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"It's Morphin' Time!"

The Movie adaptation of Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers, released between the show's second and third seasons and given a big budget treatment. It doesn't fit into the continuity of the series; the events of the film are replaced in the third season. The Rangers, villains, and Command Center are all radically different, accounting for where the movie's budget went to. In particular, the Rangers have a Powered Armor appearance and there are more elaborate sets, action sequences and creature designs, with mid-90's quality CG used for the Zord battle sequence.

The plot: Rita and Zedd release another Sealed Evil in a Can, a shape-shifting glob known as Ivan Ooze, with the hope he will become a new minion. Unfortunately, he proves that there is a very good reason he was sealed away. He easily infiltrates the Rangers' Command Center and destroys their powers, leaving Zordon on the brink of death. He then traps Zedd and Rita in a tiny snow globe and sets out to rebuild monstrous creatures that he began years ago. The Rangers depart for the planet Phaedos to find "The Great Power" to re-energize themselves and return to stop Ooze.

It is the first and only Power Rangers film not to have any scenes filmed in the United States.

See also: Turbo: A Power Rangers Movie, an in-continuity movie released two years later that sets up the premise of Power Rangers Turbo, and see Power Rangers (2017) for the Continuity Reboot.


This film provides examples of:

  • Action Girl: Dulcea, the tall, fit master warrior of Phaedos who defeated a flock of mooks and pinned Tommy with her staff effortlessly. Aisha and Kimberly also count in theory if the movie didn’t have them clutching the Distress Ball.
  • Actor Allusion: In Raiders of the Lost Ark, Paul Freeman's character, Rene Belloq, ended up getting destroyed by—and his remains sucked into—The Ark of The Covenant. In this movie, his first scene has him emerging from an Artifact of Doom.
  • Adaptational Dumbass: Goldar is much less intelligent and more goofy in this film when compared to his show counterpart.
  • Adaptational Superpower Change: Aisha and Rocky have Infinite Flashlights and Stat-O-Vision respectively. They have no such abilities in the show.
  • Adaptation Name Change: Tommy's morpher call is changed from "Tigerzord" to "White Tiger", as the Tigerzord does not appear in the movie.
  • All There in the Script:
    • The "group of young warriors" who trapped Ivan Ooze were part of an organization called "The Order of Meledon." Zordon and Dulcea themselves were members.
    • The planet Phaedos is located in the Hyperion Constellation.
    • After the Order's enemies were defeated, Zordon continued to fight evil elsewhere.
    • Dulcea is the last living member of an alien race, whose ancestors came to Phaedos from "another time, another dimension." They were the ones who brought the "Great Power" to the Monolith.
  • All Your Base Are Belong to Us: Ivan destroys the Command Center.
  • And Starring: The ending cast roll ends with "And Paul Freeman as Ivan Ooze".
  • Alternate Continuity: To the series where the Ninja Powers and Zords were obtained by alternative means.
  • Arson, Murder, and Jaywalking: While destroying the Command Center, Ivan Ooze mentions several horrific things he missed out on while he was imprisoned: "The Black Plague! The Spanish Inquisition! The Brady Bunch Reunion!" That last one was a Throw It In! by Paul Freeman, who was loved by everyone working on the project.invoked
  • Art Evolution: The overall look of the movie is done in a cinematic style with sharper lighting and shadows, which provides a contrast with the flatter look of the tv show. And that's not getting into the redesign of the Ranger costumes, the command center, the more complex animatronics for characters like Goldar and the use of CGI for the zords (Super Sentai would start experimenting with CGI zords years later).
  • The Artifact: Much like the series, the suits remain the same even after switching to a completely different set of powers. Although at least in the movie, the chest pieces displaying their animal switch from dinosaurs/mythological creatures to the ninja animals.
  • Atrocious Arthropods: Ivan Ooze commands two arthropod-themed robots, which he uses to attack the city. One is based on a hornet and the other is based on a scorpion.
  • Back from the Dead: Zordon is revived after the climatic battle.
  • Bewitched Amphibians: Referenced when Adam finds being "the frog" underwhelming, and Dulcea says that frogs turn into princes when kissed.
  • Big Good: Almost nowhere else in the franchise has Zordon been as revered as the epitome of all that is good. Ooze visibly rages after hearing his name and Dulcea only helps the Rangers when she learns that Zordon is in trouble. The only season that came as close was Power Rangers in Space.
  • Big Red Button: The Ninja Megazord has one that Aisha needs to break a glass panel to use. It's a Groin Attack button.
  • Blob Monster: Ooze and his servants are made of purple slime.
  • Blunt "Yes": The reaction Fred gets when trying to alert his peers to disaster:
    Fred: You all think this is one big party, don't you?
    Other Kids: Yeah!
  • Body Bridge: Ivan Ooze's Hornitron destroys a section of the Angel Grove monorail. Moments later, the teens of Angel Grove take a train to reach their parents, when they spot the fallen tracks. However, the White Ranger pilots the Falconzord towards the monorail and lands on that exact spot, acting as a makeshift bridge for the train to safely cross.
