From the get go we would like to warn you, SPOILER ALERT! Yes, this review contains spoilers. If you do not want the new Pokémon movie spoiled for you, check out our spoiler free movie review.
Normally, we would avoid spoiling things for you, but this movie is on such a special level that it is unavoidable. From the start, it is easy to tell that this movie is not meant for the long time Pokémon fan. For those of us who have watched and traveled since Ash first got Pikachu, this movie will do nothing but have you nerd raging all over the place.
The Start
You notice a few differences from the beginning as it seems that this story takes place in an alternate timeline, or they are just deciding to take a steaming pile on the original series. As the series, the movie follows our favorite protagonist, Ash Ketchum. He begins his journey by getting Pikachu and earning his trust the way he does in the original TV series. That is only one of the two things that stays with the original story.
It would seem that the main focus would be not just on Ash, but on Charmander and Pikachu throughout the movie. Giving a different face to Charmander’s previous trainer, leading antagonist of the movie Cross, it follows the evolution and strengthening of Charmander. But we’re getting ahead of our self a bit. The true beginning is in the beginning of the movie when Ash receives a mysterious rainbow feather from Ho-oh as it flies over. Yes, another movie set on the chase of a legendary Pokémon that will inevitably come to a predictable ending.
Wait, Rainbows?
As he travels, he learns of the (try not to laugh) story of the rainbow hero and rainbow wing. He is soon after joined by two companions, Sorrel and Verity. As they journey, they find friendship in each other and encounter the three legendary dogs Suicune, Entai, and Raikou. The only thing they don’t encounter is the series’ main antagonists, Team Rocket. They do have small appearances throughout the movie. However, they could have left them out and it would have made no difference at all.
On to the juicy bits of the movie, the parts that we particularly had issues with. For starters, it doesn’t follow the time line that was already set out in the television series. Yes, many of the movies are set apart from the series, but they have never rewritten timelines for a story like this. They tried to recreate emotional scenes that they quickly ruined for many veteran fans. Butterfree’s departure being one of the scenes that was stepped on. They rush through it and take the emotion out of it that they emphasized on in the series.
Hold on, It Gets Worse…
However, this is not the worst moment of the movie. Yes, everyone who has heard about this movie is both enraged and curious about it. Let us save you the trouble of 90 minutes of torture. Pikachu does speak in English for a scene. The line he has is not only poorly written and cliché, it is timed horribly. What makes it worse is that Pikachu has all but been confirmed to be male and it is a female voice that Pikachu speaks in.
Not All Bad…
Looking past those horrible aspects, we will say that this movie wasn’t without a decent setting. Though the story is dynamically stereotypical, it is still a good story and easy to follow for kids (which was the obvious target audience). For the older viewers who grew up with the stories, they won’t like it. But for the tykes that became fans later into the seasons or due to the games, this is a great story for them.
The Verdict
Is Pokémon: I Choose You! worth watching? Yes and no. If you are a die-hard Pokémon fan, and have followed it from the beginning, you can skip this movie and be happier because of it. If you haven’t seen the original series, or your kids are into Pokémon, it is a good movie to watch with them. Just don’t nerd rage in front of them. On a scale of 1-10, we personally give this movie a solid 5. Take it or leave it, one way or another someone will find this movie to be 90 minutes of life they won’t get back.
Have you seen the movie? Do you have plans of watching it? Let us know your thoughts on it, and please let us know what you think of our spoiler filled review.
