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Review M20: I Choose You!

BigDocFan said:
I'm quite curious to know whether or not Eric Stuart, Rachel Lillis or Veronica Taylor voice a character here, would be nice but seems unlikely
Click to expand...
Haven't seen the actual movie myself, but I'm already quite certain the answer is "no" because I definitely heard TPCi dub Oak and Ash in the trailers.
 
Just got back from the movie, and it was... ok. That's pretty much it, ok. I'll do a full write-up later of what I thought of it, but let me first answer the question on everyone's minds:

99.5% of the BGM in this is new dub stuff. No old themes, no remixed dub themes... it's the all new, all forgettable, all synthetic crap we've come to expect from the series. The .5% that is kept is the 'World of Pokemon' theme that plays right at the very end, and it just went to show how much of gulf there is between it and the dub stuff going from synth tunes to a full orchestra score.
 
Went to see the film today and I’m incredibly dissapointed with it not just on the dub side, but also the actual film itself.

First up the twist with Marshadow was god awful. Also Marshadow itself was boring. Shame really it’s an intresting Pokemon with a deep and disturbing backstory so to see it get wasted and do nothing for the entire thing only for it to become the main villain though it did f’ all was terrible.


Verity and Sorrel were dull and uninteresting characters. Oh sure they do get some story such as something involving Verity’s mother (which isn’t Cynthia) and some backstory for Sorrel but after that they just stand around during nothing for almost the whole thing. Even Piplup and Lucario didn’t get any cool moments.

Also Team Rocket... why? Why are you guys even here? You

1: Served no purpose and added nothing to the story
and
2: Didn’t meet Ash at all

They could have just been cut entirely and nothing would have changed.


As for the dub, look I don’t wanna sound way too mean since I’m sure some effort MAY have put into it but man was it poor for the most part. Some of the lines terribly cringeworthy *Verity says Dude once in the film, just why* and most of the voices were poor. Verity, Cross and Bonji’s were decent to good at best (Pollock’s always great) but others including the Pokemon and especially Pikachu’s voice in the climax sounded poor to unbelievably bad, just why did they go for that voice for Pikachu. Natochenny was okay as Ash but of course she has her weak points though that’s just the dub being the dub.

And as for the Japanese music... well there was NOTHING, NADA, ZILCH!

Well the World of Pokemon theme at the end was kept but that’s it, nothing else. So just 1 out of 50 something tracks is pretty bad nonetheless.

Also the film went by way WAAAYYYY too quickly so because of that there wasn’t any time for a scene to breathe and everything (yes even the Butterfree’s release which I didn’t cry for that reason, big shocker!) was rushed. It’s supposed to be 98 minutes but it ran more like a 50 minute TV special more than anything else.

Now is there any positives? Well yes there is.

Both Ash and Pikachu’s bond was really well done and despite that awful excuse of a voice there was SOME emotion when Ash died (obviously he comes back, no surprise there)


The animation was gob smackingly good, in fact it’s probably the best looking of all the Pokemon films. So much attention to detail and some of the battles were incredible to watch especially the end despite that plot twist. OLM really did a great job with the animation here.


The end credits song “I Choose You” was good, Haven did really great singing there. The only complaint is that it felt too short at just 2 minutes long. There was a piano version of the theme afterwards. Also the cameos, loved seeing those on the screen, even though the film was poor that at least bought a big smile to my face.

Oh yes and there was some other stuff after the film:

Four S&M shorts
The first three eps of Pokemon Generations (a treat to see them on the big screen)
and a montage of various movie clips set to the new version of the theme

Overall I was immensely disappointed by this limp 20th anniversary offering. I will admit it was still fun to watch on the big screen but the film itself was pretty meh to poor, there’s still some great stuff but overall most of the good stuff are few and far between. Yes it the animation is amazing and Pikachu and Ash’s bond was decent but most of the characters were boring or just forgettable, there’s some incredibly weird or just plain stupid moments, the voice acting and voice direction was poor, TR were USELESS, the pacing was too fast making everything feel rushed and the plot twist was just complete shite.