  • Bond One-Liner: Several by the Rangers as they defeat mooks.
    Billy: You ooze, you lose!
    Aisha: Kiss and make up!
    Kimberly: Have a nice trip... See you next fall.
    Billy: Talk about a splitting headache!
    Kimberly: Let's rock his world.
    Tommy: Eight ball, corner pocket!
  • Bowdlerize: In certain television broadcasts, such as those which aired on Jetix, the shot of the Ninja Falcon Megazord kneeing Mecha-Ooze in the crotch is cut.
  • Broad Strokes:
    • This trope is pretty explicitly used, with so dramatic a departure in visual style from the series it's almost like seeing a completely different product altogether. However, the core actors are the same, and the Ranger costumes and most of the non-human characters are instantly identifiable (although Zedd and Rita have a brand new minion named Mordant). It can be assumed that the general story of the series effectively forms the backstory to this film.
    • The opening text scroll mentions that Zordon recruited six teens, which would imply that unlike the show Tommy was always part of the team. Though to be fair, this might have been done for simplicity's sake.
  • Brought Down to Normal: The Rangers lose their powers when Ivan attacks the Command Center and leaves Zordon near death, and a significant portion of the plot involves them finding a way to get them back so they can stop him.
  • Bus Full of Innocents: Tommy saves a monorail full of children about to speed off a broken track destroyed by Ivan Ooze's One-Winged Angel form.
  • By the Power of Grayskull!: Like the original show, each Ranger calls out their respective Zord name to morph. A notable change is Tommy's morpher call being "White Tiger" in this movie instead of "Tigerzord" like in the show.
  • Call-Back: To the first episode, "Day of the Dumpster", when Kimberly finally boards her new Zord.
    Kimberly: Nice stereo!
  • Canon Discontinuity: Though the Broad Strokes of the film's overarching story (New villain arrives, destroy Ranger powers, Rangers go on quest and gain new ninja-themed powers) provided the basis for Season 3's post-premiere multi-parter "Ninja Quest," it's otherwise non-canon with the series post-Season 2.
  • Canon Foreigner:
    • Mordant. According to an early draft, he is Goldar's second cousin, three times removed on his mother's side, visiting for the summer, but this was written out for the final draft.
    • Fred Kelman, who was plainly added for Kid Appeal. He was treated as someone who had always been part of the cast. He's really no different than any other Kid of the Week from the TV show, who the Rangers always treated like their best friend ever.
    • Ivan Ooze and Dulcea weren't in the show, but at least had explanations for why they were making their first (and only) appearances here.
  • Canon Immigrant:
    • This movie marked the first mention of Zordon being from the planet Eltar, which was later stated in the TV series. The director states this bit of information was always in the TV series bible. The movie just happened to be the first time it was ever stated on-screen.
    • In an odd case, the Metallic Armor used in the show's third season was loosely based on the movie's merchandise, which gave all the Ranger figures a chrome-like shiny coating instead of more accurate armored suits.
  • Card-Carrying Villain:
    • The way Ivan introduces himself to the Rangers says it all:
      Ivan Ooze: I am the galactically feared, globally reviled, universally despised... They call me Ivan Ooze.
    • Lord Zedd introduces himself as "sworn enemy of all that is good and decent."
  • Chainmail Bikini: Dulcea has an "amazon-barbarian" look going for her with her revealing gear. It is obviously done as Fanservice for many, even the kids who were preteens at the time.
  • Characterisation Click Moment: For many, Adam's "I'm a frog" bit is when his character clicked. At this point in the series, he didn't have much in the way of character beyond shy nice guy.
  • Chekhov's Gun: It's briefly mentioned in the beginning that a comet is passing by Earth soon. This proves to be important.
  • Child Hater: Well, Ivan hates everyone, he just hates teenagers a little more, seeing as they locked him up in the first place.
  • Chronic Backstabbing Disorder: A new, powerful villain appears and completely humiliates the old boss? Goldar and Mordant never liked the old bosses anyway.
    Ivan Ooze: Now you have a choice. You either serve me, or you can join these insufferable dinkle-dorks!
    [he shows them Rita Repulsa and Lord Zedd trapped inside a snow globe]
    Lord Zedd: [in a high pitched voice] Goldar, get us out of here!
    Rita Repulsa: [in an equally high pitched voice] Don't listen to that purple booger!
    Lord Zedd: Don't you dare betray me!
    Goldar: Uh, we never liked those dinkle-dorks in the first place.
    Mordant: Yeah, you said it. They stink.
  • Chuck Cunningham Syndrome: Finster, Squatt, Baboo, and the Putties are neither seen nor mentioned in this film.
  • Clap Your Hands If You Believe: Used by the Power Rangers at the end of the movie to repair their decimated Command Center and restore Zordon to full health.
    Tommy: For those who possess the Great Power, all things are possible.
