Earlier this year, I reviewed the film reboot of Power Rangers. Revamping the original Mighty Morphin' days, the film took a more grounded and realistic approach, dealing with some mature and modern themes. For what it was, I thought it was good even if the actual Ranger parts seemed rushed in the end. In broader terms, I think the film got more of a mixed reaction. For one reason or another, some fans liked it, some didn't.
What some may not have been aware of though is that the film had a short aftermath graphic novel released just a few days after the movie intended as sort of a sequel. I didn't pick it up when it came out back in March as I wanted to wait until the movie came out on Blu-Ray so I could read the book after rewatching the movie.
To call this a sequel is a bit of a stretch and makes it sound grander than it actually is. If this story was actually put to film, it would probably be the length of a traditional Power Rangers episode, and maybe a two-parter at that. While I did expect more, that doesn't mean the story was actually bad.
Set shortly after the film, the book follows the Rangers literally picking up the pieces from their first battle, as remnants of Goldar have spread out across Angel Grove with residual energy reviving the Putties Rita had made. But eventually, this "Goldar Dust" eventually infects a teenage brother and sister living on the streets.
Where the book succeeds is capturing the tone that the film set, and on two fronts. The first is the voice of the characters. Reading the dialogue with voices of the movie cast in mind felt natural in my mind. Like an actual episode of the show though, it only gives real focus on two Rangers, Jason and Zack. While it didn't show during the final battle in the movie, Jason is still coming to grips about being the leader of the team and worries about making a mistake that could hurt the others. Zack wants to be as strong a Ranger as he can be and make sure nobody has to lose a loved one on his watch, a feeling believe stems from his own fear of one day losing his mother. All that said though, the other Rangers do have their own character moments though.
Besides that though, there's another instance that hints to build up of a romance between Jason and Kimberly. If you followed the show like I did, you know there was never anything between the two, as Kimberly was immediately attracted to Tommy when he debuted. At first I was okay with the idea of a Jason/Kimberly romance, but after watching the deleted scene of the two making out after their conversation in Jason's room, it just seemed off, like the kiss was forced. Plus, it makes me worried it would make an eventual battle between Jason and Tommy seem like it's over a girl.
The second front is how the film continues its grounded and realistic take. It turns out the damage to Angel Grove after the Goldar fight was more extensive, with relief camps having to be set up. And as it turns out, the police aren't too happy that all these crazy things have been happening to the city once the Power Rangers showed up. I kind of like this take, that the people aren't just accepting of the Power Rangers right away like in the show. It makes me think of the escalation theory that applies to Batman and his villains. But besides that, there is some government involvement here too, which makes a lot of damn sense. I mean, when there's a giant monster and robot fight, someone higher up has to get involved.
When I was a kid, I didn't really care for what little Power Rangers comics I read. They just didn't wow me, especially when what made the show itself such a hit was the action, from the martial arts to the Megazord fights. In comic form, the same impact isn't made. Unfortunately, the same can still be said here. If I didn't like the movie as much as I did, I might not have wanted to pick up this book to see what happened next.
All in all, "Power Rangers: Aftershock" is a nice little follow up to the film. Nothing great, but enjoyable. If you liked the movie, I can kind of recommend it, but it's not necessary.
At the time of this writing, an actual sequel to the movie doesn't seem likely as the film didn't make enough money at the box office. I know I said back in my review that I wouldn't mind if there was a sequel or not, rewatching the movie a couple more times kind of made me hope for another one. It was said though that good sales on DVD and Blu-Ray could lead to another movie, but only time will tell. So as it stands, "Aftershock" may be the end of these Rangers' story, but it's not a bad note to go out on.
RATING: 7/10
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