Power Rangers First Look: Iron Man! Boobs?! High Heels?!! WTF
Something is very, very wrong here.
Not long after revealing the first look at Elizabeth Banks' extremely not-traditional Rita Repulsa, Haim Saban have revealed how their new Mighty Morphin Power Rangers will look in the forthcoming film.
It's not great.
Obviously, there are positives: the update to more high-tech suits rather than the lycra and bike helmet combination in the original TV show isn't unwelcome even if it further strips out the kitsch value. And the Rangers look significantly more impressive as a result.
But then you start looking at the details - particularly on the female Rangers - and it's all a little creepy. Firstly, was there any need to put so much detail on their breast plates? They look suspiciously augmented, and it's not like it's a choice based solely on biology, because none of the male members have even the slightest bulge for their genitals. Seriously, that just looks painful.
And then there's the high heels. What the hell are they thinking? After Jurassic World kicked up a furore thanks to Claire's heels, it's pretty odd for any film to actually court that sort of attention. And there's definitely something fundamentally flawed with the idea that the girls have to wear heels and the boys wear sneaker flats.
Luckily, director Dean Israelite says the suits signify something, so we probably aren't allowed to ask if they're sexist:
The show was about kids coming of age, about metamorphosis. These suits needed to feel like they were catalyzed by these kids and their energy, their spirit.
Production designer Andrew Menzies meanwhile revealed that the suits owe something to an idea introduced by Spider-Man and Venom - of seemingly symbiotic suits.
Its tricky finding a new language for a superhero costume. Ours is an alien costume that grows on them, thats not man-made. The spandex-free makeover also helps set the film apart from other big-screen franchises. "
Erm... Which big franchises are currently wearing spandex exactly? Deadpool and Spider-Man are pretty the only ones, and even that's questionable given Tony Stark's update of the Spider-suit. So who is this dig even aimed at? He also showed a stunning amount of awareness in the likely reception of the suits:
"You cant win everyone over, but we are trying to appeal to a more mature audience and gain new fans.
Yellow Ranger Becky G probably doesn't care whether you like it or not, as she's super psyched:
Its the coolest costume ever. Im gonna wear it for Halloween for, like, five years.
Even if the film bombs? That's a pretty bold statement.
Mighty Morphin Power Rangers stars Elizabeth Banks, singer Becky G as Yellow Ranger Trini, Ludi Lin as Black Ranger Zack, Dacre Montgomery as Red Ranger Jason, Naomi Scott as Pink Ranger Kimberly, and RJ Cyler as Blue Ranger Billy.
Look. it's all a shame. The designs generally are pretty good - or they at least have some good ideas - but those little off-putting details are deal breakers. But then, this is a look inspired heavily by the team behind the new GI Joe movies, so maybe it's not so hard to see where the issues came from...