Pokémon: The First Movie

From its humble beginnings as a Nintendo video game, Pokémon has evolved into a $6 billion industry. For those who don't know their Charizard from their Charmander, "Pokémon" (which translates to "pocket monster") trainers engage these fantastic creatures with specialized powers in matches with other trainers. 10-year-old Ash Ketchum, an aspiring Pokémon master who wanders the countryside with Brock (an aspiring Pokémon breeder), Misty (a feisty girl with a penchant for wearing short shorts), and Pikachu (who is the Elmo of Pokémon-dom), are the animated stars. Pokémon: The First Movie introduces a new Pokémon, the bio-engineered Mewtwo, who in a pique of existential malaise unleashes a breed of fierce Pokémon clones and challenges Ash and other deemed-worthy trainers to the ultimate match. As someone who actually likes the phenomenally popular TV series, this film is a grave disappointment. The final showdown in which the clones clobber the real Pokémons could be very disturbing to youngsters who will see their beloved characters seriously slapped around (Pikachu and his clone seem to be recreating the "my sister, my daughter" scene from Chinatown). More appropriate for younger viewers is "Pikachu's Vacation," a deliriously surreal 20-minute featurette that precedes the movie and better conveys the TV series' lighter tone. Not recommended, but as the Borg in Star Trek: The Next Generation are fond of saying, "resistance is futile," especially at the sell-through price. (K. Lee Benson)