Well, this was the first Pokémon movie I ever saw, and I had waited anxiously to watch it, as you know from the Inspirations section. I went to see it the day it premiered, and waited in the insanely long line at the mall. (Well, my mom and I just went to McDonald's to wait until they opened the theater doors after the last showing.) I managed to get a Dragonite card while Mom got Pikachu. I quickly noticed that these were the worst promo cards ever given out. Anyway, in the theater, they showed a bunch of boring promos about movies I didn't really care for, so I mainly just nudged my mom to stay awake (she'll sleep through any movie, even Star Wars!) while I ate some Buncha Crunch, my favorite Movie Theater Candy. Finally, everyone quieted down and the movie started.
Pikachu's Vacation was actually quite cute. In case the three of you who haven't seen the movie come over to this site, I'll tell you about the basic premise of it. Ash, Brock, and Misty release their Pokémon into a nature park so that they can get some R&R. Pikachu, Bulbasaur, Squirtle, and Psyduck get stuck babysitting Togepi. After many failed attempts, Bulbasaur manages to get Togepi to fall asleep. However, a gang of punk Pokémon: Snubble, Marril, Raichu, and Cubone, come by and wake up Togepi. Bulbasaur and Squirtle pick a fight with them, while Pikachu tries to save Togepi, who's wandered off. When Pikachu gets back, Squirtle and Marril agree to a water race. Squirtle gets an early lead, but is thrown back by a Goldeen and loses. The pair continue to fight until Raichu almost shocks Togepi. Pikachu and Raichu have an electric race and accidentally wake up Charizard. Eventually, Charizard gets stuck in the hole of the playground gym, and it's up to the Pokémon to get him out. Eventually they do, and Pikachu & company say goodbye to their new friends.
As for what I thought of the movie, I actually liked it. It was quite cute, and enjoyable to watch. Ah, the pre-Orange League days. Anyway, the Pokémon interludes during the mini-movie took me for surprise in the beginning, but I got used to it. The rapping Primeapes scared me though. My friend says that the Magnemites hypnotized him. Only one thing was missing, a musical appearence by Jigglypuff! (She needs to appear in a movie sometime.)
After the enjoyable mini-movie, and trying to wake up mom, the main feature started. Unfortunately, the beginning part was ruined because of sound problems in the theater. Anyway, on with the story. A bunch of archiologists search South America and finally find a Mew fossil. Using it, they create a clone: Mewtwo. Mewtwo wakes up in a lab, wondering about life and why he was created. When he sees that his creators care nothing for him, he destroys the lab and kills the scientists. Giovanni, who funded the project, talks to Mewtwo and gives him special armor. Through his Gym, Giovanni is able to train Mewtwo to focus his power. He still wonders his purpose, however. Giovanni tells him that he was created to serve him. The Pokémon says that is impossible, since they were equals. Giovanni says that he is a Pokémon and could never be equal to humans. In a fit of rage, Mewtwo snaps and destroys Team Rocket's base. He flies off to New Island, where he was born, and announces his quest to control the world. "The reign of Mewtwo, is about to begin."
