[TokuChris]

Quote:

Originally Posted by TokuKnight89

Let's break this down a bit:

- Story is a touchy subject as most modern action movies are extremely lackluster in terms of plot. It usually involves some MacGuffin that is the object of everyone's interests and holds the fate of the universe in balance (until the sequel replaces it with something else). Characters are largely one-dimensional with slightly humorous but ultimately forgettable one-liners with a little emotion and thrown into impossibly over-hyped situations which would kill most humans 99.9% of the time.

- If the whole "Let's have Rita steal gold to revive/recreate Goldar" plot survives, this thing is dead in the water and Saban won't even be able to break even with the accompanying toyline.

- If it brings back Scorpina and even gives a PLAUSIBLE explanation as to how she survived all these years and where she has been, then the connection to old school Mighty Morphin' remains even if there is no remake-version of "Jason, Kimberly, Rita, Goldar, and Zordon".

- If it does fit with Dino Charge, it should maybe have a cameo or two and hint at the show, but not dwell upon it. Something like that 1998 The X-Files movie did.

- Even if it does go its own way, it can still crossover with the show, because...you know...P.R. Universe...which is about the same as Transformers or D.C. Comics...Multiverse.

I'm voting that it should stay within the show's mindset and keep most of the adult elements "obvious, but tolerable", but if does do its own thing, so be it. If it stays within, It doesn't need to go insane for the sake of "Going Insane". It should literally show on-screen that some real thought went into every element at every turn. It should take the time to feed into people's likely condemnation of "Any Power Rangers movie is gonna suck!" and then turn that on its head; surprise fans and critics. I want a film that feels like an adventure, an exciting surprise where even parents who are only at this thing for the sake of their children are enthralled. Years ago, during the American theatrical release of that Yu-Gi-Oh! movie, I became aware of one man who complained that the whole thing was just one long battle. It should have action, but mostly fantasy action that is integral to a plot that actually makes since. I want the one who goes to review this thing to step into that room feeling like this is punishment and walk out feeling amused and thoroughly shocked that a kids movie could actually be that good: "On a scale of one-to-ten, I'd give that kitschy little kids movie a solid seven or eight!"

P.S.: The soundtrack should have a reputable composer with a some talent. It should even have themes unique to the movie. In the original, Alpha got a song during the credits. The songs should try not to stress any particular era. There should be recognizable elements to people of the '90s and kids of today. Even older songs that have become so ubiquitous that most anyone of any generation can half-way recognize them. Remember how a Van Halen song worked into the original? Repeat that!

If the movie is somehow in the continuity of the current universe...

It would allow for cameos of past Power Rangers though any aside from the current Dino Charge or the original/S2 Mighty Morphin would make no sense to nostalgia audiences that haven't watched since 1995. It would also free the writers up a bit to use previous story elements that may be familiar to audiences or require little explanation to use (ie: Morphin Grid).

If the movie is decided to work as a reboot to the franchise, or basically be set in its own universe...

It dances a dangerous line with the story. If it seriously comes down to "Rita needs to steal gold to bring Goldar to life" then, as you've stated, the movie ends up a colossal flop and Lionsgate doesn't touch Power Rangers again for another decade as Saban Brands and Bandai America struggle to rebuild trust with retail stores who bought big on the movie only to watch it suffer and shelfwarm.

NOTHING about the leaked character sides sounds even the least bit promising. In that one it's the character backstories that they use to try and create characterization - Jason the big athlete who blew out his knee and now has all this pent up aggression and doesn't know what to do with it, Zack the stereotypical cool guy who ends up living incredibly poor, Kim who is fighting her own private battle with cancer, Billy who lost his mother and is coping with that along with some form of autism, and Trini who is the stereotypical loner girl who has no friends.

I hate that type of storytelling because it's lazy - it's using our own preconceived notions of how people like that live to explain why they act the way they do. It's about "telling" instead of "showing", and that's what GOOD movies do is "show".

"Why is Kim being all quiet and acting like a bitch? Oh, because she's dying from cancer."

versus

"Why is Kim being all quiet and acting like a bitch? Wait, we're following her home ... but she's not going home. She's going to the doctor? WTF? Radiology? OH SHIT DOES SHE HAVE...?!"

But you can't do that for FIVE main characters, as well as tell a gratifying story that gets you interested in the villains or the heroes sidekicks like Zordon and Alpha 5.

I will be honest, I don't have a lot of optimism for this movie after reading the character sides. I truly hope that the script is NOT what we read about Goldar and gold. I'd rather it be Scorpina than Goldar. I hope there's some surprises left for us other than who the Yellow Ranger is.