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"TURBO: A POWER RANGERS MOVIE"
(1997) (Jason David Frank, Blake Foster) (PG)

Alcohol/
Drugs
Blood/Gore Disrespectful/
Bad Attitude
Frightening/
Tense Scenes
Guns/
Weapons
None None Mild Mild Mild
Imitative
Behavior
Jump
Scenes
Music
(Scary/Tense)
Music
(Inappropriate)
Profanity
Moderate None Mild None Minor
Sex/
Nudity
Smoking Tense Family
Scenes
Topics To
Talk About
Violence
None None Minor Minor Mild


QUICK TAKE:
Adventure: The Power Rangers must stop an evil empress from gaining intergalactic powers.
PLOT:
An evil galactic empress, Divatox (HILARY SHEPARD TURNER), pursues a great wizard, Lerigot, who is the keeper of a golden key that unlocks the dimensional gateways of the universe. Divatox wants him so that she cross over into another dimension to join forces in marriage with Malagor, an equally evil monster and thus bring forth a reign of terror over the galaxy. Lerigot seeks help from the Power Rangers who include Tanya Sloan (NAKIA BURRISE), Tommy Oliver (JASON DAVID FRANK), Kimberly Hart (AMY JO JOHNSON), Billy Cranston (DAVID YOST), Jason Lee Scott (AUSTIN ST. JOHN), Katherine Hillard (CATHERINE SUTHERLAND), and Rocky DeSantos (STEVE CARDENAS). When Rocky is injured, a boy, Justin (BLAKE FOSTER), takes his place. The Power Rangers then do all they can to stop Divatox.
WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT?
If they’re fans of the TV show or of the last Power Rangers movie, they will.
WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: PG
For non-stop fantasy action violence.
CAST AS ROLE MODELS:
The Power Rangers cast are suitable role models (unless you’re concerned with martial arts poses and actions — although they only use these defensively).
CAST, CREW, & TECHNICAL INFO

HOW OTHERS RATED THIS MOVIE


OUR TAKE: 2 out of 10
Looking at this film from an adult standpoint, it's an unimaginative but lively production that will probably bore, if not irritate, most parents and will most likely never be seen by adult audience members who don't have young children. Examining the film and understanding the core audience it's aimed at -- kids under ten years of age -- we find that it's still unimaginative, but will probably prove to be highly entertaining to those who are fans of the series. I’m certainly not a fan of, or an expert on, the Power Rangers and their exploits, but this film seems to be offering up the same dose of repetitiously exaggerated and frenzied mayhem that's been seen many times before in this series. Of course, the film makers aren't dummies, and they realize that what their offering is exactly what the kids expect and want to see. Some children, however, may be disappointed by the relatively short amount of time that their idols are in their Ranger personas or are doing their trademark morphing into one large, unified mechanical "creature." And by the end of the movie, we essentially have a dummied-down rip-off of the old "Godzilla" movies where two large "beasts" battle each other. While kids who are fans of this series will probably enjoy this movie, it doesn't offer anything to spark a child's imagination, and instead force-feeds its pabulum to its young audience. Still, if you're looking for an escapist type fantasy film for youngsters, this one seems to be an okay choice as was evident by the children in our audience who were certainly glued to the screen and the exploits of their "heroes." Nonetheless, we give this film just a 2 out of 10 for providing a mindless, but mildly diverting afternoon for the youngsters.
OUR WORD TO PARENTS:
While this film certainly doesn’t have much to object to and is probably relatively harmless, I’m sure there are better things out there for kids to be seeing or doing than watching this mindless production. Most of the characters aren’t portrayed realistically and come off looking like buffoons (as is often the case with popular entertainment aimed at children). Still, there are many young fans of this series and there are only a few things that you might want to watch out for. A few scenes might prove to be somewhat scary for younger viewers, and there is quite a bit of martial-arts style fighting, although no one seems to be seriously hurt (other than one character who is tossed into a molten lava pit). Children may want to imitate the Power Rangers martial arts' moves and stances, so if you find that kind of behavior irritating, you may want to talk to your children about that. Since younger kids will probably want to see this, we suggest that you read through the scene listings before allowing them to do so.