  • Composite Character: Mordant basically serves Squatt and Baboo's function from the show. He's even fat like Squatt and has a monocle like Baboo.
  • Combat Pragmatist: The Ninja MegaFalconzord makes full use of dirty tactics, such as the Groin Attack below.
  • Colony Drop: Outmatched by Ooze's One-Winged Angel form, the Rangers lure him into the path of an incoming comet, letting it kill him. Getting him in the path is easy, getting out of his grip is the hard part.
  • Continuity Nod: Alpha mentions that nobody can get into the Command Center without a Power Coin, a plot point first mentioned in the "Green With Evil" five-parter. Ivan Ooze, of course, disagrees. note 
    Alpha: Well... almost nobody!
  • Damsel in Distress: Kimberly gets into more trouble than usual:
    • While fighting the Tengu Warriors on the planet Phaedos, one of the crow-like creatures grabs Kimberly by the shoulders and flies off with her. Unable to escape from its grasp, Kimberly shouts for her teammates to aid her.
    • When a dinosaur skeleton (resembling a styracosaurus but with big, sharp teeth) cornered her and Tommy needed to distract the creature for her to escape. This one is justified due to being Brought Down to Normal (Kim is a natural gymnast, not a martial artist) and even Tommy had trouble with the skeleton.
    • During the battle with the stone Gatekeepers at the base of the Monolith, Kimberly is on the defensive for almost the entire battle. One of the creatures pursues her up a shallow incline and a rock pile, during which she trips and stumbles several times and narrowly escapes being struck down. She hides behind a rock and it's only with Tommy's help that she's able to defeat the warrior
    • Again when her new Zord was trapped in Ooze's "electromagnetic deadlock" but she used her thrusters to get out of that one.
  • Darker and Edgier: This movie is significantly more serious than its parent series. They mention several times the possibility that people could die, including Zordon and the group of brainwashed parents. Kids are also seen at a rave of some sort (including Bulk and Skull), smearing themselves with Ivan's Ooze and implying it to be some sort of delinquent party. There is even a news broadcast reporting on the destruction being caused by Ooze's monsters.
    Reporter: The mayor has declared a state of emergency!
  • The Day the Music Lied: As the team morphs for the first time in the film, we are treated to a pumped-up version of the theme song and obligatory posing, after which it is revealed that the bad guys have fled the scene during all the build up. Even the post-reveal guitar riff sounds disappointed.
  • Despair Event Horizon: Zordon crosses it, after Ivan Ooze destroys the Command Center. He flat out tells the Rangers Ivan Ooze is victorious and there's nothing they can do; it's Alpha that sets them out on their quest to find a new source of power.
  • Didn't Think This Through: Zedd’s entire plan to release Ivan from the Hyerplock Chamber. He's so focused on sicking Ivan on Zordon that he doesn't stop to consider what a deposed despot like Ivan is gonna do after defeating his old enemy (or that a foe who could easily defeat Zordon could also logically and easily defeat Zedd himself).
  • Disaster Democracy: Ooze invokes this, naming himself The Leader of the bad guys.
    Ivan Ooze: Your feebleness is staggering. You obviously need a vacation. I think circumstances force us to choose a new leader. And I pick... me!
  • Disney Death:
    • Zordon is temporarily dead here. Near the end of the film, while Ivan Ooze causes damage on the Earth and the Power Rangers are returning with their newfound powers, Zordon tells Alpha "Keep trying..." before breathing his last on the news anchorwoman's words, "Where are the Power Rangers?" When they return to the ruined Command Center after destroying Ooze, they hear from Alpha that they are too late, and they see Zordon's pale body lying on the broken pillar. Fortunately, the Rangers still possess the Great Power and the Command Center is restored by their World-Healing Wave, and he is brought Back from the Dead, restored as an entity once more.
    • Averted humorously with Zedd and Rita. When Ivan takes over Zedd and Rita's palace, Zedd tries to use his magic to disintegrate him, but it only tickles Ivan. Ivan then says, "My turn," and just as you expect them to be destroyed... They're instead hit by Ivan's shrink ray, reduced to the size of figurines in a snow globe that sticks around for the majority of the film. When Ivan dies, their size is restored.
  • Dragon Ascendant: Played with. In the mid-credits scene, we find Goldar sitting in Zedd's throne, declaring himself "King Goldar, the ruler of the universe!" It doesn't last long though, as an angry Zedd and Rita enter the room immediately after, much to Goldar and Mordant's horror.
  • The Dreaded: Ivan's introduction includes "globally feared" and he refers to himself as "the boogeyman." Dulcea also reacts with horror when she learns from the Rangers that Ivan is free.
  • Dug Too Deep: Ooze's egg prison is unearthed by a construction crew, although it takes Lord Zedd to actually open it - the first guy to touch it gets electrocuted.
  • Elite Mook:
    • Ivan Ooze's Ooze Men are powerful and difficult enough to really hurt that the Power Rangers have to morph to beat them, while in the shows most mooks can be defeated without morphing.
