Discussion Roger Ebert's review of "Pokémon: The First Movie" (1999)

[wakko]

I really miss Ebert...





Roger Ebert: "What is this movie really about?"

Joyce Kulhawik: "It's about love. It's about a lot of things."

Roger Ebert: "It's about acquiring Pokémens" .... "They fight for an hour, then they have a message that fighting is bad; But then they're going to have a sequel where they fight some more!"

 

[wakko]

Ebert's written review gave it 2 out of 4 stars.

I have done research. I have even played a Pokemon card game with a 6-year-old Pokemon Trainer named Emil. The rules of the game seemed to bear a suspicious resemblance to "War.'' At the end of the game, Emil had all 52 cards. I do not know if this is because of his mastery as a trainer, or because he stacked the deck. I do know we were not playing a real Pokemon game; Emil was pulling a fast one.

The story is idiotic. The individual Pokemon have personalities that make the Teenage Ninja Mutant Turtles look like Billy Crystal."

There are a lot of speeches about how we now see that fighting is wrong. There will be a sequel, in which no doubt there will be another hour of fighting before the same lesson is learned again.

I can't recommend the film or work up much enthusiasm for it because there is no level at which it enriches a young viewer, by encouraging thinking or observation. It's just a sound-and-light show, linked to the marketing push for Pokemon in general. But I may have completely bypassed the point and misinterpreted crucial Pokemon lore. This may disqualify me from ever becoming a Pokemon Trainer. I can live with that.

 

[frog]

he's right

 

[Mekanos]

Can't argue with that really

 

[Deleted member 101]

he's right

the frog has spoken

 

[Sheldon]

Emil should have just let him win one and we'd have gotten Pokemon Trainer Roger Ebert.

 

[Brofield]

Ebert's written review gave it 2 out of 4 stars.

The story is idiotic. The individual Pokemon have personalities that make the Teenage Ninja Mutant Turtles look like Billy Crystal."

My sides

Expanding further, my buddy once got the first three Pokemon movies on bluray from his then-girlfriend (now fiance) and we spent an afternoon watching all three at 1.5x speed (extra dramatic) and absolutely roasting every single trainer's team, like that one mono-water type trainer that was invited to Mewtwo's island. Electabuzz used WIN!

(Also, the scene where Pikachu slaps Pikachu also is kind of in sync with Rihanna)

 

[Josh5890]

Eh, no lies detected really.