ALCOHOL OR DRUG USE
  • None.
  • BLOOD/GORE
  • None.
  • DISRESPECTFUL/BAD ATTITUDE
  • Divatox and her followers have both, but they’re played out in a non-realistic and extreme comic-book style.
  • Divatox kidnaps Lerigot, his wife, and their baby and threatens them if they don’t help with her plan.
  • Kimberly and Jason are briefly turned into bad guys and fight with the other Power Rangers, but are eventually changed back to good ways.
  • FRIGHTENING SCENES
  • The appearance of some of Divatox’s right hand men might be a little scary to very young viewers (with their exaggerated features).
  • Two cops are confronted by an intense white light and look up and cover their faces as they’re transported into a spaceship.
  • Tommy fights with a large snake in a jungle while Katherine hangs from a branch high above a river. The two then end up in the river’s rapids and this may be a bit intense for very young viewers.
  • Four of the Power Rangers go to and travel on a "ghost galleon." A skeleton outside it, and its ghostly appearance, may frighten younger kids.
  • Slimy, pulsating pods make their way onto the above ship and soon grow in size. They then turn into monsters (not overly scary looking) that the Power Rangers must fight.
  • Kimberly and Jason are kidnaped and held in the bilge of Divatox’s submarine. As they try to escape by prying off a hatch, water begins filling the compartment. Soon, they have to dive underwater to get out and some children may find this scene to be rather suspenseful.
  • Kimberly and Jason are tied and hanging above a large lava pit and are then slowly lowered down toward it.
  • Malagor’s appearance -- he looks like a scaly monster with glowing eyes and big teeth -- might be scary to some kids.
  • GUNS/WEAPONS
  • Exploding arrows: Shot by Divatox’s men at the wizard several times.
  • Torpedoes: Used by Divatox to blow up the Power Ranger’s galleon.
  • Spears: Used by tribesmen to capture the Power Rangers and Divatox and her crew.
  • Power Range weapons: Used to fire laser-like shots at Malagor, that do not harm the monster.
  • IMITATIVE BEHAVIOR
  • Phrases: "Fools," "I’m so stupid," "Shut up," "Losers," "Screw up," "Moron," "Twerp," "You little fool," "Runt," and "Wimp."
  • The Power Rangers do their trademark "martial arts" kicking, punching, and spinning (including the exaggerated poses), that kids will love to imitate.
  • JUMP SCENES
  • None.
  • MUSIC (SCARY/TENSE)
  • There is a mild amount of suspenseful music in the movie.
  • MUSIC (INAPPROPRIATE)
  • None.
  • PROFANITY
  • 1 use of "Hell’s bells" as an exclamation.
  • SEX/NUDITY
  • None, but Divatox does show quite a bit of cleavage in her form fitting costume.
  • SMOKING
  • None.
  • TENSE FAMILY SCENES
  • Lerigot learns that his wife and baby have been kidnaped by Divatox.
  • TOPICS TO TALK ABOUT
  • Good vs. evil people.
  • Imitating the Power Rangers' martial arts moves (especially inside the house).
  • VIOLENCE
  • A kickboxing competition is seen at the beginning and end of the movie. All of it takes place inside a ring and is done so as sport. During one of the bouts, Rocky falls out of the ring and hurts his back as he lands on the hard concrete.
  • Divatox hits two of her followers who failed to kidnap the wizard. She then spins around, and using a knife-like appendage on her costume, slices off the mechanical hand of one of her subordinates.
  • Two cops on a motorcycle crash into and through a bait shop as they try to elude a spaceship.
  • The Power Rangers fight off a group of monsters that attack them on a ship. Lots of kicking, spinning and hitting occurs as the monsters are eventually knocked or forced from the vessel.
  • Divatox fires torpedoes that strike and blow up the Power Rangers' galleon just as they get out.
  • There’s a great big fight scene at the end with lots of kicking and punching as the Power Rangers fight the bad guys. Kimberly and Jason are briefly turned into bad guys and fight with the other Power Rangers, and Jason strangles Tommy above a lava pit, but they are eventually changed back to good guys.
  • Divatox tosses her nephew into the lava pit.
  • Malagor fights with, and tosses aside, the Power Rangers. Later, Malagor grows into a gigantic beast, the Power Rangers morph into their huge vehicle/creature, and the two giants battle each other.



  • Reviewed March 22, 1997

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