morphing powers like his heroes. Some parents even got angry because they believed "Rangers" taught kids to fight out their problems rather than talking them out. Please.
If you were into the show, you remember that six teenagers of the fictional city Angel Grove, California, were chosen by the being Zordon to become the hyper-charged Power Rangers, ninja-like warriors sworn to defeat evil everywhere it reared its ugly head, with awesome powers and their Zords - gigantic machines that represented prehistoric animals that could be used to fight their enemies in kaiju-style showdowns. Aisha (Karan Ashley) became the (second) Yellow Ranger, Adam (Johnny Yong Bosch) became the (second) Black Ranger, Rocky (Steve Cardenas) became the (second) Red Ranger, Tommy (Jason David Frank) became the White Ranger, Kimberly (Amy Jo Johnson) became the Pink Ranger, and Billy (David Yost) became the Blue Ranger; Billy was always my favorite. Together, they defined teamwork and were perfectly suited to fight off the extraterrestrial and domestic evils that threatened mankind.
In "Movie," Ivan Ooze (Paul Freeman, chewing up all his scenery) is freed from a 6000-year imprisonment when Angel Grove construction workers accidentally stumble onto his lair. The nefarious Lord Zedd and his motor-mouth wife Rita Repulsa and their two minions Goldar and Mordant go to meet him and allow his revenge on Zordon. But he must first deal with the Rangers. After a few confrontations with Ooze's foot-soldiers, Ooze attacks their base, which leaves robot Alpha 5 short-circuiting and Zordon with only a few days to live. This renders the Rangers without their powers or their Zords, and they must journey to far-off Vados to receive new powers. With help from bikini-clad warrior chick Dulcea (Gabrielle Fitzpatrick), you can pretty much bet your $8 that this trip will be worth it, again, if you're a fan.
For those of us who are die-hards for "Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie," screenwriter Arne Olsen and director Bryan Spicer ensure that this is one adventure that won't disappoint. Except for a few minor changes, Spicer and Olsen stay remarkably faithful to all that we knew and love about the source material. This is also the first incarnation of "Rangers" to feature completely original material, instead of stock footage borrowed from Japan's "Super Sentai," the show that inspired "Mighty Morphin Power Rangers." The choosing of the show's original stars instead of new actors was also a plus.
Problems abound in "Movie," the simple fact that it seems like an extended of version of the show. A rundown: an evil appears, and the Rangers come together to fight it. The movie pretty much follows the same formula, except it's 101 minutes of your life that you'll either love or want back desperately. Original "Rangers" show was never much for performances (so it's a moot point here to even mention it), and the dialogue never really goes beyond typical Ranger-speak ("Let's do it, guys!" or "You ooze, you lose!").
The one having the most fun, however, is Freeman. Unrecognizable under some heavy-duty prosthetics, he relishes playing the bad guy ten-fold in the best (and somewhat hokey) performance. Comic bullies Bulk (Paul Schrier) and Skull (Jason Narvy) are remarkably underused, and youth Fred's (Jamie Croft) is also underused. Most telltale about how much we've grown up, are the film's CGI special effects, which were brilliant for 1995 but have obviously dated and are yet another reminder that this is a film showing its age from a time when television was so much simpler.
I guess "Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie" found its audience 12 years ago but will definitely have a hard time finding new viewers. I personally loved the cast and the show, but have a hard time looking at the movie now. Regardless of my misgivings now, 10 years ago this was it and probably about as good as it was going to get for the Power Rangers. Unfortunately, this is all we have left of the glory days when the Power Rangers ruled the world. When they lost their powers in the movie, some people today might wonder why they didn't lose their powers permanently.
4/10
What a trip down Memory Lane!
There was a time where the biggest thing in the playground and recess and lunch was Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: toys, TV show and movie.
This feature film - shot in my home town of Sydney; the iconic skyline is very prominent throughout, and the single track for the now-defunct Monorail is destroyed in one scene - probably came out around that time. If you're a kid, you're gonna love this film. I certainly did, back in the day. We all thought the Rangers were the epitome of cool.
Rewatching it nearly three decades on was not kind. It's corny, cheesy - oh, so very, very, very cheesy! - dumb, and over-acted; there isn't one main cast member who isn't guilty of this. That said, it probably sold a LOT of toys and that's the name of the game with these sorts of movies. Also, not being a kid any longer, I'm not the target audience. They don't notice that sort of thing. Interestingly, I noticed plenty of pop culture and other movie references. Very clever.