    • The Tengu Warriors are even tougher than the Ooze Men, and completely overpower the powerless Rangers. If Dulcea hadn't intervened, they would've killed the Rangers then and there.
  • Evil Laugh: Ivan Ooze performs one after declaring "WELCOME TO MY NIGHTMARE!"
  • Evil Is Not a Toy: A complex example. Ooze is genuinely grateful for being freed and asks Zedd "How can I ever repay you?" Zedd tells him to destroy Zordon, which he does. However, this was a one-time favor, and when Zedd continues to treat Ooze as a minion, it doesn't go so well.
    Ivan Ooze: The Boogeyman is taking over.
  • Evil Plan: Zedd plans to use Ooze to end his war with Zordon. Ooze hijacks that plan into his own for conquest.
  • Expy: Paul Freeman basically does his best Freddy Krueger impression for Ivan Ooze.
  • Extremely Short Timespan: The opening skydive was a charity for a local observatory and it's mentioned that Orion's Comet will pass by in two days. It is utilized by the Rangers in the climax.
  • Fake Shemp: Jason David Frank maintains that he can't roller blade, so in the scene of the Rangers doing so, it's a stunt double (and that's why Tommy is at the back for most of these shots). According to Karan Ashley, he also had cuts on his face from a stunt gone wrong with Johnny Yong Bosch.
  • A Father to His Men: The Rangers convey this to the dying Zordon.
    Kimberly: Ever since you came into our lives, you've been like a father to us all.
  • Fireworks of Victory: After defeating Ivan Ooze and restoring Zordon to life, the Rangers are rewarded with a fireworks display dedicated to their heroism.
  • Gasp of Life: Zordon gasps when he is revived at the end of the movie.
  • Groin Attack:
  • "Hey, You!" Haymaker: Averted. Fred found his dad at the construction site and tries to get his attention, when Goldar shouts "Hey you!" Fred thinks he's been spotted, until Goldar adds "Get back to work!" to another hypnotized parent.
  • Hidden in Plain Sight: Possible example. It’s not explicitly stated, but given Zedd’s been searching for Ivan’s prison for 2,000 years, a possible interpretation is that Zordon buried the Hyperlock Chamber on Earth — the site of Ivan's defeat — as deliberate misdirection.
  • High-Class Glass: For some reason, Mordant wears a monocle. He's dimwitted, belches, and makes lame jokes.
  • Hollywood Skydiving: The film opens with a skydiving scene that lasts for several minutes. Kimberly backflips out of the plane, Tommy skysurfs all the way down, and the whole thing is set to Higher Ground. It's totally awesome, cause The '90s.
  • Humongous Mecha: The Rangers' Ninja Zords and Ivan's Ecto-Morphicon Titans - Scorpitron and Hornitor - are all robots the size of tall buildings. They fight.
  • I Coulda Been a Contender!: Invoked by Ivan when he storms the Command Center. He was the ruler of the most foul empire in the universe and naturally feels Zordon robbed him of his prime.
  • Idiot Ball: Bulk and Skull during the skydiving scene. Kimberly has to remind them that it's a good idea to skydive with parachutes.
    Kimberly: You might want to slip those on... [points to the parachutes]
    Bulk and Skull: [in unison] Good idea.
  • I Love the Smell of X in the Morning: Ooze gives one of these.
    Ivan Ooze: I love the smell of destruction in the evening.
  • Incoming Ham: Ooze is clearly having fun the whole time he is on screen.
    Ivan Ooze: Ladies and gentlemen! The Ooze is BACK!
  • Inconsistent Dub: The mech known here as the "Ninja Falcon Megazord" became the "Ninja MegaFalconzord" in the series.
  • Incredible Shrinking Man: Rtia and Zedd getting shrunk down by Ivan and imprisoned in the snowglobe.
  • Innocent Fanservice Girl: Kimberly is stuck wearing a midriff baring skater's outfit when Zordon calls for them and she doesn't get a chance to change out of it. Makes you wonder why...
  • Instrument of Murder: More like "Instrument of Destruction": When Ivan Ooze says to Zordon, "It's time... to pay the piper," Ooze takes out his piping flute and plays a bit like a literal piper before using the flute's electric powers to damage the entire Command Center and weaken Zordon to a withering mortal.
  • I Want My Mommy!: Skull screams this when he and Bulk skydive out of a plane in the beginning of the movie.
  • Kid-Appeal Character: Fred is a preteen with his own sub-plot that runs parallel to the Rangers' plot.
  • Kill Enemies to Open: The Rangers encounter a large stone door that blocks them from reaching the "great power" stashed in the monolith on the planet Phaedon. On the door are four life-sized carvings of warriors that come to life to fight the rangers. It's only after the stone warriors have been dissolved, disintegrated, or crushed in combat that the door finally opens.
