Satisfying nostalgia: 'Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Once & Always'

Created to commemorate the 30th anniversary of Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers (MMPR), I went in expecting this 1-hour special to be trash, but it was honestly pretty good.

This picks up decades after the end of the original MMPR, and the evil Rita Repulsa has returned to take a deadly vengeance on the Rangers.

The film is more serious than the original series, as Rita is far more dangerous than before, presenting a legitimate mortal threat. However, the movie thankfully doesn't go full 'dark and gritty' like the 2017 garbage movie flop.

As the film introduced the teenage daughter of the former Yellow Ranger (who's actress died 23 years ago), I expected Mary-sue, girlboss, woke garbage. However, thankfully that was never the case.

There is plenty of nostalgia fan-service. Not only to the original MMPR, but also to other Power Rangers series, and even the original Japanese show upon which MMPR was based.

The acting isn't great, as you'd expect. And the action is pretty low-key, probably due to the limited budget. Nonetheless, it was a solid tribute and well worth the watch, especially if you loved the original series as a kid or teen.