Pokemon Company/Miramax
Release date: July 13th, 2002
Box Office: 27.7 Million
Director: Kunihiko Yuyama
Summary: Brock starts our quintessential introduction with the horn intro, here we go! Got some Water, Grass, Ground, Fire Pokemon just doing their business, why do we always start with the same introduction the last few movies?
Two women, Annie and Oakley are reading from a book in a library when they explain about a machine, the Defense Mechanism of Alto Mare, as well as the jewel needed to power it. The souldew is the jewel and is the soul of a Latias, which they seek to steal for Giovanni.I love when non-Jessie and James Team Rocket members show up. Our heroes show up to participate in Tour de Alto Mare, a water chariot festival. Our heroes cruise, Ash with his Totodile and Misty with her Corsola through the canals of Alto Mare, with Latios and Latias invisible watching in the shadows. Ross and his Wailmer (new Pokemon alert!) battle Ash and Misty, Ash being pulled to new speeds by the legendary duo, but pulled to the side. It looks like Misty is the winner upon video review, sweet!
Ross explains that Latios and Latias protect Alto Mare from danger, meanwhile Annie and Oakley use a special device to read the legendary Pokemon’s body temperature to spot them.. of course they find one and go on hot pursuit in a speed boat. Team Rocket wants to meet them and get involved with whatever action they are on. Ash runs into a girl with interesting hair who puts her face right on Ash’s and runs away. It turns out to be Latias, who Annie and Oakley roll up to and start battling with Espeon and Ariados. Pikachu is alerted to this and starts following, helping Latias break free from them. Espeon hits Ash with a Psywave, so Ash hits Annie and Oakley with a Thunderbolt, now Espeon and Ariados are on the chase, luckily they escape with Latias disappearing and Ash reuniting with Brock and Misty.
Our heroes go into a museum and meet an old staff member who tells of fossil Pokemon that once terrorized Alto Mare, before the Defense Mechanism was invented and wiped out the evil Pokemon, never having to use it again. Ash spots the girl and runs to meet her, but the girl speaks and says she doesn’t know him. Know Latias in the form of the girl runs away leading them to a secret grotto-like garden through a dark walled passage. Ash wonders what this grotto is, but gets attacked by Latios with strong Flying-type attacks before being protected by Latias. The girl who speaks shows up, Bianca, questioning what is going on before Latias shows herself and starts playing with Ash and Pikachu. Bianca explains that because they are best friends she often takes her shape, meanwhile Latios uses its ability to show Latias and those around them what they can see, giving a projection ala sight-sharing, pretty sweet. Ash says goodbye to meet all of his friends but Annie and Oakley track them as they go.
Team Rocket follows Annie and Oakley as they jump from roof to roof, falling a few times per usual. Espeon goes into the old man’s Gondola making workshop and knocks it out. Annie and Oakley enter the garden to catch Latias and Latios, both Pokemon give valiant efforts but Annie and Oakleys technology and Pokemon help catch Latios in a sort of power-sapping web. Latios warns Latias to leave, taking another web before Latias escapes. Annie and Oakley take out the Soul Dew and read the etching on the stone, cracking the code to learn how to use the Soul Dew to resurrect the Pokemon and use the Defense Mechanism. Latias flies off to warn Ash about Latios and the Soul Dew. Bianca and the old man are knocked out by Espeon, while Latias pulls Ash awake, hugging Ash in Bianca form before explaining the situation to Brock and Misty through Latios’ sight-sharing. Oakley raises Aerodactyl and Kabutops from the grave, she is definitely getting a bit too above her skis and power hungry. Ash and Latias go to the museum to stop Annie and Oakley while the city goes on lockdown street by street with iron gates. Aerodactyl starts Hyper Beaming the entire city, hitting Ash even before Latias rescues him from the water. They jump on the water chariots to outspeed Aerodactyl as they get to the museum.
Oakley is now threatening the city’s safety, touting about how she can control the world with this machine, which freaks even Annie out. She catches Ash in a deadly whirlpool before sending him skyward. Latias steps in and helps break the device by stepping into the devices path to save Ash. The control panel goes haywire, allowing Ash and Latias to help Latios escape and attempt to turn off the machine. Latios and Latias work together, shutting off the machine. Oakley wakes up and leaves the museum with Annie, but before they do they touch the Soul Dew which is emanating Red and Black colors as it dies, our heroes need to get it in the pool before the water recedes and becomes a tsunami. While the tsunami is about to hit, Latias and Latios fly right into it using their Luster Purge attacks, but Latios uses it first and sacrifices itself, saying goodbye to Latias forever and saving the city. Ash and friends find Latias alone outside the city in the water, Latias and the old man explain that Latios, like his father, sacrificed himself for the city and is in a heaven-like place above the earth now, before becoming the next Soul Dew. Ash returns the Soul Dee and says goodbye to Bianca, or is it Latias, with a kiss, great ending!
Best Scene: Any scene where Annie and Oakley are there because the dark/shadowy vibes with Espeon, Ariados, and a Venice like setting are stunning.
Best Shot: Not to be sappy, and it does have an interesting implication, but Latias saying goodbye to Ash is a real tearjerker moment in a fairly emotional film.
Quote(s) of the Movie: “Wait a sec… was that Bianca or Latias?” – the essential question of the movie, who kissed Ash?!
Half-assed Internet Research: The setting of the movie is based off of Venice, which I have not been to but I did go to Italy for my honeymoon, pretty sweet! Also.. it made less than one million dollars in the U.S., however I contributed at least $20 to the box office number as well as DVD sales. This was the last major theatrical release for a Pokemon film in the U.S. until the 2017 Pokemon The Movie: I Choose You!
Score out of 10 (0=unwatchable, 10=nearly perfect story, editing, cinematography, etc.):
7/10- This is a watchable movie, even with a pretty thin plot, because it is not about plot or even characters. It is about emotion, style, and relationships between brother and sister, old friends, and new friends. The last scene is one of the most memorable from any Pokemon movie, leaving Ash almost speechless, and Brock extremely jealous. The negatives are obviously the weird early-CGI streets, the bad soundtrack, and the repeated themes/plot lines but along with the Mewtwo/Celebi characters Latios and Latias are some of the best in any Pokemon
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