There was a time where the biggest thing in the playground and recess and lunch was Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: toys, TV show and movie.
This feature film - shot in my home town of Sydney; the iconic skyline is very prominent throughout, and the single track for the now-defunct Monorail is destroyed in one scene - probably came out around that time. If you're a kid, you're gonna love this film. I certainly did, back in the day. We all thought the Rangers were the epitome of cool.
Rewatching it nearly three decades on was not kind. It's corny, cheesy - oh, so very, very, very cheesy! - dumb, and over-acted; there isn't one main cast member who isn't guilty of this. That said, it probably sold a LOT of toys and that's the name of the game with these sorts of movies. Also, not being a kid any longer, I'm not the target audience. They don't notice that sort of thing. Interestingly, I noticed plenty of pop culture and other movie references. Very clever.
- allmoviesfan
- Aug 22, 2024
- Permalink
Like about 20 movies in total, Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie was for some period of time my favourite movie. I really liked the style, the colours, the energy, the basic concept, the action, the comedy, etc. Much of that still holds up today although it's very flimsy - not much is to be found in deeper meaning or originality.
Ebert is right that the characters don't have much individual personality, but that hardly matters. Their teamwork and positive attitudes shine through. Even though it's cliched, at least it's a good message for kids. They do fun things like skydive and roller blade (something I've recently been learning in my mid-30s), all while being safe and wearing their assigned colours. I don't see why they need issues to be more interesting. Nor do I think they need majorly different roles to play. As it is, we at least get Tommy who is a leader and Kimberly who is more sentimental.
The action is enjoyable, especially with some good music to go with it. It's harmless fun with many ridiculous physics-defying moves - a lot of flying kicks and spinning.
Visually, the movie holds up well. The costumes are cool - all different and shiny, including the goodies and the baddies. The special effects are dated but the designs of the zords and robots are cool, all of them newly introduced in this movie.
The music is surprisingly good and underused if anything. The action songs are decent, fit the choreography and don't disrupt the flow, but the orchestral score is even better.
The plot is very thin and full of holes. Apparently the Rangers can casually teleport to other planets and Ivan Ooze's bird monsters can also fly through space with ease. And I didn't know that comets were fireballs which you could throw enemies at. At least the movie hits the right beats and we don't get buried in melodrama or exposition - the story just keeps moving and focuses on the action, comedy and excitement.
Paul Freeman is clearly having fun as the main villain. He gets many funny lines including one he apparently ad-libbed - that he was disappointed to have missed The Brady Bunch Reunion (he likes being around for disasters). As an adult, his performance is the main highlight although the action and some of the comedy is also sincerely entertaining.
I can see that the movie isn't quite as flawless as it felt when I was 10 years old, but it was good enough to engage me and still generate some laughs and smiles. It embraces its goofy, safe, feel-good action and does it well.
Ebert is right that the characters don't have much individual personality, but that hardly matters. Their teamwork and positive attitudes shine through. Even though it's cliched, at least it's a good message for kids. They do fun things like skydive and roller blade (something I've recently been learning in my mid-30s), all while being safe and wearing their assigned colours. I don't see why they need issues to be more interesting. Nor do I think they need majorly different roles to play. As it is, we at least get Tommy who is a leader and Kimberly who is more sentimental.
The action is enjoyable, especially with some good music to go with it. It's harmless fun with many ridiculous physics-defying moves - a lot of flying kicks and spinning.
Visually, the movie holds up well. The costumes are cool - all different and shiny, including the goodies and the baddies. The special effects are dated but the designs of the zords and robots are cool, all of them newly introduced in this movie.
The music is surprisingly good and underused if anything. The action songs are decent, fit the choreography and don't disrupt the flow, but the orchestral score is even better.
The plot is very thin and full of holes. Apparently the Rangers can casually teleport to other planets and Ivan Ooze's bird monsters can also fly through space with ease. And I didn't know that comets were fireballs which you could throw enemies at. At least the movie hits the right beats and we don't get buried in melodrama or exposition - the story just keeps moving and focuses on the action, comedy and excitement.
Paul Freeman is clearly having fun as the main villain. He gets many funny lines including one he apparently ad-libbed - that he was disappointed to have missed The Brady Bunch Reunion (he likes being around for disasters). As an adult, his performance is the main highlight although the action and some of the comedy is also sincerely entertaining.
