Hot Wheels - Acceleracers - Ignition Review

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(More customer reviews)The story of Vert Wheeler and his racing friends that started on the "Hot Wheels World Race" DVD continues here.
"Vert" Wheeler is now a more experienced drivers with a street racing team called the Teku. The Teku Team have an intense rivalry with another team called the Metal Maniacs.
Both teams are recruited by Dr Tezla to drive in the "Racing Realms", which are other dimensional tracks that test a driver's racing skills to their extreme limit. Whoever reaches the finish line of each realm first receives an "Accelercharger", which grants the user's vehicle a special power (frictionless driving, hyperspeed, etc). Scattered throughout the realms are "Hyperpods", which the driver's car can attach to give it special abilities as well.
Unfortunately, the evil Gelorum has obtained the Wheel Of Power (see the Hot Wheels World Race DVD) and her robots will stop at nothing to obtain all the Accelerchargers!! If they do, they will be able to take over the world, which is NOT a good thing for us humans!
I have mixed feelings about the Acceleracer Series.
First, I (and especially my children) were thrilled to hear that more adventures with the Hot Wheels drivers that started on the World Race would be continued.
Secondly, the storyline is richer with many running subplots that will develop as future Acceleracer DVDs are released
But I have to seriously question several decisions that were made for this story:
- I do NOT support the fact that these drivers are street racers. While I'm sure it adds a "coolness" factor to the characters, why encourage a dangerous activity such as street racing?
- Also, the rival racing teams strongly resemble rival gangs. Again, why make this look fun and attractive to kids?
- The CGI animation for this series is much poorer than what was used in the World Race DVD. The drivers are now completely cartoonish with ridiculously proportioned features (check out those arms!).
- The violence content was seriously amped up from the World Race. My children were literally shocked at the opening sequence of this DVD when Dr Tezla was attacked by the drones, as there was nothing like that on the World Race DVD.
That being said, my children DO enjoy this DVD, and looks forward to the Hot Wheels Acceleracers: Speed Of Silence DVD that will be released in August. I would recommend this DVD for children 7 or older.
The Cartoon Network has already broadcast the third part of the Hot Wheels Accceleracers saga, Breaking Point, and will be airing the fourth episode Hot Wheels Accceleracers - The Ultimate Race on October 1st of 2005. If you missed part 3, they usually rebroadcast them the day before the new episode, so looks for it on Friday, September 30, 2005.
This DVD comes with 4 micro-episodes, that contain racing and plot elements in realms not shown in the main movie (the Lava Realm and the Cavern Realm). Othe bonus features include a gallery of the cars and bios of the drivers.
The adventures of these characters is continued in the Hot Wheels Acceleracers: Speed Of Silence DVD. And an earlier (and more kid friendly) adventure of these characters can be found on the Hot Wheels World Race DVD. See my reviews of those titles for more details.
P.S. - Note the car that Dr Tezla is driving at the beginning of this episode. You might see something like it later....

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Two rival race teams, the Teku and the Metal Maniacs, are recruited by Dr. Peter Tezla to race in the fantastic Racing Realms and retrieve the all-powerful AcceleChargers before they fall into the hands of the deadly Racing Drones. Our drivers race through the Storm and Swamp Realms. DVD Features:Biographies:"Meet the Drivers"DVD ROM FeaturesEaster Eggs:Featurette demonstrating how to play the collectable card game--available inside every DVD.Featurette:Virtual car galleryOther:6 Micro episodes and Glossary of various racing termsTheatrical Trailer

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Hot Wheels Battle Force 5: Season 1, Vol. 1 Review

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(More customer reviews)My son LOVES all these episodes- we have them all saved on our DVR- I am so glad they are coming out on DVD I can't wait to get them all. He watches them everyday and they are good enough for my husband and I to get into them too.

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An elite team of teen drivers and their ultra-fast vehicles are out to save the planet! As they race through interdimensional Battle Zones at hyperfast speeds, their cars transform into high-tech armored battle machines, decked out and ready for combat. Once in the Battle Zones, they must work together to defeat their enemies and capture the powerful BattleKeys to save the Earth from destruction. Vol. 1 features the First 6 Episodes from this action-packed animated series. It all begins when Vert Wheeler and his car are pulled into a Stormshock – a portal to another world. Along with Sage, the mysterious Blue Sentient, Vert Wheeler must battle the barbaric predator race, The Vandals and the sinister robotic armies of The Sark to save the planet from ruin. Later, he meets his new team and together, they race into battle, defeating their enemies and facing new challenges with each episode. Can Battle Force 5 and their awesome vehicles defeat The Vandals and The Sark capture all the BattleKeys and save the world from evil? Watch the battle to find out!

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Hot Wheels Battle Force 5: Season 1, Vol. 2 Review

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(More customer reviews)Battle Force 5 is my favorite show! I like the exciting things that they do. There is good personality in Vert (and all the characters).
This DVD has all my favorite episodes (Double Down, Behind Enemy Lines). In 'Double Down,' Battle Force 5 is copied, like the exact opposite, and the evil Vert secretly steals the key from BF5. 'Behind Enemy Lines' is the first episode that is in the Vandal home world. This BF5 disc doesn't have any extras, just so you know. (We are hoping for a full season release with extras - very soon!!!) This disc is very good quality.
(Mom's notes: my son discovered BF5 through a Hot Wheels Happy Meal toy. When he went on the Hot Wheels website he saw the Battle Force 5 and was hooked in right away by the exciting, cool videos of fast paced action and cars and humor. He was so excited he wanted his parents to see it too! As I have been watching it with him, I have been drawn in by the simple, but interesting plots driven (haha) by well defined, interesting characters. The show is exciting, funny, clean and encouraging - there is always some challenge for the characters and they learn and grow from it.)
We hope that you get this and enjoy it too! :)

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Make tracks with Battle Force 5--Vert, Agura, Stanford, Zoom, Sherman and Spinner--in a fast-paced race to save the world from destruction! This elite team of drivers racks up the miles, zipping through interdimensional Battle Zones in spectacular chases, pursued by The Vandals and The Sark, all seeking the powerful BattleKeys that unlock the portal to Earth. As BF5 teammates live by their "Never Back Down, Never Give In" pledge, their enemies become more devious. In this thrilling six-episode lineup, Vert must outwit Vandals leader Kalus on his home planet, Stanford must defeat The Sark after they infiltrate BF5's secret garage and Zoom must battle The Vandals in a cage match on a "prankster" planet. Local sci-fi nut Zeke also lends his cunning to the team when a discovery and a lightning bolt supercharge his brain with Sentient knowledge. Strap in for a pulse-pounding ride full of amazing adventures on out-of-this-world race courses with Battle Force 5!

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