08/22/09: The Power of One

Butterfree
Admin
Website: The Cave of Dragonflies
Commenting on: 08-22-09

Well, the dub replaced all the music in the movie (including even Lugia's cry, for some bizarre reason), so I wouldn't know how good the dub music is; the Japanese music at least didn't strike me as particularly memorable, but then again that's personal taste (I know of many who think the Japanese music in that movie is amazing). I tried to refrain from reviewing the music in the movies where the music was replaced since talking about it wouldn't mean much to most people who read the reviews, who would only have seen the dub. I just had to mention the third movie's original music because I was already trying to make the point of how great that movie was, but otherwise I decided not to bring up the music if it wasn't kept in the dub.



About the Chosen One thing, even if there is something about it only working for somebody in whose hands the spheres glow or whatever (I don't remember that being mentioned in the Japanese version and I watched it twice), that doesn't help it much; it helps a little in the dub, where the prophecy actually has a specific reference to him and there could be some sort of destiny at work, but since there is no such reference to him in the Japanese version, there it would only open up the problem of exactly what makes Ash that person. And in any case, he could still just handle the actual placing the sphere on the altar, while somebody else (or more sensibly, everybody) handles actually retrieving it from the island.



Lugia used a current to get to the islands? I was under the impression Fox McCloud was referring to the current that went through the island whose disruption caused the weird weather, in which case Lugia definitely wouldn't want to dissipate it. He wouldn't need to bring it into the air to do so, anyway. It's just… really odd.



It's natural to be nostalgic about stuff you loved when you were little, but objectively, it just really isn't a very good movie. That doesn't mean you can't love it anyway, or that you can't enjoy seeing your favorite Pokémon in action (I mean, look at my love for that random Scyther that had about ten seconds of screentime in the fourth movie), but purely based on its merit as a story, well…

[06/09/2009 00:16:14]

Caldazar Atreides
Commenting on: 08-22-09

Several things. First, concerning the "Chosen One" plot, it was specifically mentioned that only the one in whose hands the spheres glow can bring harmony again (or something along those lines). This may only be in the dub, since I haven’t watched the subtitled Japanese to compare. Ironically, considering the amount of people who helped Ash out, the message "one person can make all the difference" is rather amusing to breakdown. The commercials seemed to imply this person was Ash, when in fact the movie seemed to play it more along the lines of “any contribution, no matter how small, helps.”



I'm rather biased toward this movie. All the legendary birds from the first generation plus Lugia were my favorite at the time (still are, now that I think about it…). I enjoyed seeing them on the silver screen, and that was what really made the experience great for me. Yeah, it’s a pretty pathetic reason in retrospect, but it worked when I was . . . eleven? That, and the way the screen jerked when Lugia used Hyper Beam the first time appealed such to the scope and power of the attack it made my mouth drop with a quite “wow…”.



I’m surprised you didn’t review the music. Lugia’s theme is one of my favorites, and the giant orchestra at the end was phenomenal. I also got the same impression as Fox McCloud – that the flying arch of water was the current Lugia used to get to the islands. However, I thought Lugia just brought it up to dissipate it, since he used it to get there. The dub was very poor in explaining the purpose of it. And if it was the current, what was the point of bringing it up (besides being a spectacular visual for the final scenes)?



Anyway, good review, if a little harsh. But my opinion is likely colored by nostalgia, so hard to think I can be objective about this.

[05/09/2009 21:58:11]

Fox McCloud
Commenting on: 08-22-09

I know what that wierd water thing was at the end. It was shown at brief moments throughout the movie. It's the ocean current that is all messed up. Apparently it gets magically lifted into the air and gets purified, I guess… :/

[28/08/2009 04:01:18]

Butterfree
Admin
Website: The Cave of Dragonflies
Commenting on: 08-22-09

No, everybody insists that he is the Chosen One and must be the one to retrieve the treasures. Even Slowking and Lugia, who have never seen him before.

[24/08/2009 14:45:13]

Quilava
Commenting on: 08-22-09

Great review. Though, about the "Chosen One" part of the plot; I always thought Ash wasn't really the one in the legend, but since everyone is so used to him playing the hero, they just all assumed it was him. After all, it was never specified (in the legend) who the chosen one is.

[24/08/2009 13:18:15]

xDawndancer
Commenting on: 08-22-09

Interestingly, I haven't seen movie 6 or 7 either. Anyways, great reviews, looking forward to the third movie (my favourite, but that's probably just I wanted to be Molly because I wanted power over water!)

[23/08/2009 16:31:12]

Butterfree
Admin
Website: The Cave of Dragonflies
Commenting on: 08-22-09

Actually, I have not yet seen the sixth and seventh at all. Hence my inability to confidently call the second one "the worst". :P I will review them, obviously - I've already gotten my hands on them both - but I can't judge yet.

[22/08/2009 20:25:21]

Eeveefan14
Commenting on: 08-22-09

Lol XD Nice review, it made me laugh. and yeah, it makes very little sense. I kinda lost interest on the movies some years ago because they always have a stupid scene without sense :P

[22/08/2009 20:09:09]

Charsivy
Commenting on: 08-22-09

Nice review. While I like the movie, 2000 is my least favorite of the Pokémon movies by far. However… I couldn't help but notice that you said it was "one of the worst" Pokémon movies, which made me wonder… which Pokémon movie is your least favorite? I'd guess 6 or 7, if only because everyone hates them (even though I love both, especially 6). Just curious, seeing as I don't think it's really possible for a Pokémon movie's plot to be as bad as The Power of One's. XD

[22/08/2009 19:49:26]