  • The Knights Who Say "Squee!": Lord Zedd of all people turns out to be a villainous example. He’s familiar with Ivan’s place in galactic history. So Zedd openly, even reverently, acknowledges it’s a supreme honor to finally meet the living (evil) legend.
  • Large Ham: Paul Freeman portrays Ivan Ooze with a loud and passionate presence. Expect him to steal every scene he's in.
  • Laughably Evil: Ivan Ooze is one of the most entertaining Power Rangers villains; he is clearly evil but just enjoys himself so much. He even has some of the most memorable lines of the entire franchise.
    Tommy: We're the Power Rangers!
    Ooze: Whooo! Where's my autograph book?
  • Leitmotif:
    • The Tengu Warriors have a theme when Ivan Ooze summons them.
    • When the Rangers finally obtain the "Great Power," a majestic orchestral theme composed by Graeme Revell is heard.
  • Lightning Lash:
    • Adam's frog zord has an Overly-Long Tongue that can channel electric currents.
    • Averted with Kimberly's "Pteradactlyl Thunder Whip". Despite what it's name implies, it doesn't channel electricity at all.
  • Loophole Abuse: No one can enter the Command Center without a Power Coin, huh? Ivan just slips through the cracks of the main doors in his ooze form.
  • May Contain Evil: Ivan markets his own slime as a new fad, then uses it to brainwash his customers' parents.
  • Mechanical Insects: Ivan Ooze's Ecto-Morphicon Titans, Hornitor and Scorpitron are robotic bugs. As their names imply, they are based on a hornet and scorpion, respectively.
  • Mini Dress Of Power: Averted in the case of the redesigned Pink Ranger.
  • Monster Clown: Ivan Ooze, when giving his slime to kids, looks like he belongs in a carnival.
  • Mooks: The Ooze Men and the Tengu Warriors, both created by Ivan, as well as the Gatekeepers guarding the Great Power, are this movie's beat-up enemies. Zedd and Rita's Putties are nowhere to be seen.
  • Movie Superheroes Wear Black: Averted, but the costumes are more armored than the spandex outfits from the TV show, and have a darker color hue.
  • Mr. Fanservice: All the male Rangers in their civilian clothes wear outfits with no sleeves, allowing their biceps to be on display.
  • Ms. Fanservice:
    • Dulcea, obviously, with her Chainmail Bikini look.
    • Inverted with Aisha, who was wearing a sweatshirt. Poor Karan Ashley mentioned in an interview that she came very close to developing heatstroke more than once in the Australian summer heat.
    • Kimberly's outfit includes shorts that show off her legs and a midriff-revealing shirt.
  • Mythology Gag:
    • Rocky's street clothes in this movie are a modern version of his Red Ranger Sentai counterpart Geki's outfit.
    • "Higher Ground", the song that plays during the opening scene near the beginning of the movie, is the same song heard playing in the bowling alley at the start of the original "Day of the Dumpster" pilot.
    • Rita getting and shrunk and imprisoned (along with Zedd) in the snowglobe. This is not the first time she's suffered this fate at the hands of an incoming new, more powerful Big Bad.
  • Nails on a Blackboard: The Tengus describe the sound of Dulcea's sticks as being like this. Ooze asks if it was a "whistling sound" so it's likely a specific Brown Note for them.
  • Near-Miss Groin Attack: One of the gatekeepers throws its spear at Rocky, who leaps up to avoid it, doing the splits. The spear lands just below, with Rocky noting that it was "too close for comfort".
  • Never Say "Die":
    • In the trailer, Billy says that Zordon is "aging at an accelerated rate." In the movie itself, however, he explicitly says that Zordon is dying.
    • Dulcea would "age as rapidly as Zordon" if she were to ever leave her plateau.
    • Fred tells the other kids their parents will die if they don't help save them.
  • New Powers as the Plot Demands:
    • Parodied and averted, as Ivan's shapeshifting abilities were shown second only to his "teenager smelling" power. He might have assumed his reputation spread across the universe.
      Ivan Ooze: You forget: I'm a master of disguise.
      Mordant: How could I forget? I never knew.
    • The Ranger morphed forms have wildly different weapons and modes they can switch into, the Red Ranger's scanning visor, the Yellow Ranger's headlights, Pink Ranger's Thunderwhip and the Blue Ranger's Stega Stinger zip line. White Ranger retains Saba and poor Adam's audio enhancers got cut from the film.
  • No Celebrities Were Harmed: One of the Tengu (namely the one reporting about knocking the Rangers into off a mountain and into a river) sounds like John Wayne.
  • No Immortal Inertia: Zordon is aging rapidly to his death when Ivan breaks open the time warp capsule due to the Command Center's destruction. Later on, Dulcea tells the Rangers that she too will age rapidly if she leaves her domain on the planet Phaedos.
  • No Name Given: Zordon says "the Zords" are gone, but doesn't specifically mention the Thunder Zords, the White Tigerzord, or Tor.
