After thirty years, “Once & Always” feels a lot like not just a tribute to the fans of the “Mighty Morphin Power Rangers” but some much needed justice. As many know, David Yost was horribly bullied when he originally joined “Power Rangers,” while Walter Jones was poorly utilized. So it’s no big surprise that the special centers mostly on Zack and Billy, two of the remaining elements of the original “Mighty Morphin Power Rangers.”
While doing battle with a newly resurrected, robotic Rita Repulsa, Yellow Ranger Trini is killed in combat while protecting Billy. Forced to tell her young daughter, Zack becomes her guardian. After laying low for a year, Rita returns intent on kidnapping the Rangers for her newest scheme. Now it’s up to Billy and Zack (and Trini’s vengeful daughter Minh) to assemble past Rangers and save their comrades from inevitable death.
What ultimately hinders “Once & Always” is the obvious undercurrent of grief and sadness that emanates through every minute of the narrative. After the tragic, sudden death of Jason David Frank in 2022, there still feels like so much of the “Power Rangers” heart and soul is missing. That’s not to pin unfair criticism on “Once & Always.” It does well with what it has, but for the fans it’s still a gut punch that Jason David Frank, and Thuy Trang couldn’t be here to help bring the “Mighty Morphin” saga full circle. Nevertheless, “Once & Always” is a heartfelt reunion movie that takes all of the first and second gen “Mighty Morphin” Power Rangers and teams them up to fight Rita Repulsa once more.
This time she’s been resurrected in to robotic form, and she’s deadlier than ever. Rita is nasty here, and she’s dead set not just on defeating the remaining Power Rangers, but on murdering them, too. It’s still fun to see the remaining Power Rangers do battle with Rita, and the choreography is exciting. I also loved the new baddies Rita teams with, to boot. “Once & Always” does suffer from being too short, while Charlie Kersh as Minh Kwan doesn’t have a ton to do until the final half. They also never fully explain what happened to Zordon.
In either case, “Once & Always” is a love letter to the original series that really focuses on squeezing in as many nods and Easter Eggs as possible. There’s a Zord fight, the appearance of Hip Hopkido, the Juice Bar, a wink at Bulk and Skull, and a lot more. While imperfect, “Once & Always” is a fun tribute to the devoted fans young and old.
We miss you, JDF.
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