Turbo: A Power Rangers Movie

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The poster for Turbo: A Power Rangers Movie
The poster for Turbo: A Power Rangers Movie

Turbo: A Power Rangers Movie is a 1997 feature-length movie set in the Power Rangers universe. It served as a bridge between the television series Power Rangers: Zeo and Power Rangers: Turbo.

Contents

[edit] The story

A sinister alien pirate named Divatox (Hilary Shepard Turner) hatched a plan to release her fiancee Maligore (Mike Deak) from the island Muranthias on Earth. To get to the island, she needed to kidnap a wizard named Lerigot (Jon Simanton) from the planet Liaria, and use his magical key. Luckily for Lerigot, he evaded capture and fled to Earth, where he sought protection from the Power Rangers.

The Rangers were practicing for a martial arts tournament. Rocky (Steve Cardenas) made a wrong move and ended up throwing out his back. While visiting him at the hospital, a young friend of the Rangers named Justin (Blake Foster) discovered the Rangers' identity.

Zordon summoned the Rangers to protect Lerigot. Armed with Power Boxes, Tommy (Jason David Frank) and Kat (Catherine Sutherland) rescued Lerigot from the African wilderness, but they ended up losing him to Divatox later on. Divatox took the wizard to Muranthias along with other captives - Bulk (Paul Schrier), Skull (Jason Narvy), Jason (Austin St. John), Kimberly (Amy Jo Johnson), and Lerigot's wife Yara (Danny Payte) and child Bethel (J. B. Levine).

Before taking off after Divatox, the Rangers were given new powers by Zordon and Alpha 5, which made them Turbo Rangers. They were joined by Justin, who took Rocky's place as the Blue Turbo Ranger. The Rangers sailed on a ship to Muranthias, where they faced the Putra Pods. Divatox arrived on the island along with her crew - Elgar (Danny Wayne Stallcup), Rygog (Ed Neil), and an army of Piranhatrons - and sacrificed Jason and Kimberly to Maligore's fire.

The Rangers reached the temple to find their friends turned evil by Maligore's flames. The team battled Jason, Kimberly, and the rest of Divatox's forces as Maligore arose from the fiery pit. Lerigot restored Jason and Kimberly, and the Rangers fought Maligore with their Power Weapons. The Rangers fled, and Maligore grew into a giant. The Rangers called on their Turbo Zords and formed the Turbo Megazord, with which they destroyed Maligore.

The Rangers saved the day just in time to win the martial arts competition, as an infuriated Divatox swore vengeance on the heroes.

Hints are dropped frequently throughout the film of a growing romantic attraction between Tommy and Kat.

[edit] Characters

[edit] Turbo Rangers

Actor Character Title Rank
Jason David Frank Tommy Oliver Red Turbo Ranger Team leader
Blake Foster Justin Stewart Blue Turbo Ranger
Johnny Yong Bosch Adam Park Green Turbo Ranger
Nakia Burrise Tanya Sloan Yellow Turbo Ranger
Catherine Sutherland Katherine Hillard Pink Turbo Ranger

[edit] Allies

[edit] Villains

  • Divatox
  • Maligore
  • Elgar
  • Rygog

[edit] Box office

In its opening weekend, Turbo: A Power Rangers Movie played on 2,113 screens, and pulled in $3,301,135. It ultimately grossed $8,109,349 theatrically. (Its predecessor, Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie, earned $37,804,616). It was however, the 4th highest grossing video in the U.S. in August 1997 (Billboard Magazine).

[edit] Notes

  • Unlike the first movie, this movie takes place within the continuity of the television series. The first episode of Power Rangers: Turbo takes place after the movie.
  • Additionally, unlike the first movie, the appearance was closer to the television show. The Ranger suits were spandex rather than the armor-like suits of the first movie, and the zords were also costumes rather than computer-generated animation.
  • Certain sets and costumes from the movie, such as the Power Chamber set and the Alpha costume, were also used in the television show.
  • The film was directed by sci-fi veteran David Winning; although through a contractual dispute, he only received co-credit with Shuki Levy and no editing influence.
  • This is seen by many fans as the biggest Jump the Shark moment in the history of Power Rangers. From this point Turbo became a comedic season and alienated many fans, it was only the performance of the next season (Power Rangers in Space) that saved the show from cancellation.
    • The Super Sentai series that Turbo was based off of, Gekisou Sentai CarRanger, was especially comedic for a Super Sentai series, as well.

[edit] External links

Power Rangers
Television series:
Mighty Morphin Power Rangers - Alien Rangers - Zeo - Turbo - Space - Lost Galaxy - Lightspeed Rescue - Time Force
Wild Force - Ninja Storm - Dino Thunder - S.P.D. - Mystic Force - Operation Overdrive
Movies
Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie - Turbo: A Power Rangers Movie
Select episodes
Day of the Dumpster - Green with Evil - The Wedding - Ninja Quest - Hogday Afternoon
Chase Into Space - Countdown to Destruction - Forever Red - Legacy of Power
Back in Black - Lost and Found in Translation - Fighting Spirit - Mystic Fate
Characters
Rangers - Zords - Villains - Enemy grunts - Monsters - Other Characters
Related series from Saban
VR Troopers - Masked Rider - Big Bad Beetleborgs - The Mystic Knights of Tir Na Nog
Other related series
Superhuman Samurai Syber-Squad - Tattooed Teenage Alien Fighters from Beverly Hills
See also
Fox Kids - ABC Kids - ABC Family - Toon Disney - Jetix - Saban - Disney - Super Sentai