  • No Ontological Inertia: One straight example and one aversion: Ooze's death reverses the shrinking enchantment he cast on Zedd and Rita, but the Rangers must heal the dying Zordon and repair the trashed Command Center themselves.
  • Non-Serial Movie: Despite being based off the popular Power Rangers franchise, and sharing the same cast, the movie isn't part of the show's continuity. Season 3 started off with a similar story arc to the plot of the movie, basically just replacing Ivan Ooze with Rito Revolto, Dulcea with Ninjor, and the Ecto-Morphicons with Vampirus.
  • The Nose Knows: Ivan realizes the Rangers are coming because he can smell them, and it's clear he doesn't like teenager smell.
  • Nubile Savage: There was a little bit of outrage over Dulcea's outfit, while it shows a lot of skin it wasn't too provocative (a skirt made of wide strips of fabric and a top that didn't show much cleavage), but a publicity photo showing her pinning Tommy to the ground had a Male Gaze-ish angle and made it look worse than it was.
  • Oh, Crap!:
    • Alpha 5 when he karate chops Ooze and realizes it has no effect on him.
    • Zordon when Ooze destroys the Command Center.
    • One of the Oozeman when Adam and Rocky kick him in the head.
    • The remaining Oozemen when Tommy uses Saba to crush them.
    • The Rangers when they lose their powers because of Ooze destroying the Command Center.
    • The Rangers again when the Tengu Warriors attack them in Phaedos.
    • The Tengus when Dulcea wards them off and later when Ooze disintegrates them into feathers.
    • Fred when he discovers that not only Ooze is recreating the Ecto-Morphicons to attack Angel Grove, but he's also going to send the parents, including Fred's father, to their deaths in the construction site.
    • Mordant when the Ecto-Morphicons are activated.
    • Goldar when Ooze uses the tower to fight the Rangers after the latter turns into his One-Winged Angel form.
    • Fred and the children when they realize that the monorail track's broken.
    • Ooze calmly says "Oh, no" when he's about to be hit by Orion's Comet.
    • Goldar and Mordant in the mid-credits stinger, when Rita and Zedd return, and he's just declared himself "King Goldar."
  • One-Winged Angel: At the end of the film, Ooze merges with Hornitor and mutates it into a giant robotic version of himself. This sets up the climatic battle.
  • Ooh, Me Accent's Slipping: Peter Mochrie slips into his Australian accent a few times as Mr Kelman, as do a few of the other Australian cast members playing bit characters. Surprisingly averted with Fred's actor, Jamie Croft, who was also Australian and kept a convincing accent.
  • Opening Monologue: Overlaps with Opening Scroll because Dulcea reads the text aloud.
  • Opening Scroll: The film opens with a Star Wars style block of scrolling text explaining Zordon and Alpha's backstory, as well as how the Rangers came to be. Overlaps with Opening Monologue as it's read aloud by Dulcea.
  • Our Dragons Are Different: Upon arriving on Phaedos, the teens quickly discover the remains of an alien which failed to retrieve the Great Power. Although mostly humanoid, it had a very draconic skull, and its headset communicator was still intact even though the rest of the body was a skeleton.
  • Parents in Distress: The subplot involving Fred, Bulk, and Skull has a large number of mind controlled parents commanded to "leap to your doom."
  • Power Up Letdown: Adam is disappointed by his Ninjetti Spirit Animal.
    Dulcea: Adam? Adam, what's wrong?
    Adam: ...I'm a frog.
    Dulcea: Yes, the one who will become a handsome prince with a kiss.
  • Pre-Mortem One-Liner:
    • Ivan says "How about taking another quack at it?" before he disintegrates the Tengu Warriors for failing to kill the Rangers.
    • While fighting against the Ecto-Morphicons, Tommy says "All right, big guy, it's lights out for you. Rockets away!" before he kills Scorpitron.
  • Progressively Prettier: It was around this time that Billy stopped wearing his glasses and baggy clothes, and the movie doesn't pretend David Yost isn't as good looking as the others.
  • Psychic-Assisted Suicide: Ivan Ooze takes control of the minds of Angel Grove's adults, who are then commanded to "leap to their doom" into a massive pit at the construction site after finishing rebuilding his giant mechanical monsters. Fred rallies the kids to save the adults as the Rangers battle the Ecto-Morphicons. Fred later uses a high pressure water cannon to force the parents back, but it's not until Ooze's demise that his spell is broken and the adults are returned to normal.
  • Pun: Pay the piper who is playing a piper flute.
  • Punctuated Pounding: When Kimberly is fighting one of Ivan's henchman.
    Kimberly: You boys make me sick! SICK! SICK!
  • Real Life Writes the Plot: Billy stops wearing glasses because they had began to irritate David Yost's eyes too much. He would later stop wearing glasses on the show too.
  • Recruit Teenagers with Attitude: When Ivan first meets the Rangers, he remarks that Zordon is "still using a bunch of kids to do his dirty work"; apparently, Zordon has been recruiting teenagers to his cause for the past 6,000 years.
