I am a huge Pokemon fan but I have to admit that most Pokemon movies are actually really bad in the story department. In the case of Pokemon The Movie - I Choose You, I really enjoyed this film and I think even people who are not big fans of Pokemon will enjoy it until the 3rd act. The beginning is a bit rushed and there are plenty of unnecessary cameos of Team Rocket but ultimately it settles into Ash's journey alongside with his best buddy, Pikachu, across the Kanto region. It's not a story about Ash trying to save the world nor is it a story about Ash trying to stop some villain or legendary Pokemon going on a rampage. It's really a simple story of Ash and Pikachu's journey across the region and that's what I love about it.
The two characters, Sorrel and Verity, who travel with Ash are great, in some ways better than Brock and Misty from the anime. Sorrel and Verity are well developed characters with good back stories, personality, and have there moments that you can relate to, especially Verity. Honestly I'm surprised how well done it was to develop these character in such short time compared to the much longer anime series. Ash, Sorrel, and Verity traveling on the road together feels like they've been on a long exciting journey forging new and precious memories together. As the story continues, they feel like best friends that known each other for a long time. Also if you are a huge fan of the games and it's lore, you will enjoy a surprising reveal around Verity's backstory. I have to say the journey of Ash and Pikachu traveling across the region, battling new trainers and making new friends has been great. As a Pokemon fan, it reminded me in some ways of Red from the video games, not Ash from the anime. Despite a few flaws, the story is pretty great until the 3rd act.
The 3rd act is filled with so many problems that plague previous Pokemon movies that will even leave hardcore Pokemon fans clueless on what is happening. The 3rd act has so many "jump the shark" or "deus ex machina" moments out of nowhere. How bad is the third act? Well unlike the other Pokemon movies, at least for me, "I Choose You" has such a charming well-developed plot with great moments that it makes it even worst when the 3rd act arrives, ruining the entire journey with such a horrible way to wrap things up with bad, sometimes laughably ridiculous, moments. For example, there is this one unexpected scene around Pikachu that is supposed to be dramatic but instead the audience couldn't help but laugh.
Also on a side note, the art-style and animation is just gorgeous. To the Pokemon fans, it really shows another side of Kanto. To ordinary folks who never gotten into Pokemon, the art-style and animation is breathtaking. In fact, unlike other Pokemon movies, this doesn't take place in one centralized location. This takes place across the ENTIRE Kanto region and so you will see more than just sprawling cities or the town life. In fact, cities and towns are barely present in this movie. Much of it is focused on the more nature-oriented side of Kanto from woods reaching the skies, to massive rivers flowing past the horizon, to vast valleys filled with roaming Pokemon, to towering mountains that go past the clouds. It really is a beautiful treat for those eyeing for detail or quality animation.
Other than that, if I had to choose my favorite moment (Spoiler Alert), the movie shows a literal, deep and honestly somewhat depressing comparison between the charming and fun world of Pokemon where at the age of 10 you can freely explore the world with a magical creature by your side and the real world (yes, the REAL WORLD) where many ordinary people feel stuck in boring everyday lives, dreaming what's out there in the world, thinking to themselves that you'll never really know what's out there unless you go there. Never expected, in the history of the Pokemon series, that they ever went there, making a comparison to the Pokemon world and the real world. It truly leaves you wondering about how magical the Pokemon world really is.
With all this being said, I recommend people see it, whether your just not into the Pokemon series or a hardcore fan of the Pokemon games or anime. If they fixed the third act, I might even dare say that this movie could even be one of the best animated films ever made. Other than that, the plot, characters and animation are excellently developed in the first two acts and really brings out a sense of adventure, freedom, friendship, charm, awe and wonder to me that honestly I can't really find in many other major films.
The two characters, Sorrel and Verity, who travel with Ash are great, in some ways better than Brock and Misty from the anime. Sorrel and Verity are well developed characters with good back stories, personality, and have there moments that you can relate to, especially Verity. Honestly I'm surprised how well done it was to develop these character in such short time compared to the much longer anime series. Ash, Sorrel, and Verity traveling on the road together feels like they've been on a long exciting journey forging new and precious memories together. As the story continues, they feel like best friends that known each other for a long time. Also if you are a huge fan of the games and it's lore, you will enjoy a surprising reveal around Verity's backstory. I have to say the journey of Ash and Pikachu traveling across the region, battling new trainers and making new friends has been great. As a Pokemon fan, it reminded me in some ways of Red from the video games, not Ash from the anime. Despite a few flaws, the story is pretty great until the 3rd act.
The 3rd act is filled with so many problems that plague previous Pokemon movies that will even leave hardcore Pokemon fans clueless on what is happening. The 3rd act has so many "jump the shark" or "deus ex machina" moments out of nowhere. How bad is the third act? Well unlike the other Pokemon movies, at least for me, "I Choose You" has such a charming well-developed plot with great moments that it makes it even worst when the 3rd act arrives, ruining the entire journey with such a horrible way to wrap things up with bad, sometimes laughably ridiculous, moments. For example, there is this one unexpected scene around Pikachu that is supposed to be dramatic but instead the audience couldn't help but laugh.
Also on a side note, the art-style and animation is just gorgeous. To the Pokemon fans, it really shows another side of Kanto. To ordinary folks who never gotten into Pokemon, the art-style and animation is breathtaking. In fact, unlike other Pokemon movies, this doesn't take place in one centralized location. This takes place across the ENTIRE Kanto region and so you will see more than just sprawling cities or the town life. In fact, cities and towns are barely present in this movie. Much of it is focused on the more nature-oriented side of Kanto from woods reaching the skies, to massive rivers flowing past the horizon, to vast valleys filled with roaming Pokemon, to towering mountains that go past the clouds. It really is a beautiful treat for those eyeing for detail or quality animation.
Other than that, if I had to choose my favorite moment (Spoiler Alert), the movie shows a literal, deep and honestly somewhat depressing comparison between the charming and fun world of Pokemon where at the age of 10 you can freely explore the world with a magical creature by your side and the real world (yes, the REAL WORLD) where many ordinary people feel stuck in boring everyday lives, dreaming what's out there in the world, thinking to themselves that you'll never really know what's out there unless you go there. Never expected, in the history of the Pokemon series, that they ever went there, making a comparison to the Pokemon world and the real world. It truly leaves you wondering about how magical the Pokemon world really is.
With all this being said, I recommend people see it, whether your just not into the Pokemon series or a hardcore fan of the Pokemon games or anime. If they fixed the third act, I might even dare say that this movie could even be one of the best animated films ever made. Other than that, the plot, characters and animation are excellently developed in the first two acts and really brings out a sense of adventure, freedom, friendship, charm, awe and wonder to me that honestly I can't really find in many other major films.