Do I recommend you see it on the big screen? Yes, it’s the closest we’ll see a Pokemon film on the big screen knowing what TPCI are and there are some really gorgeous moments but otherwise the movie itself is not worth watching on the small screen, not the worst Pokemon movie ever (Hoopa’s still the king) though definitely not one I’m gonna go outta my way to see ever again.


2 / 5
 
Cast List:
Main:
Sarah Natochenny
David Oliver Nelson
Mike Pollock
Kate Bristol
Suzy Myers

Additional:
Justin Anselmi
Rebecca Becker
Sam Black
Carter Cathcart
Natalie Gorham
Melissa Hope
Michele Knots
Michael Liscio Jr.
Lisa Ortiz
H.D. Quinn
Bill Rogers
Billy Bob Thompson
Marc Thompson
Bryan Tyler
 
My sister: "Who wrote this script?!"
@RetroPokeFan's review is scathing but... accurate.

Honestly, we all had a really enjoyable time but that's because we went as a group of friends and long-time Pokemon fans (even I put away my Pokeani review hat for the majority of the run time), and laughed at all the silliness. Our second biggest wtf laugh came when Sorrel told his horrifically sad story about Luxray FREEZING TO DEATH IN THE SNOW and Ash replied with "Awesome!"

The animation was drop-dead gorgeous and Ikue Ohtani was in top form. I thought Verity was pretty good as well. Sarah Natochenny was ok. All the other voice-acting was God-awful, helped by the awfulness of the script. We literally laughed at the TRio's every (pathetic) appearance because the dialogue was so hysterically bad. Our BIGGEST wtf laugh was when Pikachu spoke because it sounded so bad.

The music wasn't exactly unfitting, but I can't imagine how much of the experience we missed by not getting the original score.

Verity and Sorrel were inoffensive but ultimately pointless. With the gift of hindsight, knowing that the old canon has not been erased .etc .etc I can clearly say that they should have just included companions we already knew and structured the story slightly differently to fit with that - it was impossible to give a damn about these two despite the best efforts of Yonemura to give them some depth/backstory. Cross was pointless and pretty offensive to watch. Likewise Marshadow - just why? I didn't get its motivations or what it was up to at all, which completely ruined the ending.

The story itself was fairly linear and enjoyable up until the ending confrontation. Everyone in my party was disappointed by the lack of contribution to the proceedings by Ho-Oh (who should have been responsible for bringing Satoshi back to life!) and the TRio.

In summary, a fun afternoon out for all the wrong reasons. The only reason I would rewatch this when the original is out on DVD is to hear Ikue Ohtani's Pikachu speak and for the music.
 
Coming in to this movie knowing full well of the controversy surrounding it and its dub, I was expecting it all to be a mess. But I found it to be pretty great actually! Don’t get me wrong; there are some serious pacing issues, but it was not a disaster no matter how I viewed it. Both the animation and art style were gorgeous (easily the best this series has seen, I can tell you that much) and the soundtrack, while nearly all replaced for the dubbed version as expected, is a treat in its own right. Ed Goldfarb has outdone himself. And while the new characters have big shoes to fill considering their highly-regarded Kanto predecessors, I liked that they actually attempted to give them some backstory to make them stand out a bit more. Sure, they’re not the best characters ever (and don’t undergo much development over the course of the film either) but this is Ash and Pikachu’s film, not theirs. They’re great by movie CoTD standards, is what I mean. And the plot...*sigh* well let’s just say I understand people’s issues with it. Most of it has been discussed to death already, but I at least appreciate the fact that they tried to buck the trend with how the Pokémon movies have been formatted for the past two decades. There was a certain scene towards the halfway point (those who’ve seen it will know what I’m talking about) that discusses a hypothetical situation I don’t think has been covered in any Pokémon canon ever before. So I admire this movie for trying to be ambitious, even if the execution was a bit questionable.

tl;dr: A meh movie, but a good Pokémon movie.
 
theworldofkevinc said:
Cast List:
Main:
Sarah Natochenny
David Oliver Nelson
Mike Pollock
Kate Bristol
Suzy Myers

Additional:
Justin Anselmi
Rebecca Becker
Sam Black
Carter Cathcart
Natalie Gorham
Melissa Hope
Michele Knots
Michael Liscio Jr.
Lisa Ortiz
H.D. Quinn
Bill Rogers
Billy Bob Thompson
Marc Thompson
Bryan Tyler
Click to expand...

