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REVIEW
Feb. 17, 2023
Review: Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Once & Always
Get ready to relive your childhood and experience the same cheesy, epic, and action-packed fun that captivated you as a kid with Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Once and Always - the perfect tribute that will make you laugh, cry, and leave you feeling nostalgic.
Story: Amid a worldwide crisis, the Rangers are summoned to step up as the heroes that the world requires, as they confront a threat from their past that has resurfaced. The film features the returning cast of Walter Jones, Steve Cardenas, Catherine Sutherland and David Yost playing their titular roles as the Power Rangers, while also premiering Charlie Kersh as the new Yellow Ranger.
Review: "Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Once and Always" (2023), directed by Charlie Heskell, is an hour-long reunion special that has been released on Netflix. The movie is a nostalgic tribute to the original series and is more of a long episode than a full-fledged film. The movie is an excellent depiction of the ultra-cheesy, semi-dramatic, childishly epic vibe that has enthralled children worldwide for decades. It follows the Mighty Morphin Rangers as they face off against a robotized version of Rita Repulsa who seeks to steal the Ranger's power to take over the world. The movie captures the essence of the original series, paying homage to it without trying to reinvent it.
The film brings back some favourites from the original 1993 television series, including David Yost and Walter Emanuel Jones as the Blue Ranger and Black Ranger, respectively. The special's treatment of the Yellow Ranger, Trini Kwan, hits an emotional string beyond the show itself. The opening sequence shows Trini being killed by Repulsa, and Trini's daughter, Minh, is informed of her mother's death and vows revenge on Repulsa, setting up the key emotional arc of the film. The death of the Yellow Ranger hits harder due to the passing of Thuy Trang, who played Trini in the original series. Trang tragically died in a car crash in 2001. The special lovingly pays tribute to Trang throughout the story, and a particularly heart-wrenching ending sequence is sure to move some viewers to tears.
Overall, the movie is a fun and enjoyable experience, but it doesn't try to do anything new or reinvent the Power Rangers franchise. While it may feel like an exploitation of nostalgia for commercial gain, the movie is a loving tribute and homage to a classic Power Rangers period. However, during a time when reboots and legacy sequels are coming out of Hollywood at a near constant rate, it's hard to ignore how capitalist companies exploit nostalgia for commercial gain. The constant reappraisal of beloved works diminishes the magic of our original nostalgia. Nevertheless, as a nostalgic homage to a childhood classic, "Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Once and Always" is an enjoyable and entertaining trip down memory lane.
