| ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. | |
| PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. | |
| OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. | |
| NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
Parents need to know that, like its many predecessors, this installment in the Power Rangers franchise has lots of violence, which is the only available means of conflict resolution. Rangers engage in hand-to-hand martial-arts battles and sometimes use weapons (sticks, nunchuks, and firepower), and some villains morph into huge, insect-like creatures with menacing claws. The show (and its accompanying line of merchandise) is heavily marketed to the 5+ set, but its violent content is more appropriate for kids a few years older.
Thousands of years ago, an evil force called Dai Shi and his legions of beasts -- bent on dominating the planet -- waged war on humans. Brave warriors calling themselves The Order of the Claw eventually restored peace by containing Dai Shi, but now the powerful spirit has escaped and again threatens humanity. With the help of their new Order master, a courageous trio of Power Rangers will try to defeat Dai Shi once and for all.
For older kids who can distinguish the good guys from the bad and fantasy from reality, there's little in POWER RANGERS: JUNGLE FURY (the 16th series in the Power Rangers franchise) that's likely to surprise them. The show will no doubt appeal to tween boys' sense of adventure, but plenty of them are probably savvy enough to find the predictable plot and overacting a bit too goofy even for their taste.
Ultimately, the show is dragged down by its reliance on violence for entertainment. The content sends poor messages to kids about resolving conflict, and children old enough to understand the unrealistic nature of what they're watching will be turned off by the corniness. So unless your kids are true-blue Rangers fans, you're better off sterring their attention away from this latest iteration.
Families can talk about how this series compares to other Power Rangers shows. How is it similar? Does anything set it apart from the others?
Why do you think the Power Rangers shows have been so popular and long-lasting? Do they send viewers good messages?
How does the violence in this show compare to others you've seen? Could the characters solve their problems in other ways?
| Topics: | magic and fantasy, superheroes, adventures, space and aliens |
| TV rating: | TV-Y7 |
| Network: | Toon Disney |
| Cast: | Aljin Abella, Anna Hutchison, Jason Smith |
| Genre: | Science Fiction |