Pokemon The Movie : I choose you!! REVIEW!!
on its way. If you’ve seen the show, then you know exactly which episodes I’m talking about. The issue with the movie is that it rushes through these storylines in a matter of minutes, so they don’t have quite the same emotional impact.
But the movie isn’t entirely a repetition. There’s a new storyline involving the legendary Pokemon Ho-oh that was actually an accidental encounter in the real series. In this movie it turns it into a special event where Ash is now the chosen “Rainbow Hero” destined to find and battle the majestic bird. Yes, “Rainbow Hero.” Two new characters seem to know all about this mythic prophecy, and the story’s most convoluted scenes come from them trying to explain it to Ash. This is a movie aimed at children, yet I was lost as to what they were saying and resigned myself to just watching Pikachu battle other Pokemon.
That’s one area where this movie doesn’t fall short. The animation is slick, expressive, and dynamic. The camera moves in wild and creative ways to show off exciting chase scenes and explosive battles. Pokemon evolution has a new, dazzling effect that better emphasizes how the creature is morphing and growing. Unfortunately, the story isn’t on the same level as the visuals.
The Ho-oh plot line is more of a loose framework than the driving force of the movie. There are numerous detours and distractions that don’t belong but are nevertheless included because they are signature elements of Pokemon, like gym battles and Team Rocket. That said, the one area the main story shines addresses a longstanding issue with the Pokemon franchise. With the high number of legendary Pokemon currently in existence, they don’t seem as special as they used to, but the movie does a splendid job of restoring the reverence of these unique Pokemon so they feel appropriately elusive and powerful.
In place of Misty and Brock, Ash has two new companions, the hyper-competitive Verity and the scholarly Sorrel. Whereas Verity had a spirited energy, she felt underdeveloped. Conversely, Sorrel was more fleshed out, mostly thanks to a harrowing flashback scene that reminds you how dark Pokemon can get, yet he was a little on the bland side. The pair are a fine addition to keep things feeling fresh, but they don’t leave much of an impression.
Instead of Gary Oak, Ash’s trainer rival is a brute named Cross, whose signature phrase is “might makes right,” which is at odds with Ash’s mantra about how Pokemon should be treated as friends. Cross mostly exists so Ash can repeatedly remind us about the importance of friendship, in case you should dare to forget. There’s also a villainous Pokemon that feels shoehorned into the plot in order to make the ending more perilous.
And then there's that ending. Suffice to say, it takes some cues from 1999’s Pokémon: The First Movie, and, again, reuses its best bits to diminishing returns. But that’s not the real problem. Essentially everything goes off the rails with one ridiculous moment after another. While those moments were clearly intended to elicit tears and cheers, they wind up earning nothing but groans. On one hand, I have to hand it to them for taking some chances, especially in the way these strange developments isolate and challenge Ash, but ultimately the material just doesn’t work.
The Verdict
Pokemon the Movie: I Choose You! is a remix of Ash’s biggest and best moments from Season 1 of the Pokemon series, only they aren’t quite as emotionally powerful when they’re all crammed into one 90-minute movie. Still, the animation is excellently rendered; the Pokemon are cuter than ever and the action scenes are a blast. The film’s storyline centered around Ho-oh does restore the reverence of legendary Pokemon, but it ultimately tanks because of some truly bizarre twists and turns at the end.
Pokemon the Movie: I Choose You!
Released on Nov. 5th
SOURCE: IGN
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