February 7, 2009

Power Rangers is one of the oldest running children's television series adapted from the Japanese tokusatsu Super Sentai Series on American TV. Power Rangers first made their debut here in the States in 1993 and they have been captivating little kids for years. I remember the series when it first came out and it was cool for its time. The original show even had its own Motion Picture and now there are 14 total variations of the Power Rangers including Power Rangers: Jungle Fury.

Power Rangers: Jungle Fury, the subject of this review, is the 14th series and 16th season in the Power Rangers universe. The series is based around an epic battle between Dai Shi and the Order of the Claw, a feline based martial arts faction that is part of the Pai Zhua.

Many centuries ago, an evil spirit, Dai Shi, roamed freely across the Earth waging a "Beast War" against the humans. Fortunately, through valiant fighting, the Order of the Claw, were able to conquer the evil spirit and have since been able to keep him locked away. The secret of their prisoner and their duty to keep him under control was passed along from generation to generation of Pai Zhua members, three of which charged with keeping Dai Shi from being released.

Now, in the present day, Dai Shi has escaped and three new warriors have been selected by the Pai Zhua to find and destroy the evil Dai Shi. The three teen warriors must go to where Dai Shi's ancient palace is located, a land once uninhabited, now known as Ocean Bluff. In their new home, the teen warriors must assume normal lives working at a pizza parlor under the guidance of their boss and new Pai Zhua master, R.J., who gives them the power to morph into the Power Rangers.

This review features the Power Rangers: Jungle Fury: Way of the Master Volume 2 DVD. This single disc package features the next 6 episodes in the Jungle Fury series and the show pleasantly picks up steam. The Rangers find themselves in a whole new ball game when Dai Shi and Camille release the Five Fingers of Poison to wreak havoc on the city. To make matters worse, Dai Shi has uncovered the Bracelets of the Overlords, being that are the very essence of evil.

To combat these stronger foes, the Rangers with the help of RJ learn that they must learn new techniques to come out on top. Among these 6 episodes, each Rangers takes on another master while still following RJ’s lead to gain ancient Pai Zhua powers. While Lilly, Casey and Theo deal with the increasingly menacing threats against humanity, Camille fights to ensure the safety of her master, Dai Shi as he is trained by Carnisoar and Jellica.

My favorite episodes are “Blind Leading the Blind,” and “One Master Too Many.” Both episodes revolve around a single Ranger’s issues with themselves or the team or their master RJ. In “Blind Leading the Blind” Theo has issues with concentrating on one thing at a time. This proves dangerous when two feathered villains damage the team’s ability to function. Master Swoop arrives to give Theo some much needed concentration therapy and he masters the Powers of the Bat. In “One Master Too Many” Casey wants a new master, hurting RJ’s feeling, especially when that new master is his estranged father, Master Finn.

Filmmaking: 7
Presentation wise, Power Rangers: Jungle Fury is a lot like its predecessors. With it’s over the top fights, the wicked costumes and flashy explosions. The storyline is fairly continuous and straightforward featuring the overall battle versus good and evil. The show is directed fairly well and is presented in the same style that it has been all these years.

Graphics: 8
Power Rangers: Jungle Fury is vibrant and shiny one the one side and wickedly evil looking characters on the other. This contrast has always been a staple in the series and this show doesn’t disappoint. All the episodes are presented in 1.33:1 Full Screen and transition well to DVD.

Sound: 7
The sound department matches the visuals and sound pretty good in Dolby Digital Stereo Sound. The voice acting for the masked villains is pretty good and I have gotten used to the Ranger speak finally. I also happen to like the theme song, as it is rather catchy much like the themes of many of the show’s predecessors.

Value: 8
The Power Rangers: Jungle Fury: Way of the Master Volume 2 DVD features the first 6 episodes of the TV series. You can pick this DVD up at most retailers for around 13-15 dollars which isn’t bad considering that most children series volumes are lucky to contain that many episodes.

Overall: 7.6
Overall, I had to appreciate the continued tradition of a fairly wholesome children’s program. I grew up watching them with my younger brother when I was younger and I’m sure that kids today will enjoy them as much as I did then. I recommend Power Rangers: Jungle Fury: Way of the Master Volume 2 DVD to any parent looking for someone to get their young ones their Power Rangers fix.