Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie

Poster

Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie (also known as Power Rangers: The Movie) is a 1995 American superhero film based on the television series Mighty Morphin Power Rangers. The film stars the regular television cast of Jason David Frank, Amy Jo Johnson, David Yost, Johnny Yong Bosch, Karan Ashley and Steve Cardenas. The allies and villains are Australian and English actors. It was produced by Saban Entertainment and Toei Company. Filming took place in both Sydney and Queensland, Australia and the film was released by 20th Century Fox on June 30, 1995. Much like the television season that followed the release, the film used concepts from the Japanese Super Sentai Series Ninja Sentai Kakuranger.

Despite a mixed reaction by critics, the film went on to receive a cult following thanks to the popularity of the TV series. It also grossed $38,187,431 theatrically in the U.S. and $66,433,194 worldwide, making it a financial success.

Plot

The Power Rangers, Adam, Kimberly, Billy, Aisha, Rocky, and Tommy, participate with Bulk and Skull in a charity sky dive for Angel Grove in anticipation of Ryan's Comet which will pass near Earth in two days. After the Rangers jump, Bulk and Skull finally work up the nerve to jump as well, landing in a downtown construction site. At the same time the construction workers uncover a giant egg where they are digging. The egg's appearance alerts Zordon, who contacts the Rangers; he explains that 6,000 years ago he tricked a shape-shifter known as Ivan Ooze by trapping him in the egg and buried it to prevent Ooze from taking over the universe. He sends them to recover the egg, but Rita Repulsa, Lord Zedd, Goldar, and Mordant release Ivan before the Rangers arrive. Ivan has several "oozelings" attack the Rangers. While the Rangers are fighting, Ivan infiltrates the Command Center and severely damages it, incapacitating Alpha and sending Zordon outside of the time-warp tube that keeps him alive. The destruction of the Command Center disables the Rangers' morphing powers, so Alpha sends them to the planet Phaedos to search for a greater power to defeat Ivan and save Zordon. Ivan double-crosses Rita and Zedd, trapping them in a snowglobe; not wanting to meet the same fate, Goldar and Mordant submit to him.

Ivan decides to recruit the parents of Angel Grove to dig up his Ectomorphicon Titans, massive Zord-like machines buried long ago. Disguising himself as a carnival wizard, Ivan gives out free jars of ooze to the children of Angel Grove, including the Rangers' young friend, Fred Kelman. The parents are hypnotized by the ooze, and they become a work force for Ivan. Fred follows the parents to uncover Ivan's plans. Meanwhile, the Rangers arrive on Phaedos and fight off an attack from Ivan's minions, the Tengoo. They then meet Dulcea, a warrior who leads the Rangers to the great power. She teaches them to harness their animal spirits and directs them to a monolith which houses the power. The Rangers uncover the power, along with new Zords to match their animal spirits. With their power restored, they return to Earth to face Ivan.

Having reactivated his Ectomorphicon machines, Ivan orders the parents to leap to their deaths at the construction site; Fred recruits their kids, along with Bulk and Skull, to help save them. The Rangers arrive and summon their Zords to stop the Ectomorphicons, and saving the kids from a monorail derailment. When the Rangers destroy one of his two machines, Ivan merges with the other becoming a massive version of himself. The Rangers form the Ninja Megazord, but are heavily outmatched in the fight. Billy suggests they drag Ivan into the path of Ryan's Comet to destroy him. They form the Ninja Falcon Megazord and trick Ivan into chasing them into space, avoiding the explosion from the comet destroying Ivan.

His destruction reverses the hypnotic effects of the ooze. The parents, who have been held back by Fred and the other kids, are saved. The Rangers return to the Command Center where they learn that Zordon had succumbed to the weakness caused by leaving the tube. Tommy suggests using their powers to revive him. They are able to do so, restoring the Command Center and his time-warp tube. During the following celebration, Bulk and Skull are offended that the Power Rangers are given credit for saving the city even though the two of them legitimately had a large part in saving lives.

Meanwhile, in Rita and Lord Zedd's Moon Base, Goldar decides to proclaim himself "King Goldar, the Ruler of the Universe," but when Rita and Lord Zedd enter the chamber, growling at their turncoat behavior, Goldar and Mordant look at each other in shock, only managing to utter "Uh-oh!".