It is just another normal day for Ash Ketchum and his friends, Misty & Brock, when a pirate guy comes up and challenges Ash to a battle. Bulbasaur and Squirtle easily defeat Donphan and Machamp, while Pikachu somehow defeats Golem as well as Venomoth and Pinsir. Ash and his Pokémon celebrate victory with a hearty meal, while a Fearow above them spies on the group. A young woman at a tower sends out a Dragonite to the group, and accidentally runs over Team Rocket. The Dragonite presents a holographic projector to Ash, with a woman who says that the world's greatest Pokémon trainer wishes to battle. Ash accepts, and the party heads to the nearest dock. A huge storm suddenly arrives, and all ferrys to New Island have been cancelled. Four trainers head out anyway. One goes by Pidgeot, one by Fearow, one by Dewgong, and one by Gyarados. Ash wants to do the same thing, but their Pokémon can't handle these waves. Suddenly, two Vikings come up and offer a ride. The waves get too intense and the Vikings are revealed to be Team Rocket! (Duh!) The trainers and Pokémon are swept into the waves, and Staryu and Squirtle manage to take Ash, Misty, Pikachu & Brock to New Island. Meanwhile, in South America, a small, pink Pokémon rises in the water and starts flying to New Island. While that's going on, Ash & co. meet up with the lady, and Brock reconizes her as the Nurse Joy who disappeared from the port's Pokémon Center. The woman disproves his theory and leads the trainers to the other three. Ash & co. release most of their Pokémon as the other three show off. Then, the lights dim as they suddenly see the World's Greatest Pokémon Trainer: Mewtwo
All of the trainers are angry. A Pokémon can't be a Pokémon Master. Sorao sends his Rhyhorn at Mewtwo, but is quickly defeated. Umio's Gyarados is no match either, as Mewtwo deflects its Hyper Beam right at it. Mewtwo announces his plans to the trainers then. Team Rocket, who managed to get inside the building through the sewer system. They come up to the lab and find three cloned Pokémon: Blastoise, Venusaur, and Charizard. Little do they know they are being followed by Mew. Suddenly, Jesse accidentally hits a button and a message plays about how the scientists created Mewtwo. Jesse wonders who made the lab when Meowth is grabbed. Jesse & James save him, but the machine got some of his hair and has made a clone of Meowth! Suddenly, the other clones wake up and walk out of the room, followed closely by Mew. The clones quickly come up, and Ash challenges Mewtwo. Sweet and her Blastoise fail against the cloned one, as does Sorao's Venusaur. Ash's Charizard puts up a good fight, but ultimately fails as well. As the victor, Mewtwo claims his prize, their Pokémon. He will capture them and clone them, while his storm kills everyone, and the cloned Pokémon rule the Earth. Despite the trainer's abilities, all the Pokémon are captured, even Pikachu. Ash races off after them, and winds up in the lab with Team Rocket. He manages to break the machine while saving Pikachu, and all the originals are released. However, the clones have already been made and quickly head to their master. After re-uniting with his Pokémon, Ash rounds up the originals for one last battle.
Mewtwo says that he has won, and sets the trainers free, warning them that they cannot escape his storm. Just then, Ash and the originals arrive and challenge Mewtwo. Ash gets in battle mode and tries to punch Mewtwo, only to be knocked down. He tries again, and is almost killed. He is saved by Mew, however. Mewtwo tries repeatedly to blast his parent, and eventually does. However, Mew retaliates, and the battle begins: Clones vs. Originals. Both sides come up to a stalemate, neither gaining ground. However, the Pokémon injure themselves badly and get tired. The humans can't stand to watch this, and Ash sees that Pikachu isn't fighting its clone. The clone continues to slap Pikachu while crying. The battle becomes fierce, as Mew and Mewtwo explode with psychic energy. They prepare for one last blast as Ash decides enough is enough. He races into the middle of the battle and is hit with both blasts. Ash falls on the ground and dies, turning into a rock. Pikachu tries to shock Ash awake, but can't. Just then, all the Pokémon, originals and clones, start crying. Their tears go into the soil and are absorbed into Ash, reviving him. Mewtwo realizes that it's not how you are born, it's how you live your life. Mewtwo gathers up his clones and leaves the trainers, erasing their memories of their encounter. Back in the port, Ash & co. have no idea where they are or how they got there, but don't care. When the storm is gone, they go out to see, and Ash sees Mew, just like how he saw Ho-oh on his first day as a Pokémon trainer. Team Rocket decide to take the little break on the island they're stuck on and have a vacation.
As for my thoughts, I liked it. Even though the moral was shoved down our throats (not as much as in the second movie anyway.) I still liked it. The dubbing wasn't the best, and the score was just a tad better than the TV series. While they DID making some mistakes (Alakazam for Scyther and Pidgeotto for Pidgeot) it was still cool. Mewtwo had an awesome voice, and despite what people say, is still the strongest Pokémon alive. I still watch the movie every so often, and I enjoy it, although I think they should have spent a bit more time working on it. Somehow, the movie seemed to reflect the soundtrack, which is awful. (I'm still trying to figure out what Soda Pop has to do with Pokémon. Maybe celebrating the one time Ash & co. were drinking sodas during the Bicycle Gang episode?) Anyway, the movie is very cool, although not as good as its three breathen, and is worth watching.