It’s been about twenty years since the last theatrical release for a Power Rangers film and hearing such a statement must make you contemplate the scary nature of that thing we’re all affected by, time. Before this article gets terrifyingly existential, it’s worth noting that the previous films in the Power Rangers universe (1995 and 1997) catered more toward the audience that watched the show on television. However, the newest incarnation of the multi-colored team of martial arts superheroes looks to gain a wider range of audiences beyond the core fanbase. This is because Hollywood has spun the wheel of nostalgia yet again and Power Rangers was chosen for a mainstream modern retelling whether you guys wanted it or not. Although that 90s nostalgia has definitely kicked into high gear over the last couple years. The live action Pokemon motion picture can’t be too far behind.
I personally have not seen the new Power Rangers movie yet but based on the previews I’ve seen, there seems to be a turn toward a darker and grittier direction. Recent commercials have shed light on a more lighthearted and comedic side to the movie though. Obviously, there is a conflict of tone going on and it usually doesn’t make for the best experience as a viewer if the tones conflict too much. Thankfully reviews for the movie have proven that whatever the director and crew were going for has worked out for them. Still as I said before, I haven’t seen the movie yet so I can’t comment on how I feel but there is a question that is quite relevant for this reinvigorated franchise no matter what the results. Moving forward, should Power Rangers keep it cheesy or commit to the darker tone? Or is there room for both?
Power Rangers, the television show, did a good job of knowing exactly what it was and excelling at being as cheesy as it can possibly be. As a kid growing up in the 90s, you really couldn’t ask for a better show in terms of silly action and ridiculous set pieces. Although the majority of “Might Morphin' Power Rangers” action derived from another Japanese show, the American actors and their scenes were integrated in an energetic way regardless. I’ve heard from many people that the new movie contains glimmers of that cheesy ridiculousness but it also blends a more serious direction too. If a sequel is green-lit in the coming weeks, discussions for various aspects of it will commence and that includes the tone. It’s important for movies to have a sense of identity and tone plays a big role in how a movie is identified by audiences.
If the Power Rangers sequel goes full cheesy, it may be more like the original show but perhaps we will lose heart and soul of what people enjoyed with the first film such as the relatable characters. If it goes full gritty though, the sequel may detract audiences in a way similar to another divisive movie called “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.” In my opinion, there is room for both tones as long as the filmmakers find a way to interject them naturally. I’ll turn to one of my favorite movies of all time to give an example of how tones can be mixed beautifully. Spider-Man 2 from 2004 finds a way to tell a story of a character journey from beginning to end seriously while also creating levity with cheesy humor and ridiculous moments. The cheesiness in Spider-Man 2 fits well into the story and the characters within the story being told though. It felt appropriate above everything else. A lot of blockbusters these days create moments of humor and levity that feel nothing short of awkward as if these moments were placed in to satisfy test audiences more than creating a good film. Untitled Power Rangers Sequel can potentially integrate the crazy action sequences with relatable characters involved in an emotionally resonating story appropriately. The trick is to make the tones dance together consistently and naturally rather than building up from one to the other.
It’ll be intriguing to see what direction this franchise goes given all the history of the Power Rangers lore since its inception over twenty years ago. Rumbles of the green ranger have made waves on the internet already so a sequel is obviously in the planning books. Tommy was arguably the most popular character in the original show so it’s cool to see that the filmmakers didn’t put all their eggs into their 2017 basket. It’s a satisfying feeling to be proven wrong in a very cynical time for movies and I can’t wait to see potentially where this franchise go-goes.
