July 10, 1995 -- ``Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie'' is one of those slight summer movies kids might watch while grownups are waiting for the splashdown of ``Apollo 13.''

The Power Rangers is an outrageous movie for kids only, a bizarre combination of the cheesy and the sophisticated. While it has some great special effects and some decent fight scenes, it also has some incredibly bad costumes and some really cheap-looking special effects. One scene stands out: a bunch of flying creatures take off, clearly suspended by wires, wearing costumes that make the flying monkeys in the ``Wizard of Oz'' look sophisticated by comparison.

The fight scenes are sometimes good, sometimes mediocre. The kung-fu style of fighting is bad as the average kung-fu film, complete with exaggerated sound effects (like the ``whooshing'' noise when the fighters move their arms at modest speeds), and trampoline-aided acrobatic leaps in the air.

Since the Power Rangers often wear costumes that disguise their faces during the fight scenes, it could be anyone doing the actual fighting. They might as well wear their masks all the time, because none of the Power Rangers has a spark of personality.

The only actor in the film that shows any life at all is the villain, Ivan Ooze, played by Paul Freeman. Some of the special effects are quite good, especially the ``transformer'' variety of mechanized monsters that battle each other at the end of the film.

The story isn't too bad. The heart of it is a classic tale of a quest. The Power Rangers must undertake a perilous journey on a far away planet and fight their way through the forces of evil to obtain a higher power. There's also a sub-plot involving some kids trying to rescue their parents. Apart from the that, there's little else but a series of battles.

It rates a C, and that rating is strictly for kids. Adults would probably find it about a D.

Click here for links to places to buy this movie in video and/or DVD format, the soundtrack, books, even used videos, games and lots of other stuff. I suggest you shop at least two of these places before buying anything. Prices seem to vary continuously. For more information on this film, click on this link to The Internet Movie Database. Type in the name of the movie in the search box and press enter. You will be able to find background information on the film, the actors, and links to much more information.