Buena Vista Home Video presents

Power Rangers S.P.D.: Wired Volume 3 (2005)

"You had the dream again."- Dr. Katherine "Kat" Manx (Michelle Langstone)

Stars: Brandon Jay McLaren, Chris Violette
Other Stars: Matt Austin, Monica May, Alycia Purrott, Michelle Langstone
Director: various

MPAA Rating: Not Rated for (nothing objectionable)
Run Time: 01h:45m:45s
Release Date: 2005-09-06
Genre: action

Style Grade	Substance Grade	Image Transfer Grade	Audio Transfer Grade	Extras Grade
B	B+	B-	B-	C+

 

DVD Review

Buena Vista Home Video isn't waiting around this time in releasing the follow-up to the second volume of Power Rangers S.P.D. episodes, as Wired Volume 3 is actually being released on the same day. The first two collections of this series have provided Power Rangers fans who have yet to see the show on TV with a great intro to the characters and their stories, as well as some basic, fun, action-heavy escapes from reality.

For those who aren't familiar with Power Rangers S.P.D. yet, this latest incarnation follows a new group of rangers as they fight evil in the future. By their side is the canine-like Commander Anubis "Doggie" Cruger and cat-ish Dr. Katherine "Kat" Manx, who act as mentors and often leaders of the group. Their adventures take them to various planets, leading them to encounters with the strangest of alien creatures, and Wired Volume 3 will definitely give you a better idea of what this new series has to offer, both for long-time Power Ranger fans and for kids who are just looking for an action-packed good time.

Five more episodes are featured on this DVD, with a pair of two-parters among them. One such double-bill, "Shadow" Parts 1 & 2, kicks things off with Commander Anubis "Doggie" Cruger being the focal point of this storyline. His home planet of Sirius was destroyed by a Troobian general years ago, and this same general is back on Earth looking for Cruger. He's looking to destroy him, but Cruger is a pacifist, which is a major problem as far as the Power Rangers are concerned.

"Abandoned," ironically enough, is the only non-two-part episode on the disc, and it is also the worst Power Rangers S.P.D. episode I've seen so far. The story involves the clichéd stone that everyone wants since it is said to provide great powers to those who possess it. The evil Gruumm is on a mission to find the stone, and the Rangers must stop him, as the newest member of their team sparks a personality conflict among the group. Most of these stories are pretty hokey, but this one is beyond ridiculous.

The final two episodes, "Wired" Parts 1 & 2 are the most entertaining of the bunch. Valko is an alien that Mora has recruited to be Gruumm's second-in-command. Valko's first line of business is to take Goradon, a cyborg, under his wing, and it turns out that the only person who can control this beast just might be Bridge's friend Sophie. There's a lot of technical mumbo-jumbo in these two episodes, but they are beneficial to the overall plot instead of being unnecessary and confusing.

The shows keep getting better as the volume numbers on the Power Rangers S.P.D. discs increase, but the poor quality of "Abandoned" is a big, negative blow for this particular edition. Still, the pair of two-parters that are here will please the show's fans, and leave them begging for the release (tentatively set for December, 2005) of the next couple of DVD volumes.

Rating for Style: B
Rating for Substance: B+

 

Image Transfer

	One
Aspect Ratio	1.33:1 - Full Frame
Original Aspect Ratio	yes
Anamorphic	no

Image Transfer Review: This volume of the show offers more full frame transfers, and everything looks very similar to the previous DVDs. The colors are extravagant and strange, as always, and the costumes are nicely detailed. Sharpness is nice, as are the shadow and contrast levels. There's a bit of grain and dirt, but nothing too distracting.

Image Transfer Grade: B-
 

Audio Transfer

	Language	Remote Access
DS 2.0	English	yes

Audio Transfer Review: The audio is Dolby Digital 2.0, and is rather unspectacular. The majority of the sound comes from the front, but the surrounds do make a whimper during the more action-heavy scenes.

Audio Transfer Grade: B- 

Disc Extras

Full Motion menu with music
Scene Access with 15 cues and remote access
Subtitles/Captions in English
7 Other Trailer(s) featuring The Greatest Game Ever Played, The Shaggy Dog, Bionicle 3: Web of Shadows, Power Rangers S.P.D.: Volume 4 & 5, Spider-Man: The Venom Saga, Tarzan: Special Edition, Kronk's New Groove
1 Featurette(s)
Packaging: Keep Case
Picture Disc
1 Disc
1-Sided disc(s)
Layers: dual

Extra Extras:

1. Delta Squad Runner Simulator: "C" Level - Interactive flight-simulator game.

Extras Review: There are a few extras, including Sneak Peeks for other Buena Vista Home Video releases, and The Power Rangers Want You! With Sky Tate. This nearly five-minute featurette is another overview of what it takes to be a Ranger.

Delta Squad Runner Simulator: "C" Level is an interactive game that basically picks up where "D" Level from the previous Power Rangers S.P.D. DVD left off.

Extras Grade: C+
 

Final Comments

Here come the Power Rangers yet again, with the third release of the S.P.D. (Space Patrol Delta) series. The audio and video quality are virtually identical to that of the previous discs, and the same types of extra features are along for the ride as well.

Chuck Aliaga 2005-09-15