Film

Turbo: A Power Rangers Movie

Name: Turbo: A Power Rangers Movie
Genre: Action, Adventure, Family, Fantasy, Science Fiction
Released: 1997
Cast: Johnny Yong Bosch, Nakia Burrise, Jason David Frank, Catherine Sutherland, Blake Foster

Superhero

A 1997 Power Rangers film that serves as a season premiere in movie form. Colorful, earnest, and genuinely committed to its absurd premise. It's a Saturday morning cartoon with a movie budget, made for kids who loved the show and adults willing to meet it halfway. Peak '90s action-adventure cheese.

TMDb rating

2.9

Should you watch it?

Watch it if you have a soft spot for chunky 1990s practical costumes, cheerfully goofy villains and kids' adventure where the stakes are big but the mood stays bright, the kind of film that rewards nostalgia more than polish.

Skip it if you want sharp writing or modern effects, since the dialogue is broad and the action is mostly suited-up fighting with visible seams, and the plot is thin even for a family picture.

What it asks of you: Under an hour and a half, it moves briskly and never asks for much attention; the mood stays light and cheerful, and you simply go along with its bright, playful rhythm.

Not sure? Find tonight's pick in a minute.

If you liked this

Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie1995

The earlier film that perfected the formula: bigger dinosaur zords, better fight choreography, and a tone that understands it's ridiculous without being sarcastic. A much tighter entry point.

But If you've never watched Power Rangers, you'll be lost immediately. It assumes you care about these characters already.

Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie poster

The Lego Movie2014

Another film that works as both sincere product and affectionate parody. It trusts kids' taste while winking at adults without condescension. Genuinely clever within a commercial framework.

But If you want pure earnestness without any meta-awareness, the humor lands differently than what you might expect.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze1991

Another '90s ensemble action-adventure that balances toy-line requirements with actual filmmaking. The party dudes tone and Vanilla Ice's song capture the same era energy.

But The plot is thin and the humor hasn't aged gracefully. Some jokes land as uncomfortable now.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze poster

Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from Turbo: A Power Rangers Movie

The wildcard

Something you would not have found on your own.

Ultraman1966

Both are tokusatsu adapted for Western audiences, but this one chose a darker register—showing what Power Rangers' template looks like when you make it for adults instead of kids.

An Australian-produced tokusatsu series about a superhero fighting alien monsters. It has the earnestness and rubber monster joy of Power Rangers but a grittier, more adult tone. Surprisingly stylish.

But It's bleak compared to Power Rangers. Monster fights are brutal and several episodes end ambiguously or sadly. The tone whiplash might be jarring.

V.R. Troopers1994

A Saban production that ran alongside Power Rangers with similar DNA: video game aesthetics, martial arts, earnest young heroes. A fascinating parallel that shows Saban's formula applied differently.

But It's clearly a lower-budget show and the acting is stiff even for the era. Finding full episodes is difficult.

Masked Rider1995

Another Saban tokusatsu adaptation that sits between Power Rangers and something weirder. Motorcycles, leather, genuinely bizarre creature designs that prefigure Turbo's Divatox.

But It's clunky and the monster-of-the-week format gets repetitive fast. The adaptation is loose to the point of confusion.

Big Bad Beetleborgs1996

A comic-book-adjacent Saban series that captures the same Saturday morning energy but with more character focus and slightly higher production values than contemporaries.

But It still has all the limitations of '90s kids' TV: cheap sets, tight budgets, actors who are trying hard but not always convincingly.

Superhero Movie2008

A parody that actually loves superhero absurdity instead of mocking it. If you can handle broad comedy, it has genuine affection for the genre it's spoofing.

But The humor is loud and obvious. If you don't like that style of comedy, this will feel relentless and exhausting.