DVD Review
by Kevin Carr
| MOVIE: ***1/2 (out of 5 stars)
DVD EXPERIENCE: *1/2 (out of 5 stars) STARRING James Napier as CONNER Kevin Duhaney as ETHAN Emma Lahana as KIRA Latham Gaines as MESOGOG Mirama Smith as ELSA Jason David Frank as DR. TOMMY OLIVER Rated Y7 Studio: Buena Vista Home Entertainment Directed by: Douglas Sloan, Paul Grinder and Andrew Merrifield Back to DVD Review Home |  |
What more can be said about “Power Rangers Dino Thunder”? This series was pretty clever when it started out years ago, but it’s become a widget for the Disney machine.
That’s not really a bad thing per se. It’s not like they’ve ruined the sanctity and purity of the Power Rangers. That original television show only had legs to carry it so far. And it was never really plot-heavy to begin with.
Volumes 4 (“Collision Course”) and 5 (“Triassic Triumph”) pick up where the last few volumes left off. The Dino Thunder Power Rangers - Conner (James Napier), Ethan (Kevin Duhaney) and Kira (Emma Lahana) - are fully ensconced in their roles now. There’s no real character development to continue - just lot of kicking and yelling “Hya!”
These last episodes of the Power Rangers wrap up the Dino Thunder series and pave the way for the new Power Rangers (already airing on ABC Family) - Power Rangers SPD.
The plots range from the silly (in which a intergalactic meteor changes the Rangers’ personalities around in volume 4) to the ludicrous (in which Kira works as an intern on a kid’s TV show and drag the Tyrannodrones with her in volume 5). The overall story follows the defeat and redemption of the Evil White Ranger, as well as the struggle Mesogog faces to avoid changing back to a human.
Each volume contains five episodes from the series, as well as a featurette of the new Power Rangers SPD season. The last few Ninja Moves are demonstrated on these discs, and Dr. Tommy Oliver hosts a “Return of the Ranger” featurette.
There’s all the same devices - big rubber monsters, hyper-kinetic kung fu, cheesy dialogue and always a not-so-veiled message. But were you expecting anything more?
Bottom line: Fans of the Power Rangers (read as “kids under 8 years old”) will still get a kick out of theses last ten episodes. My sons sure did.
Specifications: Dolby Digital Surround Sound. Fullscreen (1.33:1). English language subtitles for the hearing impaired.