I can see that the movie isn't quite as flawless as it felt when I was 10 years old, but it was good enough to engage me and still generate some laughs and smiles. It embraces its goofy, safe, feel-good action and does it well.
- Christopher_Reid
- May 3, 2021
- Permalink
Okay, we all know how bad the power rangers television show is, but as bad as the show is, this movie is far, far, worse! At last check this movie rated only a 3 out of a 1-10 scale.
I really don't see why this movie isn't rated lower! Power rangers, with all of it's television shows is nothing more than a commercial for second class plastic garbage to sell to unsuspecting children around the world.
The television show has already been banned in two countries, New Zealand, and Malaysia, perhaps they see through all of this negative advertising.
There are far better forms of entertainment for our children. Avoid showing them power rangers in any way.
I really don't see why this movie isn't rated lower! Power rangers, with all of it's television shows is nothing more than a commercial for second class plastic garbage to sell to unsuspecting children around the world.
The television show has already been banned in two countries, New Zealand, and Malaysia, perhaps they see through all of this negative advertising.
There are far better forms of entertainment for our children. Avoid showing them power rangers in any way.
- BeastWarsTransformers
- Aug 16, 2005
- Permalink
This film is not meant to be at all meaning full to an adult audience. I however saw this film as a child and loved it. I wish that children's films were still like this today instead of that animated junk. This film was terrific it has a pretty great story lovable characters and great villains. I fell bad that this terrific series has gone down the poop shoot with about 9 remakes of the characters. I think that a lot of people that were children when this came out would agree here. Not to mention the film had an amazing soundtrack. All in all for a children's film i think that this film was worth the money and i suggest this movie for the newer generation of children too!
- greenglowstick
- May 14, 2005
- Permalink
This movie is stupid. It's meant to be stupid. As stupid movies go, there are certainly worse picks. If you ever need to kill 90 minutes and you have an odd urge to see a ninja robot kick an alien robot in the crotch, launching them into space, there's no better way to kill two birds with one stone.
- Adam-the-tall-1
- Jun 28, 2021
- Permalink
- ironhorse_iv
- Aug 29, 2014
- Permalink
This movie was released when I was a kid, and I was already a huge fan of the Power Rangers television series (the original series is still the best!). This film had all the right ingredients from the series, with added fun like new costumes, villains, locations, etc. And of course, all the stars look fantastic in it, and if you're a fan of the series, you'll be amazed at how much better the film comes across on screen. The action scenes are well set out and of course, there is lots of cool graphics (bigger budget means bigger looks!). But don't just think it's all about the action- there is a lot of fun mixed into it all as well. Lots of fun, and can appeal to a large range of audiences. Sure, it may just be a 'kids' film, and is not exactly Oscar material, but it is perfect for what it is! Remembering that this series is one of the most successful children's series in the last 20 years, the film is a definite must for all fans.
- dnjlifestyles
- Apr 21, 2005
- Permalink
Power Rangers:The Movie is one of my new guilty pleasures. Now I'm gonna admit,I was born in 1999,after the big craze of The Mighty Morphers died out somewhat and have only recently started watching the entire series,only prior experience i had was with time force,wild force,ninja storm and Dino thunder. I Watched this film after finishing season 2 of the mighty morphin power rangers,which i consider excellent and had somewhat high hopes for this film. For a fan of the series,mainly the zordon era,this is a great movie to watch,and i feel it does the series justice,even it is now not canon to said series. The Plot of the film follows the rangers of the second season of Mighty Mrphin (Rocky,Adam,Billy,Aisha,Kimberly and Tommy) battling the villain Ivan Ooze,who has been released from an egg Zordon imprisoned him in six thousand years before the events of the movie. Ivan Damages the command center and incapacitating Zordon. the rangers are sent to the planet Phaedoes to become powerful enough to stop Ivan and help Zordon,and ultimately save the world. The action scenes were awesome in that special Power Ranger/Super Sentai kind of way,especially the Scene with the new Zords and when the rangers are skydiving,and the story was fun and easy to get into and immerse yourself with a great new villain. This film is a perfect side-watch to fans who have seen the Mighty Morphin Series,although if you aren't a fan of Power Rangers,you will more then likely find no enjoyment from this film other then the fantastic action scenes.