  • Remember the New Guy?:
    • Mordant is a new minion that no one remarks on. The Manual has more information.
    • The kid Fred and his fireman dad appear to have known the Rangers (without knowing they're the Rangers) a while.
  • Resized Vocals: After getting shrunk and imprisoned in the snowglobe, Rita and Zeed's voices are reduced to high-pitched squeaks. If anything, it makes Rtia even more shrill (and hearing Zedd's badass baritone now sounding like one of the Chipmunks is hilarious.
  • Rings of Activation: When the Rangers use their new powers to revive Zordon, the reactivation of the force field that houses his giant head form is accompanied by three rings that coalesce into a solid beam structure.
  • Rock Monster: The stone warriors that emerge from the door at the base of the monolith, courtesy of the mid-90's CGI.
  • Screw This, I'm Outta Here: Mordant is terrified of the Ecto-Morphicons once they're activated and doesn't join Ivan and Goldar in watching them attack the city. Once Ivan combines with Hornitor and starts ripping a tower out of the ground that Goldar was standing on, the latter utters "Oh, no! I'm outta here!" and flies back to the moon. Neither of them are seen again until the post-credits sequence.
  • Secondary Adaptation: Orignal Japanese Show -> American Show -> This film -> Video games on the SNES and Sega Genesis.
  • Sealed Evil in a Can: The shapeshifting Ivan Ooze had been trapped underground for 6,000 years until his containment chamber was accidentally unearthed by a construction crew and later opened by Lord Zedd.
  • Self-Serving Memory: In recounting what happened, one of the Tengu says they knocked one of the Rangers off a mountain and another into a river. Neither actually happened.
  • Shout-Out:
    • Kimberly is attacked by one of the Tengu Warriors and lifted into the air.
      Kimberly: [as she fights to break free] Let me go, Big Bird!
    • While Fred is spying at the construction site, Mordant can be heard yelling "Tote that barge, lift that bale!" in the background.
    • When the Rangers encounter the skeletons of dinosaur-like creatures in the jungle surrounding the monolith, Adam says "Welcome to Jurassic Park."
    • When the Power Rangers return to Angel Grove as Ivan begins his destruction, he sniffs them out and says "Inconceivable."
    • While grappling with the Megazord, Ivan Ooze taunts the Power Rangers by saying "Have you hugged your Zords today? HA HA HA HA!"
    • Ivan Ooze was originally intended to be one to the titular character in the 1979 film Nosferatu the Vampyre, a gross and plague-carrying but charismatic creature with an army of rats at his command who would overwhelm and brainwash the populace of a city to his will. Over time however, he drifted further and further from his inspiration, until he became the character we eventually got.
    • Steve Cardenas revealed that the scene where Rocky does the splits was an homage to Jean-Claude Van Damme, whose kids were big fans of the show.
    • Ivan Ooze is a Wizard. You might say he is the "Wizard of Ooze".
    • More than one reviewer pointed out that Paul Freeman took some of his mannerisms from W. C. Fields. This is especially noticeable in his introduction to the Rangers.
  • Slime, Snails, and Mutant Tails: Ivan Ooze has some of this appeal, and his plan to sell kids tubs of purple gunk doesn't make any sense unless you remember the decade's love for this sort of thing (Remember, Nickelodeon in the 90's based their whole business around slime).
  • Snake Oil Salesman: Ivan may be distributing his ooze for free, but does so in something that looks strait out of the typical Medicine Show.
  • Spandex, Latex, or Leather: The movie suits are latex and look much more armored than the show's spandex.
  • The Starscream: Played for laughs near the end of the film: with Ooze gone, Goldar thinks it's time to take over as the Big Bad, but that's just when Rita and Zedd come back...
  • The Stinger: In the mid credits, Goldar and Mordant are seen in the Moon Palace with Goldar sitting in Zedd's chair proclaiming himself the Ruler of the Universe. Zedd and Rita, reverted back to normal size after Ooze's defeat, step back in, obviously unhappy with their betrayal. Goldar and Mordant's joint "Uh oh..." leads off to the scrolling credits with the song "Trouble" by the band Shampoo, where the lyrics include "Uh oh, we're in trouble."
  • Suspiciously Similar Substitute: Mordant, taking the place of Squatt and Baboo, is a minor villain here for comedy.
  • Take Over the World: Deconstructed by Ivan at the Oooze Factory with Goldar and Mordant, wherein he points out the logistical challenges of such an endeavour.
    Ivan: Taking over the world is one thing. Finding good help to run it for you, that's the killer.
  • Take That!: A trope rarely used in Power Rangers is seen here. When Ivan Ooze laments the terrible things he missed while he was blowing up the command center and Zordon with it, the three things he mentions are the Black Plague, the Spanish Inquisition, and The Brady Bunch Reunion.
  • Talking Is a Free Action: Parodied - Billy gets attacked by a Tengu Warrior while delivering a bit of witty commentary.
    Billy: You know the funny thing about morphin'?
