There were two groups of crime-fighting teenagers that ruled my life as a child – the Power Rangers and the Ninja Turtles. And I’d bet money that you were hooked on either (or both), too. ’90s nostalgia is a powerful control mechanism, and it’s got a solid grip on many of our childhood memories. The Rangers and Turtles were literally two of the top five coolest things to be about in youth. It’s just math.
I’ve gotten washed on Twitter several times for a being a grown man that’s still into the Power Rangers, but I have a theory.
You’re going to go see the Power Rangers movie.
And not only are you going to go see it, you’re probably going to like it. Lionsgate Films has been on a roll with the young adult movies since Twilight (which was a guilty pleasure for many). Then came the next teen gravy train The Hunger Games and Divergent. This is literally just the next installment of the lot. The ’90s nostalgia is the hook. But this will not be the cheesy ’90s Power Rangers that we remember (even though I like them, too). This will be the 2017 Hollywood blockbuster remake, complete with a coming-of-age story, angst/romance and very cool CGI action sequences. Does this sound like a film you’ve seen recently? Odds are, yes.
The casting is not just good, it’s perfect.
I’ve written previously about studies that statistically prove movies with multicultural casts have bigger box office success. Power Rangers as a television franchise was very inclusive, especially for the time. But this cast might even go above and beyond in that category. Plus, they got rid of the stereotypical archetypes in the team roles. For example, RJ Cyler, the black character, is not the black ranger – he’s the blue Ranger. And with the main cast being newer actors to the silver screen, it gives them a chance to embody these characters without preconceptions. Becky G might be the most well known in the group, but we only know her from the music (or that stint on Empire).
Also, Bryan Cranston (Heisenberg from Breaking Bad) is playing Zordon – he’s a beast.
Whether you decide to see Power Rangers or not, one thing is definitely going to be true. As with every teen hit movie, you will 100 percent think about going, even if you don’t want to, because this thing will be everywhere. The budget is big, the promo campaign will most likely be even bigger. There will be press junkets, comic-con interview panels, trailers, TV spots and a truckload of social media content. Your discover page on Snapchat will be full of Power Rangers trivia. And yes, there will be a filter. You might as well embrace it and enjoy the ride down the throwback highway. Mostly, I just don’t want to be the only 20-something in the theater.
Power Rangers will be on a silver screen near you on March 24, 2017.
If you’re a Power Rangers fan like me, please say so in the comments. There’s strength in numbers, fam. And please tag somebody on Facebook that needs to see this post.
