Turbo: A Power Rangers Movie
Turbo: A Power Rangers Movie | |
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Theatrical release poster | |
Directed by | |
Produced by | Jonathan Tzachor |
Written by |
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Starring | |
Narrated by | Robert L. Manahan |
Music by | Shuki Levy |
Cinematography | Ilan Rosenberg |
Edited by |
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Production companies | |
Distributed by | 20th Century Fox |
Release dates |
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Running time | 99 minutes[1] |
Country |
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Language | English |
Box office | $9.6 million[2] |
Turbo: A Power Rangers Movie is a 1997 American superhero film directed by David Winning and Shuki Levy and written by Levy and Shell Danielson. It was produced by Saban Entertainment and Toei Company, Ltd. like Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie, distributed by 20th Century Fox.[3]
The film serves as a bridge between the Power Rangers Zeo and Power Rangers Turbo television seasons, with the new cast and characters from the film becoming cast members of the television series. As with its television season, the film used concepts and costumes from the Japanese Super Sentai series Gekisou Sentai Carranger. Sets and costumes created for original characters in the film were later used in the television series, with the film's climactic antagonist Maligore being reused for the evil Dark Specter in the subsequent Power Rangers in Space season.
Plot
On a distant planet, a wizard named Lerigot is being hunted by Divatox; an intergalactic space pirate, who seeks his golden key in order to traverse an inter-dimensional gateway and enter into matrimony with Maligore, a demon who promises to grant her great riches and power. Lerigot escapes Divatox's forces and travels to Earth in search of Zordon and his friend Alpha 5, but lands in Africa instead. Weakened by the sun's ultraviolet rays, Lerigot meets a pack of common chimpanzees and wanders off with them. Meanwhile, Divatox sets off for Earth in pursuit.
In Angel Grove, Rocky, Adam, and Tommy are training for a charity fighting competition to save the Youth Shelter, when Rocky accidentally injures his back. Kat and Tanya arrive with Justin, a kid who admires Rocky and frequents the shelter. As Rocky is rushed to the hospital, Justin follows the group and learns that they are Power Rangers. Zordon sends Tommy and Kat to search for Lerigot. They manage to find him and return to the Power Chamber.
Divatox's nephew Elgar, searches for two human sacrifices to revive Maligore. He abducts Bulk and Skull, but Divatox rejects them for not being pure of heart. Divatox finds two perfect specimens who are scuba diving nearby and captures them. While recovering, Lerigot is contacted by Divatox, who has captured his family and demands that he surrender himself. Divatox also uses the two hostages, revealed to be Kimberly and Jason, to pressure the Rangers. At the exchange site, Elgar tricks the Rangers and takes Lerigot without releasing their friends.
Zordon and Alpha create new powers for the Rangers to defeat Divatox. With the new Turbo powers and their new vehicular Turbo Zords, the Rangers drive across the desert to a ship called the Ghost Galleon. They are joined by Justin, who has received Rocky's Blue Ranger powers as the new Blue Turbo Ranger as Rocky is unable to rejoin his friends. On Divatox's submarine, Jason and Kim work on a plan to escape. When the Ghost Galleon and Divatox's submarine arrive at the inter-dimensional gateway known as the Nemesis Triangle, Divatox forces Lerigot to allow them to cross while the Rangers do the same with the keys to their Ranger powers.
Once they reach the island where Maligore is imprisoned, Divatox torpedoes the ship and Rangers narrowly escape. Bulk, Skull and Kimberly escape the sub, but Jason is trapped and left behind. Kimberly has been captured by the Malicians; inhabitants of the island, and Divatox forces Lerigot to make the Malicians join her with Kimberly. At the temple in the volcano, the Rangers fight Divatox's forces, but unable to free Jason and Kimberly before the two are possessed by Maligore and attack the Rangers mercilessly. The Rangers free Lerigot and his wife Yara, who undo the possession.
Angered, Divatox sacrifices her nephew and successfully revives Maligore. The Rangers summon their Turbo Megazord to fight Maligore. They defeat him as Divatox and Rygog flee, vowing vengeance. The Rangers pick up Jason, Kimberly, Lerigot, Yara, Bulk and Skull and return to Angel Grove. At the competition, Jason takes Rocky's place, and they win the tournament, earning the money in order to save the shelter.
Cast
- Johnny Yong Bosch as Adam Park/Green Turbo Ranger: A martial artist of Korean descent from Stone Canyon and the second Black Ranger and previous Green Zeo Ranger. He is also the team's second-in-command.
- Nakia Burrise as Tanya Sloan/Yellow Turbo Ranger: A orphaned girl from Africa who was sent to the future by the second Yellow Ranger, Aisha Campbell, with a Zeo Sub Crystal to become the Yellow Zeo Ranger. She is also a love interest to Adam.
- Blake Foster as Justin Stewart/Blue Turbo Ranger:[4] A child in the care of Tanya and Kat at an Angel Grove children's group and friend of Rocky. He learns the secret identity of the Power Rangers and is entrusted by Zordon and Rocky to become Rocky's replacement.
- Jason David Frank as Thomas "Tommy" Oliver/Red Turbo Ranger, the leader of the Power Rangers and the original Green Ranger, White Ranger and previous Red Zeo Ranger.
- Catherine Sutherland as Katherine "Kat" Hillard/Pink Turbo Ranger. An Australian teen and love interest of Tommy as well as the second Pink Ranger and previous Pink Zeo Ranger.
- Austin St. John as Jason Lee Scott: The original Red Ranger and previous Gold Zeo Ranger. Jason returns with Kimberly to Angel Grove as a surprise to the others for the upcoming martial arts tournament. Jason captured by Divatox as a human sacrifice to the demon Maligore.
