Could a "serious" Power Ranger movie work?

#1 Posted by cattlebattle (11097 posts) - 1 year, 10 months ago - Show Bio

So Netflix is currently carrying the first,like, 1000 episodes of the Power Rangers. So I felt Nostalgic and watched it, and it was more cheesy now than it was then when I was 8,

I was aware that it was taken from the Japanese endless series of "Super Sentai" shows, but I read the plot of the original series only to find out...the story was 50 times better and didn't sound corny at all.

In the US version, 5 stereotypical american teenagers were recruited by Professor X stuck in blacklight to (for no reason) take on spandex forms based on Dinosaurs. The black Ranger was black, the asian ranger was yellow, and the girly girl ranger was pink (sigh). A bunch of Saved by the Bell like antics ensue.

The japanese version was way more "high fantasy" (I'm sure a lot of people know all about this) They were humans evolved from Dinosaurs (remembers the Super Mario movie) who were warriors from respective tribes, that banded together to fight the Badora gang, the Green Ranger apparently came into conflict with them and eventually joined them. Sounded much better

I guess the US version was trying to counteract the amount of violence (their were protests about it) with positive kid-friendly messages like "if you fall down, get up and try again"
and I guess they might have to pay the creators more in royalties if they took the plot wholesale.

So onto the point: If they made a "reboot" film, would you rather see the American version taken more seriously?? Or something similar to the Original??

#2 Posted by ecm1285 (92 posts) - 1 year, 10 months ago - Show Bio

I think one of the first things they need to do in order to make it serious is to get rid of Alpha. I've actually thought about what a serious Power Rangers would look like...

#3 Posted by Sissel (1966 posts) - 1 year, 10 months ago - Show Bio

Oh. Another ranger here, eh? Good to know, many in the forums are PR an SS fans.

#4 Posted by dorsk188 (211 posts) - 1 year, 10 months ago - Show Bio

I've thought about this before. If you make realistic deep characters and a plot that's interesting, then it really doesn't matter what logo you slap on it, it will be good. The question is, how divergent from the Power Rangers could it be and still be Power Rangers? Five teenagers with superpowers and giant robots could be a really cool show if it's funny (I'm imagining something in the vein of Megas XLR) or it was grim and dark (no obvious analogues come to mind, but the book series Animorphs dealt with teenagers fighting an alien invasion, and it was dark and serious and pretty good). But if you change it too much, then it may be Power Rangers in name only.

As long as they are using footage from Super Sentai, I can't imagine it being a serious show. The flailing kung faux and giant rubber monsters sap all gravity from the screen to western audiences.

#5 Posted by ecm1285 (92 posts) - 1 year, 10 months ago - Show Bio

I've been working on an idea for a more serious comic series. It starts with a computer genius who ends up joining the army because he has lost his job and feels he has no where to turn. While fighting over seas, he is injured can no longer fight. While in the hospital, he is visited by a government agents who have information of an alien crash landing on planet earth (Zordon), and they need his help to build some sort of machine that can keep in alive. (If you haven't noticed, this character is Alpha. I thought by making him an actual person would give it a more serious feel).

Once Zordon is healthy and able to communicate, he tells of an evil force that has plagued the universe (Rita). He has traveled to Earth to warn them of what is to come. He tells them that they must form a group of Rangers to defeat this evil. The government is reluctant to this request because they feel the US Military is sufficient. However, Zordon goes against the government's orders and finds 5 teenagers.

To give them a little more depth, the rangers do not know each other and come from very different walks of life. Therefor the are hesitant to work together.

This is what I have for a basic premise. It is just a work in progress and by no means a finished idea....suggestions?

#6 Posted by TheGodofThunder (416 posts) - 8 months, 25 days ago - Show Bio

I wrote a re imagining of power ranger a few years ago. I made them a intergalactic task force much like the lantern corps. or nova corps. Alpha was a computer system and Zordon was the commander of the "power Rangers" (a term loosely translated from zordons alien language) and he only appeared in a message he left eons ago. The command center was created as a means of security against rita if she ever escaped. It was fun to write but I stopped and lost what I wrote. long post short, yes it would work.

#7 Posted by Strafe Prower (11535 posts) - 8 months, 25 days ago - Show Bio

Honestly? I doubt it. The reason I love Power Rangers is because of the nonsensical plots and the boy-scout personalities. It would take a great plot to make a good PR movie.

#8 Posted by White Mage (18691 posts) - 8 months, 25 days ago - Show Bio

It would just be Buffy with a hint of the "Avengers" movie. That said, I totally believe that it is doable

That said, the Japanese version sounds a lot better for a "serious" approach.

Hell, in the American version, they were summoned because a particular floaty-head decided he randomly needed "teenagers with attitude"....WHAT??

#9 Posted by Skyfire (409 posts) - 8 months, 25 days ago - Show Bio

I think a mature Power Rangers would be awesome.

#10 Posted by InnerVenom123 (27550 posts) - 8 months, 25 days ago - Show Bio

Lol no.

#11 Edited by Retro_Metro (368 posts) - 8 months, 24 days ago - Show Bio

Maybe,but I see as more as a stand alone one-time only thing.(Maybe thrown in a mysterious Sparkling Orange Ranger with a cool short cape. ) lol

#12 Posted by Superguy0009e (1912 posts) - 7 months, 7 days ago - Show Bio

I was talking to my dad about this, and if they can make a great Avengers movie, then they can at least make a decent Power Rangers film.

Heck, maybe a Voltron film could work as well.

#13 Posted by The Poet (6920 posts) - 7 months, 7 days ago - Show Bio

@InnerVenom123 said:

Lol no.

Moderator

#14 Posted by CapFanboy (4201 posts) - 7 months, 7 days ago - Show Bio

@cattlebattle: To be honest, the original rangers looked way better. Remember that silver guy from the one with the firetruck. He looked badass.

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The Power Rangers are a group of people chosen to defend the innocent utilizing numerous high-tech weaponry and technology. The newest team of Power Rangers is called Power Rangers Megaforce.

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