Thirty years ago the most popular children’s TV show in the world was called the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers. It was campy and only lasted for three seasons but pumped out 145 episodes and made a lasting impression on a whole generation of kids. Now it’s back in the form of a Netflix movie Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Once & Always. Weirdly, it’s getting good reviews.
I say weirdly because it’s never been a show known for quality of acting or dramatic occurrences. A group of teens fight off a bad guy (in this case bad woman) using special badges that turn them into Rangers and save the day. Pretty simple stuff. Here’s the trailer:
Here’s the surprising part: The movie is currently sitting at a sweet 100 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Sure, there’s only five reviews out as of this writing and that rating is going to drop but let’s bask in the unfamiliar territory of a Morphin movie that’s actually good.
At IGN, the film’s described as “Less of a movie and more of a one-hour special episode,” which isn’t necessarily a bad thing at all.
“With that framing in mind, it delivers just about everything you’d expect, for better and for worse. A few members of the original cast team up with other familiar faces from the more recent spin-offs to stop a classic villain, and it captures the franchise’s signature schlocky look and feel as though it were made back in 1993, when the series first debuted in the US.”
What really makes the movie special is the way it handles the death of Yellow Ranger Thuy Trang (she died in a car accident in 2001) with a “surprisingly emotional story about grief.”
Matthew Aguilar from ComicBook.com said the film pretty much delivers on everything it promises.
“Overall the film delivers the best sort of nostalgia trip, one that brings together all the things you loved about the original series and blends in modern elements and a central story that means something to the fanbase and the franchise.”
ScreenRant had a similar take: “Expectations should be very low for this, as the special is a one-off expression of love & admiration for the show’s legacy than an earnest reboot.”
The movie is specifically geared toward fans of the show from 1993 and doesn’t try to be anything else. However, younger audiences may not find as much to love.
“With specific references and callbacks that would only matter to people who would have been the right age to watch the franchise from the beginning — audiences who would be well aware that Trini would never return to the franchise because actress Thuy Trang died in 2001. Acknowledging the iconic character and her legacy being honored with Charlie Kersh playing Trini’s daughter Minh is only relevant to older audiences. Sadly, Once & Always does not bridge the gap between the older generation of fans and potential new ones.”
Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Once & Always will begin streaming on April 19 on Netflix.
Published: Apr 18, 2023 04:10 pm