Former Power Rangers Very Critical Of Recent Film

Any modern adaptation of a nostalgic fan-favorite has the potential to leave die-hards pining for more. The recent Power Rangers movie is no exception.

It received critical reviews from two former cast members at the C2E2 Convention this weekend in Chicago as both David Yost and Walter Jones, formerly Bill Cranston/The Blue Ranger and Zach Taylor/The Black Ranger, respectively, took some time on stage to point out things they would have liked to have been done differently.

Unmoderated and unrestrained, Jones said one of the major criticisms he had on the new character of Zach Taylor was taking away the his unique fighting style.

“I was a little disappointed that they changed the characters around a little bit because I wanted Zach to be with his kido because Hip Hop Kido was a really important element of who I was on Power Rangers.” Jones said. “I think if they would have added that then there could have been some parkour and there could have been so many other elements to that character that it would have been awesome.”

Another sticking point for Jones on the character changes was taking away the dancing element of Zach’s character in the original television show and giving it to Billy for the movie.

“I thought it was cute that they added that element in but it wasn’t true to what the original was,” he said.

When asked how the movies could grow and get better the Yost and Jones gave some advice on how to improve their personal gripes with the film.

For Yost the pivotal moment of the Power Rangers when they all shout “It’s Morphin Time” fell short in the movies.

“The only thing I care about progression wise when they do a sequel and they morph they better bring it and they better say “It’s Morphin Time,” he said.

“When we said, ‘It’s morphing time!,’ it was like, ‘Shit’s about to go down;’ when they said it in the movie it was so lackadaisical I was like, ‘Are you kidding me?’”

While Yost wants to see the power in the Power Rangers, Jones wants to see more personality and voice given to the villains.

“I want to see some of the villains have voices or more voices. Like in the Power Rangers [Television Series] the villains were from outer space or aliens but they had voices and personalities,” he said. “I hope that the villains grow to have more definite personalities”

Both agreed that the biggest thing that needs to be fixed is how the Megazord comes together in the new movie.

“I want to see the Megazord come together, I want to see the pieces come together and click and combine,” Jones continued. “I don’t like the fact that they were little bubbles I wanted them to be together, I felt like all you had to do just take out Billy”

Yost added on the subject, “The cool part for us being in Power Rangers is that we were all in a cockpit together so the fact they were in their little pods… well, it was weird”

It was not a panel dedicated to being negative, the two did have positives to add.

“I thought the characters were great, I thought the energy and the cast were awesome, RJ Cyler killed it,” Jones said.

The changes made to Billy Cranston also made Yost really happy.

“I was like totally over the moon about RJ and I think he really hit it out of the park” Yost said. “I really loved what he did with the character.”

Yost especially appreciated that they put Cranston on the autism spectrum.

The two also pushed their current project as the duo is working on a new movie called The Order, which is about a covert group of vigilantes who dedicate their lives to eliminating violent threats and imminent disasters.

The new Power Rangers movie is currently in theaters and has a 3.64-of-5 in the ComicBook User Ratings and a 72.71 ComicBook Composite.

– Tyler LaRiviere is a reporter from Chicagoist.com and is working as a freelance journalist for ComicBook.com at C2E2.

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