Thanks for posting the cast list
 
Anyone else spot the Mother and Daughter who have made cameos in several of the past movies?

Also, Sorrel's story about his Luxray... OH MY GOD! Pure trauma right there.
 
Last edited:
Ending theme lyrics (I Choose You)

Here comes trouble, no mistaking it
I'd know you anywhere
I'd sail to the ends of the ocean and,
find you waiting there

I've been searching, and searching, near and far
Searching, and searching, and there you are
I'll wish you'll share a star

I choose you, I choose you, what else can I do?
We're just too good together to part
What we share from the start, feels like one big heart
I Choose You. I Choose You.

Hello stranger, don't I know you?
Nice to see you, my friend
Did we just (screw?) the top of a mountain
And fly back home again

I've been looking, and looking, high and low
Looking, and looking, and what do you know?
Just that long ago

I Choose You, I Choose You, what else can I do?
We're just too good together to part
What we share from the start, feels like one big heart
I Choose You. I Choose You.

I Choose You. I Choose You.
Our two journeys anew (?)
With the wonderful friends that I found
As the planet spins round', we're eternally (inaudible).

I Choose You. I Choose You.

(Pokemon Theme Piano Plays)
 
theworldofkevinc said:
Ending theme lyrics (I Choose You)

Here comes trouble, no mistaking it
I'd know you anywhere
I'd sail to the ends of the ocean and,
find you waiting there

I've been searching, and searching, near and far
Searching, and searching, and there you are
I'll wish you'll share a star

I choose you, I choose you, what else can I do?
We're just too good together to part
What we share from the start, feels like one big heart
I Choose You. I Choose You.

Hello stranger, don't I know you?
Nice to see you, my friend
Did we just (screw?) the top of a mountain
And fly back home again

I've been looking, and looking, high and low
Looking, and looking, and what do you know?
Just that long ago

I Choose You, I Choose You, what else can I do?
We're just too good together to part
What we share from the start, feels like one big heart
I Choose You. I Choose You.

I Choose You. I Choose You.
Our two journeys anew (?)
With the wonderful friends that I found
As the planet spins round', we're eternally (inaudible).

I Choose You. I Choose You.

(Pokemon Theme Piano Plays)
Click to expand...
Sounds boring tbh. I am glad I didnt go watch it in the cinema.
 
I went to go see the movie... Here are my thoughts:

As a whole, the movie was by no means horrible. Was it fantastic? No... But I'll get to the verdict later.

Let's begin with the plot. For a 20th anniversary retelling of how Ash's journey began, it was pretty good. What I think helped it was the fact that nobody was trying to save the world and no evil mastermind was trying to use a legendary Pokemon for evil. It was a very down-to-earth plot that succeeded at what it was trying to tell. But that's not to say that it was perfect. I felt like Ash's character arc moment (if you can call it that) came a little to early to have a big impact. In addition, the inclusion of the legendary beasts seemed forced. I was fine with Entei since it was included in some decent scenes. However, the other two were completely pointless outside of Sorrel's story about the tower. Other than that, everything was pretty well. Despite the pacing that either went too fast or too slow, it told a comprehensive story.

Next is the characters... Well, this ought to be fun.

I'm pretty impressed with how they handled Ash. Like usual, I was bothered by some dumb decisions he made. However, I realized that this is him as a rookie trainer. I'm not sure as to whether or not his skills and actions were intentionally made that way, it wasn't that jarring.
Verity, while not stellar, didn't harm the film. What little backstory she did have helped her character. While I would've liked to see more of that, it did not harm the film as much as I thought it would. It also helped that I liked her design and her personality (to an extent).
Sorrel was pretty good as well. Unlike Verity who was only a trainer to get away from her mom, he actually had a valid reason to be journeying. I also liked the backstory he got. In general, Ash's two companions were solid considering that they were completely original.
Cross was had a great introduction but slowly became a knock-off Gary. I'm glad that they made him the one who left Charmander in the rain. It led me to believe that he would be a pretty good antagonist. The battles that he had with Ash also further pushed me towards that conclusion. But by the time the climax happened, he instantly lost any and all appeal. I'm not sure if it was because of his character, or just the way the climax was handled, but it felt like the movie just tossed him to the side after his loss and gave up. I was able to predict that he'd be the one to use the feather from a mile away.
Bonji was okay. I don't think he was vital to the film, but he wasn't harmful at least.
As for Team Rocket... Why? I could've been satisfied with them being a cameo, but the film insisted on tossing them into the movie time and time again. It didn't help that they only had one decent one-liner (not that I can remember what it was). After their first appearance, they served no purpose other than filler (and poor filler at that).

