Dark Power

Since 1993's Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, the clan based on Japanese Super Sentai has changed twelve times, so it's tricky to keep up with characters and stories. Ultimately, Power Rangers fight evil, and in this new feature, Power Rangers Mystic Force: Dark Wish, the Mystic Force aims to do so by harnessing the awesome power of white magic. The Mystic Force so resembles Go-Bots and Transformers, in that they join together to form giant, unbeatable fighting beasts, that one wistfully remembers the great Japanese robot monsters dating back to Godzilla. In Dark Wish, Briarwood, the magic forest, is threatened by Imperius. He manages to steal the Power Rangers' genie cat, Jenji, to wish the Power Rangers erased from existence in the minds of all who knew them, thus negating their powers. A world of darkness ensues, portrayed in black and white, while the Power Rangers struggle to reclaim their powers. When they do, they come back as the all-powerful Mystic Force Legend Warriors, backed by the elements: Green Legend Warrior by Earth (played by Richard Brancatisano), Pink by Wind (Angie Diaz), Blue by Water (Melanie Vallejo), Yellow by Lightning (Nic Sampson), and Red by Fire (Firas Dirani). Spectacular fight scenes cancel out bad acting, and the villains have impressive costumes. Imperius's collar, for example, is a bird nest filled with colored plastic eggs. As in Lord of the Rings or in Princess Mononoke, Earth's beauty is at stake, connecting magic to its nature-based roots. With so many heavy battles and scary monsters, Dark Wish will thrill older kids, though its positive message is potent for kids of all ages. -Trinie Dalton