TV watcher

Pokémon: The First Movie

review by Orlando C. Fernando

December 8, 1999

Storyline: 8.5 (Kids) ; 5 (Adults) (0=worst, 10=best)
Originality: 5 (Kids) ; 5 (Adults)
Acting: 10 (Kids) ; 7 (Adults)
Special Effects: 8
Overall: A- (Kids) ; C (Adults) (F=worst, A=best)

Look out kids and adults, the Pokémon 1999 phenomena has now hit the cinemas!
This animated movie is basically a non-sequential episode of the Pokémon TV show, which derived from the Game Boy and Nintendo 64 video game. Pokémons, if you don't know by now, are little creatures various kids and teens (Pokémon masters) own. For fun, different kids challenge each other to Pokémon fights by wielding their Pokémon "storage balls" and coaching their released Pokémons to attack each other. This movie is actually a short cartoon followed by a full animated movie. The cartoon "Pikachu's Vacation," well, is quite enjoyable...if you are either a very young kid or you had taken a little extra something before seeing the cartoon. It attempts to explain the Pokémon way of life as a whole bunch of them participate in a big race on this fantasy island. Aside from hearing nondescript grunts, glees, and quacks from the non-speaking Pokémons, we get these flashy psychedelic (yes psychedelic) intermissions of random Pokémon marching across a color-swirling screen. Maybe to promote Pokémon screen savers, who knows? :)

In the main movie plot, a great world challenge calls all Pokémon masters together.
Actually, the elite ones, including the beloved Ash and his adorable cat-looking Pokémon called Pikachu. All worthy opponents gather at a seaport waiting to be transported to Mewtwo's lair to compete. Similar to the "Mortal Kombat I" movie plot, only a few will actually accept and make it to the challenge. When a horrendous storm threatens the festivities, Ash and his core gang ignores the setback and uses Pokémon power to make it to the island. We learn that Mewtwo, a Pokémon himself, is a powerful evil clone of the good Mew Pokémon. Mewtwo, once created by humans desiring to make a superior Pokémon, takes revenge on them (in a G-rated manner of course) out of confusion, disgust, and greed. As the combatants reach Mewtwo, we quickly learn that the tournament was a smoke screen for a devastating ulterior motive for all the Pokémons. Without giving too much more of the Mewtwo's storyline, he hypnotizes a female scientist to help continue what the humans, in Mewtwo's mind, failed to perfect.

K ids will undoubtedly eat this movie like cake.
It basically showcases all the Pokémons to-date and introduces a new foe (Mewtwo) to the mix. There are loads of Pokémon vs. Pokémon action throughout the movie, although many of them (due to the massive population of them) are short. The popular Pikachu, as many probably predicted, gets the most screen time and faces quite a few big challenges himself. Don't expect the multitudes of Pokémons in the mini-cartoon to all be in the main movie. Sorry kids!

A dult non-fans, you will probably survive the experience with even a little enjoyment.
The mini-cartoon will probably leave some of you gagging, but it does explain enough of the Pokémon world for us illiterates to understand the movie. The animation and special effects throughout the main movie are cute, no doubt, in a typical Japanese anime fashion. Some power strike special effects coming from such small creatures are rather funny - intentionally or not. Equally funny are how the Pokémon masters, all hyper kids who know their Pokémons right up to their sleeping habits, aren't that far off from real life kid fans. There is a lesson taught at the end about friendship, though I think it is quite jaded. If you think of some of the philosophy of Pokémon (one-on-one fighting), it seems rather contradictory. Anyway, it makes a movie. I also have issues with the way the film ended, which is a device way too popular for movies and TV shows alike. However, I suppose it works if you don't overanalyze it.

K ids, see it. Adults, see it with a kid.
I can definitely see the excitement of the movie if I was 6 years old again. However, for a teen or adult cartoon fan, it's no X-men, Sailor Moon, Dragonball-Z, or even Samurai Pizza Cats (loved that self-satirizing cartoon). Actually, it is sort of like the Care Bears with Dragonball-Z attitudes, too young for my tastes. My accompanying cinema fans - a 25 year old friend of mine (a guy) and his 9 year old sister - both give it 2 thumbs up. So for the young or old Pokémon fan, you won't be disappointed. For the rest of us, see it with a fan, especially a child fan, to get any enjoyment from this animated fightfest. Pikachuuuuuuuuuu!

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