Pokémon the First Movie: Mewtwo Strikes Back (12 November 1999)

directed by Michael Haigney, Kunohiko Yuyama

starring Veronica Taylor, Rachael Lillis, Erick Stuart, Ikue Ootani, Ken Gates, Madeline Blaustein, Ted Lewis, Amy Birnbaum

MPAA rating: Studio: Warner Brothers Script: Takeshi Shudo Running time: 75 minutes Tags: Action; Animation; Family Film; Foreign Film; Japan; pokemon; television adaptation Tactical strength: [4/10]

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This first Pokémon movie suffers from the same disease as many other TV series brought to the silver screen: the writers don't know how to create a movie-length plot. The story line of Mewtwo Strikes Back could easily fit into one thirty-minute television episode. Missing from the movie is the repartee dialog between the characters and Ash's sense of wonder. Instead, the animators have inserted long, plotless, dramatic shots. You can tell the animators want these shots to instill a sense of wonder, but really you just tap your toe waiting for these scenes and the musical crescendo to end. Also, the film quality looks like a television picture blown, rather than using more detailed artwork for the theater.

Somehow in the adaptation from series to movie, this movie got worked over by the political correctness police. We learn that pokémon left to themselves would not battle and that fighting isn't right. Good messages to pass on to children watching in the audience, but how can Warner hope to have a Pokémon sequel if the first movie proves that pokémon shouldn't and don't want to battle. (Obviously, they overcame this obstacle and subsequently released movies in 2000 and 2001.)

I find the Pokémon TV series (at least the first couple of seasons) fun and interesting, but the movie lacks most of the endearing qualities of the series. My two-year-old, who sat through all of The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland begged me to take her home.

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