This is an entry that has speed under the radar and personally this is my forth favorite in the franchise if you can believe that. This was you could say the final show of the Disney era, and I personally felt they finished at first place.
The only speed bumps this show has are in the cinematography of the fights, I really didn't like the fact they used the shaky cam technique in some places, personally I felt it looked stupid and is a bit of a cheat for action scenes, I prefer to see the punches and kicks connect, though there really isn't that much shaky cam so it's not a big problem. Anohter are the zords and mega zords which I found unmemorable and kinda lame the designs look a bit too kiddy, their not horrible but as a fan of the franchise we can do better.
Other than that everything else was fine. The action was really good as usual, like seeing them all use the weapons and powers. The music and theme song were decent. However strangely for once this was kinda secondary.
What I really felt power this show was how once again it really was on the dark side of things like with Space, Lost Galaxy, and Time Force, and I love that because it really shows the Power Rangers being challenged and at their best emotionally.
The plot I thought was great, it's sort of uncannily similar to the 80s show "Captain Power and the Soilders of the Future", just like with that show we see the human race has lost to a machine empire and humans are becoming an endangered species and there is only one human civilization left.
I even like how there are a few sci-fi references like Dylan's car is shameless an homage the V8 Interceptor from the "Mad Max" franchise. And of course a little reference to "Aliens" as there are a couple of characters named Hicks and Vasquez. And the character name Ziggy sort of a reference to the computer intelligence from the TV show "Quantum Leap".
The plot does develop and things at times take an unfun turn which really makes it feel like what happening matters. The Rangers really struggle and they don't always win which just all the more makes us want them to win.
I really like the characters and each of them had a certain amount of depth.
Ziggy/Green Ranger he's my second favorite. He's sort of like Scott Lang/Ant Man just like Scott he's a person that's really not a bad person just on the wrong track. He was a former thief that has been imprisoned but has been given a second shot in life. I really like there is just this fun non serious persona, I like that despite good at his job he's not that good sometimes he get overwhelmed by the odds or even stumbles a bit which I felt just made his character seem more human and it makes sense since he's has less experience being a ranger. I also like his romantic interaction with Dr. T which I always found both sweet and funny, both of them really are great together because they balance each other out it's sort of like a heart and brain relationship, it's a shame both didn't have enough episodes together but oh well.
Even like the Dr. T character whom is dressed almost like Romania from "Doctor Who" with that preppy outfit and straw hat. Her character is sort of on the shy side, brainy, doesn't really get out much. Really liked seeing how much Ziggy challenges her by at times giving her some unintentional grief. But after a while she really does warm up to him even opens up a bit which she's never done with anyone.
Dylan/Black Ranger he's awesome my favorite Ranger of the bunch, he's sort of half human and machine. This character you really feel a sympathetic vibe toward as he is just in constant struggle from the machine side of him trying to override his humanity, his responsibilities as a Ranger to stop the machine empire, but most of all trying to find a way to save his sister from their control if possible. It's once again a complexity in the good guy and bad guy dynamic as one is forced to be on the other end of the fence and the other is faced with harder choices.
The villainous played well by Adiline Kane whom is just a beautiful actress and I'll admit looks really really good in that tight costume. Ahem but she's a solid villain that I actually don't hate, she's got charisma and menace. She is also one that has a sympathetic vibe despite what she does and says it's not at her own will, she is by her nature just a puppet for the main villain to use. Which just all the more makes us hope a way to free her exists.
Well, nothing more to say, "Power Ranger R.P.M." is in Top Gear.
Rating: 4 stars