    Rocky: What's that?
    Billy: You don't appreciate it till you can't do it anymo—! [a Tengu Warrior tackles Billy, cutting him off]
  • Tengu: Ooze's footsoldiers, who favour the "anthropomorphic bird" version of the myth. For copyright loophole reasons, they're renamed Tenga Warriors in the series.
  • Theme Music Power-Up: Once the Rangers finally obtain the "Great Power", its associated motif is played.
  • Title: The Adaptation: "Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie."
  • Track Trouble: Tommy uses the Falconzord to fill in a destroyed section of the track so that Fred and kids can reach the construction site.
  • Train Stopping: Or rather Train Saving, given Tommy uses the Falconzord to fill in for the destroyed track for the monorail.
  • Transformation Is a Free Action: Subverted twice. The first time the Rangers morph, they get to do the whole routine because the Oozemen take the opportunity to run away. When they suit up as Ninjetti, one of the rock-monsters hurls a spear at Aisha right at the end of the role call. "The Bear - WHOA!"
  • Triumphant Reprise: At the end of the film, an orchestral reprise of Graeme Revell's "Great Power" motif plays twice: first when Ivan Ooze is destroyed by Orion's Comet and later when the Rangers use the Great Power to revive Zordon and rebuild the Command Center.
  • Universal Driver's License: Kids driving a monorail and a fire engine. The use of the latter might be justified, at least as far as Fred using the hose. Fred's dad is indicated to be a fireman a couple of points in the movie, and it isn't inconceivable that he's let Fred handle a few items of firefighting equipment on a practice course.
  • Un-person: Ooze declares that Zordon will become this.
    Ivan Ooze: I will not only destroy him, I will obliterate his entire legacy! It will be as if Zordon of Eltar NEVER EXISTED!
  • Villain Decay: While his badass factor had faded significantly by the second season of the series, Goldar was still a fierce warrior who engaged the Rangers in battle whenever he got the chance. Here, he doesn't even attempt to fight the Rangers at any point.
  • Villainous Breakdown: After Tommy kills Scorpitron, Ivan loses his Faux Affably Evil demeanor he'd shown for most of the film and decides to battle the Rangers personally.
  • Villain Override: When his Ecto-Morphicons fail, Ivan takes control of Hornitor (by filling it up with... himself) and battles the Rangers personally.
  • The Voiceless: When Tommy summons Saba to deal with the Ooze Men, the magic saber's English accent goes completely unused.
  • Watching Troy Burn: The destruction of the Command Center. Zordon can only watch and the Rangers are horrified when they discover the scene.
  • Waxing Lyrical: As Ivan leaves the rangers to his henchmen, he quotes Alice Cooper:
    WELCOME TO MY NIGHTMARE!
    Welcome to my nightmare.
  • Weaponized Landmark: The tower Ooze uses as a staff for the Megazord battle.
  • What Kind of Lame Power Is Heart, Anyway?: Compared to bears and falcons, a frog is lame indeed. Dulcea convinces Adam that Heart Is an Awesome Power because frogs turn into handsome princes when kissed.note 
  • Wild Teen Party: The children of Angel Grove celebrate life without their parents. Fred has to break it up in order to coordinate a rescue.
  • Witch with a Capital "B": Ivan Ooze's insult of Dulcea: "That miserable, manipulating, loathsome she-devil of a witch!"
  • The Worf Effect: Quite a few of the show's characters are effortlessly defeated by Ivan Ooze to show just how powerful he is. Rita and Zedd are put in a snow globe with a wave of his hand and the Power Rangers have to morph just to defeat his mooks. While they're busy doing that, he invades and destroys their base, cutting off the source of their powers and leaving Zordon on the brink of death.
  • You Have Failed Me: Ooze blasts the Tengu Warriors apart into feathers after they fail to stop the Rangers from heading for the Great Power and report back to him.
  • You Have Outlived Your Usefulness: After brain-controlling all of the children's parents in the city finish building his weapons of mass destruction Ivan then orders the parents to return to the construction site to leap off a cliff to their deaths.
    Parents: [in unison] Leap to our doom...
    • Also why he stuffs Rita and Zedd into the snow globe. He was grateful to them for releasing him, but once they started bossing him around like one of their minions, they had to go.
  • Your Size May Vary: Interestingly, the Zords in the movie are scaled down considerably from the series. Whereas in the show the monsters and Megazords are taller than most of the buildings, the Ninja Megazord here couldn't be more than about 10-12 stories tall (individual Zords were only about three stories tall). This is due to the fact that much of the filming for the CGI was in real locations and not just a model set on a sound stage, the Falconzord especially wouldn't be able to fly between the buildings if it was any bigger. Though the tower Ooze uses as a weapon would have to shrink considerably for it to work the way it does.

 
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Alternative Title(s): Mighty Morphin Power Rangers

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"Where'd They Go?"

The Rangers took too long to morph, so the mooks ran off to set up an ambush.

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5 (7 votes)

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