- Amy Jo Johnson as Kimberly Hart: The original Pink Ranger and Tommy's former love interest who returns with Jason to Angel Grove. Kimberly is captured by Divatox as a human sacrifice to the demon Maligore.
- Steve Cardenas as Rocky DeSantos: The second Red Ranger and previous Blue Zeo Ranger. He injures his back training for a martial arts tournament, forcing Justin to take his place to become the Blue Turbo Ranger.
- Winston Richard as Zordon: An inter-dimensional being caught in a timewarp. Mentor of the Power Rangers.
- Donene Kistler as Alpha 5: A robot from Edinoi who assists Zordon and the Power Rangers.
- Jon Simanton as Lerigot: A powerful wizard who holds a magical key that can open portals to worlds and realms. Is being perused by Divatox.
- Paul Schrier as Farkus "Bulk" Bulkmeier: A police officer who is captured by Divatox as a human sacrifice, only to be rejected and have his mind scrambled.
- Jason Narvy as Eugene "Skull" Skullovitch: A police officer who is captured by Divatox as a human sacrifice, only to be rejected and have his mind scrambled.
- Gregg Bullock as Lt. Jerome Stone: Superior officer of Bulk and Skull.
- Richard Genelle as Ernie: Owner of the Angel Grove Gym and Juice Bar.
- Hilary Shepard Turner as Divatox: A space pirate who plans to marry the demon Maligore and conquer the galaxy. Peruses Lerigot to Earth in order to steal his magical key and gain access to the Nemesis Triangle, where Maligore is imprisoned.
- Danny Wayne Stallcup as Elgar: Divatox's nephew who has cyborg parts.
- Mike Deak as Maligore
- Carla Perez as Rita Repulsa: A sorceress who has fought the Power Rangers in the past. Married to Lord Zedd.
Voices
- Robert L. Manahan as Zordon's voice
- Richard Steven Horvitz as Alpha 5
- Lex Lang as Lerigot, Rygog
- Derek Stephen Prince as Elgar
- Barbara Goodson as Rita Repulsa
- J.B. Levine as Yara, Bethel
- Brad Orchard as Announcer
Production
Filming was done in Hawaii, California, Florida, and Tennessee.
As opposed to the storyline and CGI Megazord used in the first Power Rangers film, this entry is canon and utilizes the actual costume of the Turbo Megazord, appearing in American footage (the main series would rely on the Carranger footage). According to a 2013 post on Bosch's Facebook page, the original script called for a lengthy underwater battle using the Zeo Ranger powers, wherein the Power Rangers emerge with tattered costumes. The unused plot would also explained how the Turbo powers were created, It was also originally scripted that Billy Cranston (the original blue ranger) had created the turbo powers with Zordon and Alpha 5. While this plot element was ultimately dropped from the theatrical release, the concept of torn outfits would be used for the Turbo season finale. Also, whereas Hilary Shepard Turner appears as Divatox in the film, by the time filming began for the TV series, she had taken pregnancy leave, thus being replaced by Carol Hoyt; shortly after the episode in which the four veteran Rangers resign and transfer their powers to a new team (filmed after a hiatus of several months), Shepard resumed the role of Divatox, continuing through Power Rangers in Space.
Release
Box office
Turbo: A Power Rangers Movie opened theatrically on March 28, 1997 in 2,113 venues. It earned $3,301,135 in its opening weekend, ranking number 7 in the domestic box office.[5] At the end of its run, the film had grossed $8,363,899 domestically and $1,251,941 overseas for a worldwide total of $9,615,840.[2]
Critical reception
The film received mostly negative reviews with a 17% "Rotten" rating from Rotten Tomatoes based on 18 reviews, with an average rating of 3.8/10.[6] Kevin Thomas wrote a positive review in the Los Angeles Times saying the filmmakers have brought "much panache and sophistication to the making of this fantasy adventure extolling the good old-fashioned virtues of spirit and courage embodied by the Power Rangers and that Turbo is a solid follow-up."[3]
Awards and nominations
Year | Award | Category | Nominee | Result |
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1998 | Young Artist Award[7] | Best Performance in a Feature Film - Leading Young Actor | Blake Foster | Nominated |
Home media
The DVD (as well as 1995's Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie) was re-released with different packaging in 2011.
See also
- List of American films of 1997
- Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie
- Turbo: A Power Rangers Movie Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
- Power Rangers (film)
References
- ↑ "TURBO - A POWER RANGERS MOVIE (PG)". British Board of Film Classification. June 6, 1997. Retrieved October 31, 2015.
- 1 2 "Turbo: A Power Rangers Movie (1997)". Box Office Mojo. Internet Movie Database. Retrieved October 31, 2015.
- 1 2 Thomas, Kevin (1997-03-28). "Power Rangers Encounter 'Turbo'-Charged Villainess". The Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2010-08-22.
- ↑ "TV Playbook: Let's Add a Kid!". IGN. Retrieved 2010-08-15.
- ↑ "Weekend Box Office Results for March 28-30, 1997". Box Office Mojo. Internet Movie Database. March 31, 1997. Retrieved October 31, 2015.
- ↑ "Turbo: A Power Rangers Movie". Rotten Tomatoes. Flixster. Retrieved October 31, 2015.
- ↑ "19th Annual Young Artist Awards". Retrieved May 9, 2012.
External links
- Turbo: A Power Rangers Movie at the Internet Movie Database
- Turbo: A Power Rangers Movie at Box Office Mojo
- Turbo: A Power Rangers Movie at Rotten Tomatoes
- Official Movie Site from Fox Kids at the Wayback Machine (archived June 5, 1997)