Violent, more mature Rangers reboot is overly angst-filled.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 12+?
Any Positive Content?
Violence & Scariness
some
Mass destruction, with a relatively high body count. In the prologue, Rita kills ancient Rangers and is herself nearly destroyed by a meteor. In the present, car accidents injure/nearly kill. The crystal coins miraculously heal what should have been fatal injuries. The soon-to-be-Rangers have to escape police pursuit. The Rangers spar during training, leaving them battered and bruised. Rita kills people for the gold in their teeth -- or just for fun. Rita and her minion nearly kill all of the Rangers. Rita and Goldar destroy the town of Angel Grove, wreaking havoc and presumably injuring and/or killing residents as they attempt to flee.
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Some uses of "s--t," "bulls--t," "ass," and "asses," plus a jokey use of Bruce Willis' famous "Yippee ki-yay, motherf" (but the line stops at the "f" sound, because the Ranger feels guilty about saying the rest of it). Also "what the hell," "douche bag," "freak," "loser," and other insults.
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Gatorade, a couple of cars, close-ups of Dodge Dakota, Ford F-150, Chevy Camaro, etc. and a plot point that focuses on Krispy Kreme donuts. Off-screen, Saban's Power Rangers themselves are part of a multi-million-dollar merchandise machine.
Sex, Romance & Nudity
a little
Flirting between two different sets of Rangers -- they fall on top of each other and embrace. Discussion of sexting and how a teen girl's inappropriate photo was shared. Pink Ranger is shown stripping down to her bra and panties to jump in a stream.
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The Rangers spend the night around a campfire together, and a few of them drink what looks like beer. References to Trini's apparent past use of drugs -- her mother demands she "pee in this cup."
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The Power Rangers have always been about teamwork. They might be misfit kids, but they must find their self-worth and trust one another to become the powerful warriors they're destined to become. The story is also about selflessness, courage, and sacrifice -- what you're willing to personally sacrifice in order to save. The movie also teaches kids not to let others make them feel unworthy and that failing/messing up is part of growing and learning. On the downside, violence is the main means of conflict resolution, and there are few consequences for iffy actions.
Positive Role Models
some
The Rangers must all overcome their personal flaws and insecurities to morph into Rangers and work as a team. They must believe in their mission, themselves, and one another. They're a diverse group.
Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Power Rangers is the big-screen reboot of the hugely popular '90s TV show about a team of teen superheroes who are imbued with powers from ancient crystal coins. Unlike earlier takes on the characters, this movie amps up the violence and features strong language and mature themes (teen substance use, juvenile detention, cyberbullying, questions about sexual identity, and more). So even though it might appeal to young elementary-aged kids, it's far better suited for middle-schoolers and up. There's mass destruction, with a relatively high body count, as well as injuries, crashes, fights, and more. On the language front, characters use words like "s--t" and "ass," as well as one "motherf" that's purposely cut short. Subtle hints at potential romance include longing looks and flirting, and there are references to how someone digitally shared a student's inappropriate photo. Positive messages mirror those of the original series: teamwork, courage, training, sacrifice, and trust. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails.
I thought it was good I was hoping for a part two but we never got a part 2 which makes me really sad because I would have loved to see how far these Power Rangers would have gotten all so I would have loved to see the Green Ranger who is going to get the play Tommy
What's the Story?
POWER RANGERS opens 65 million years ago, with Red Ranger Zordon (Bryan Cranston) sacrificing himself to ensure that villain Rita Repulsa (Elizabeth Banks) can't take hold of Earth's Zeo Crystal. Zordon also releases the five Power Coins to find those "who are worthy" to be the next five Power Rangers crew. Fast forward to the present, when Angel Grove High's former golden-boy quarterback Jason Scott (Dacre Montgomery) has to go to Saturday detention for his entire senior year due to a team prank gone wrong. There, he meets tech-savvy Billy (RJ Cyler) and angry ex-cheerleader Kimberly (Naomi Scott). The trio ends up at a mine, where Billy uncovers brightly colored crystal coins. Two other teens -- Trini (Becky G.) and Zack (Ludi Lin) -- are also present for the discovery, and, as each kid takes one coin as their own, they team up and attempt to avoid police pursuit. The next morning, the team of misfit teens realizes that instead of dying in a car accident, they're alive and healed, with inexplicable super-strength. After returning to the site of their discovery, they find an underwater space ship where an android, Alpha 5 (voiced by Bill Hader), and the trapped spirit of Zordon explain that they must train to become the Power Rangers -- but first they must morph. If they can't morph, they won't be able to fight Rita, who's come back to life and plans to find the Zeo Crystal and destroy Earth in the process.
Except for a couple of standout performances, this reboot takes itself too seriously and is too unevenly executed for a property that originally delighted in campy silliness. The goofy cornball antics that might have worked for a seemingly never-ending after-school show weren't going to cut it, but the story goes too far in the other direction, offering audiences four angst-filled, troubled teens and one sweet tech genius who happens to be on the autism spectrum. Kudos to the director for casting a diverse lot to play the Rangers (even Alpha 5 jokes: "different colors, different kids, different-colored kids" when they meet him for the first time). But unfortunately, it's a toss-up from scene to scene whether the acting and screenwriting will be heartfelt, decent, or downright cringe-worthy.
As Billy, the Blue Ranger, Cyler is the team's heart -- earnest, logical, and incapable of sarcasm or artifice. Looking like a cross between a young Zac Efron and Channing Tatum, Montgomery is a natural fit as the QB-turned team leader. The other three teens have less to do, with Trini's backstory being both confusing and insufficient (what teen isn't somewhat misunderstood by their parents?). At least Banks is hilariously campy as Rita (who could even take that name seriously?). The movie aims for a Breakfast Club-meets-superhero origin story, but in the end it might be too long and too much for even nostalgic fans.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the violence in Power Rangers. Do you think it was necessary forthe movie to be so violent/mature? How does that affect its appropriateness for the franchise's younger fans? How much scary stuff can young kids handle?
Which of the characters are role models, and why? How do the Rangers each grow and change throughout the story? How do they exhibit teamwork and courage? Why are those important character strengths?
What's the difference between fantasy violence and the consequences of violence in real life? How can people express anger in other ways?
How does this version compare to previous takes on the Power Rangers? What's changed? Do you like the updates? Why or why not?
Would you like the new Power Rangers franchise to continue? If so, what original villain(s) should they fight next?
MPAA explanation:
sequences of sci-fi violence, action and destruction, language, and for some crude humor
Last updated:
June 20, 2023
Did we miss something on diversity?
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suggesting a diversity update.
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
By Sandie Angulo Chen
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