In general, the characters were solid. I'm (one of the few that were) glad that Verity and Sorrel were there to replace Misty and Brock. I feel that if they were there instead, then they'd only be shells of their former selves.

Now for the Voice Acting...

It... Was pretty decent. Nobody stood out as horrible. I feel that Sorrel and Cross's voices were consistently above average. Even Verity had more good lines than bad (still bothered over that 'dude' though). Ash was solid as well. It wasn't anything amazing, but Sarah Natochenny got the job done.
To me, Pikachu's voice wasn't jarring at all... Just the fact that he was talking in the first place (even that wasn't horrible).
So yeah, the dubbed voices were above average. Others may say that they were bad, but think of it like this:
Could it have been worse? Yes. We should be glad it wasn't.

The soundtrack:
Like the voice acting, this was solid as well. The opening theme was exactly what I expected it to be... The same song, just with different vocals. While the movie certainly contained some of the typical 'generic' pieces that we've come to expect from the dub, some select pieces were legitimately good (notably anything that played during a battle sequence). The ending was good as well. Overall, the soundtrack was probably my favorite part of the film.

In general, I'm glad I saw this movie on the big screen... Well, almost.
Note: The following is a mild rant about the viewing experience itself, not the movie.
My viewing experience was bad. Like, seriously bad. First of all, they didn't have the free trading card (not that I actually cared). Following that, some kid's birthday party (at a theater mind you) rented out the entire back row (they didn't even use all of the seats). During the film, all I could hear were kids yelling and talking to each other (not whispering) for the ENTIRE film. But whatever, I expected that. My main problem was the fact that for the first five minutes, the entire top half of the movie was cut off because nobody bothered to correctly angle the projector. Even after they fixed it, part of it was still missing.
So yeah, the viewing experience was worse than the movie itself.

All in all, this is a solid Pokemon movie. If it was any other movie, then it would've been terrible. But this movie had some kind of charm to it that can't really make you absolutely hate it. You could tell that the dubbing team put in effort. This is probably one of the better Pokemon movies in recent years.

Score: 6.5/10
Verdict:
"Though it is not a good movie critically, those who are already fans of the Pokemon anime will enjoy Pokemon the Movie: I Choose You for it's charm that the anime hasn't seen since it's early years. However, even that comes at the cost of containing many of the flaws that have plagued the series for it's lifespan as well as the burdens that are the modern aspects of the Pokemon anime. Luckily, charm and nostalgia are enough to make any fan feel as if they haven't wasted their money on a theater experience."
 
ii kanji said:
Everyone in my party was disappointed by the lack of contribution to the proceedings by Ho-Oh (who should have been responsible for bringing Satoshi back to life!)
Click to expand...
There goes any claim about "the ending making more sense than the first movie's" out the window.

I wouldn't mind a pointless AU movie if Ho-Oh weren't wasted on it.
 
I had a blast seeing this, I got an exclusive TCG card when I bought my ticket. Unlike the one I got for seeing Yu-Gi-Oh early this year, I'm not planning to sell it at all.

There were SO many people in the audience...and I even brought my Team Rocket Pikachu plush from the Pokémon Center website!
 
What I don't understand about this movie is why Piplup and Lucario were even there. It's not like the fourth generation needs any advertising at the moment.

Also, Verity's Piplup was basically Dawn's Piplup. It knew the same moves, it stayed out of its Poke Ball most of the time and even had a similar temperament. I wish they'd done something to make it a little unique.
 
Please note: The thread is from 6 years ago.
Please take the age of this thread into consideration in writing your reply. Depending on what exactly you wanted to say, you may want to consider if it would be better to post a new thread instead.

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