Pokemon Company
Release date: July 7th, 2001
Box Office: 40.8 Million
Director: Kunihiko Yuyama
Summary: This movie starts with a long montage chronicling Ash’s journey, suddenly Celebi erupts on the screen being chased through a forest by a Houndoom and a Scyther. A young man walking through the forest talks to a woman with green hair who tells him of the “Voice of the Forest”, who is a time traveler. The boy and Celebi collide as Houndoom and Scyther close in on it, Celebi jumps into the boy’s arms right when the Pokemon hunter who owns the two chasing Pokemon threatens to capture Celebi. The boy runs but Celebi screams out, transporting them to another time, but leaving behind his sketchbook. We fast-forward 40 years, a new Pokemon hunter threatens the old one with his Sneasel to tell him the location of Celebi, showing his power by using a “Dark Ball” that turns Pokemon evil. He proceeds to use it on a Tyranitar who he commands to destroy the old hunter’s residence, and the man tells him the location of Celebi.
Our heroes are about to miss the boat annnnnnd here comes the obligatory catchy Pokemon theme battle where Ash can’t resist to show off. First up, Crocanaw vs. Pikachu, winner: Pikachu! Next up is… nobody, wow that was lame. Ash runs to the boat with the help of his guide Crobat, and our heroes are off. Pikachu sees a Suicune, and our heroes instantly call Prof. Oak to confirm, who says he has seen a Suicune before… foreshadowing. Oak ominously says he should have told Ash something before he hung up… hmmm.
Here comes Team Rocket on a peddleplane… bound to be less scummy than they are in the television series. Our hero’s boat turns into a little aircraft and they land in Arborville. They run into Diana and her grandma who both have green hair… I wonder if that is the woman who ran into the young boy… foreshadowing! Our heroes run through the forest right to a shrine where the boy and Celebi magically appear from a bright light. They take the boy to Diana’s house as Celebi wanders off hurt. The older woman with green hair hugs the boy realizing that this was the boy who disappeared 40 years ago. Meanwhile, the hunter trudges through the forest, while at the same time Sam and our heroes look for Celebi, meanwhile Ash and Sam climb a tree to find Celebi, observing that all these Pokemon are huddled around the tree. Celebi rejects Sam and Ash at first but they make nice… and here comes Team Rocket with their usual crap… and they fell from a branch during the motto, bye bye Team Rocket. Oh no, here comes the evolutionary Pokemon Hunter and his Tyranitar trying to steal Celebi. Team Rocket play nice with him, he shows them his Sneasel and Scizor who battle Sam’s Charmeleon and Bayleef. Sam and Ash win the battle and find that they make a good team. Our heroes escape into the fog with a hurt Celebi, a wild Ursaring and Teddiursa tell our heroes to follow them where a Furret shows them a mysterious lake. Celebi and Sam enter the Lake of Life while the forest Pokemon gather around them, Sam releases Celebi into the lake and it heals it after emitting a green light. Celebi celebrates by swimming in the lake with our heroes and flying with them, even healing Misty’s knee. Our heroes and Celebi walk towards the village, but the hunter lurks in the background as Team Rocket falls out of his vehicle grabbing peaches from a tree. Sam and Ash have a heart to heart around the campfire as they stop for the night, Sam is sketching different Pokemon so Ash tells him about the invention of a Pokedex and they lament Sam being stuck in the future. They stumble upon a whole mess of Metapod evolving into Butterfree and flying away.
The next day they get close to the village and the shrine, but a claw comes out of the forest, the hunter is here and extra motivated to finish the job, destroying the forest as he finally captures Celebi with a Dark Ball. He unleashes Celebi onto the forest showing it’s true power by uprooting everything. Our heroes are hurt and looking for Celebi while Suicune looks on as the Pokemon Hunter who we learn has a direct report to Giovanni also is holding Jessie as witness to Celebi’s destructive power. Celebi turns into a weird twig monster, ruining the Lake of Life and targeting our heroes before Suicune, the North Wind, runs into the fray to battle Evil Celebi and rescue our heroes. Now the big bad boss battle ensues, Tyranitar and Onix, Suicune and Celebi battle, while our heroes try and rescue Celebi from the middle of the horribly CGI monster. Sam and Ash hop into the monster and convince Celebi to come out of its trance by pulling it out of the monster, purifying it and destroying the Dark Ball and the monster. Celebi is hurt and in Ash’s arms, he tries to feed Celebi a red berry as the music swells as Sam hates on the Hunter for ruining Celebi, but their collective tears bring Celebi back to life after Celebi summons other Celebi out of the sky along with a weird singer who is really killing the vibe.. at least Celebi is alive. Thank god the Pokemon Hunter came to end this damn lady singing, luckily Ash grabs the man and Pikachu Thunderbolts him so he drops Celebi, that was close. The Hunter is caught, Suicune bids farewell, and now Celebi has to take Sam back to the past. Ash and Sam say goodybe, but not for long… because Sam is the younger Samuel OAK!! FORESHADOWING!!!!!
Best Scene: Celebi playing with Sam and our heroes after recovering in the Lake of Life.
Best Shot: Sam uncorking an old school Poke ball to battle with Charmeleon.
Quote(s) of the Movie: “I hope you’ll be free, Sam, I mean to go back in time” -Ash upon seeing Butterfree evolve, so sappy but pure.
Half-assed Internet Research: This movie is the origin of making Pokemon “Dark” later used by Pokemon Colosseum and XD, as well as a model for the Pokemon Arceus version of an old-school Pokeball.
Score out of 10 (0=unwatchable, 10=nearly perfect story, editing, cinematography, etc.):
6/10-This movie is great because it has Scizor, Houndoom, Celebi, Suicune and all the other great Johto Pokemon. Sam foreshadowing as Oak is a great plot point that ties Ash’s origin story to Oak’s in a way that is meaningful. I think the Pokemon Hunter’s lack of any backstory or motivation other than being an asshole is a regrettable choice, especially compared to Pokemon the Movie 2000’s villain backstory. The rocks in the Suicune scene were laughably animated, I mean it looks like Minecraft.
Will Reviews Things 