Pokémon the Movie: The Power of Us
Synopsis — from MyAnimeList
As Satoshi continues his journey to become a Pokémon Master, he travels to Fura City to attend the annual Wind Festival. Pumped up, Satoshi and Pikachu are determined to win the festival's Get Race. Meanwhile, Kagachi, a show-off and a habitual liar, joins the competition at the request of his niece Lily. Having almost no knowledge about Pokémon, he manages to strike a deal with a socially awkward scientist named Torito in exchange for help with his upcoming speech. Following Kagachi's victory, Satoshi meets Risa, an ex-regional track and field champion looking to catch a Pokémon. However, during Torito's speech, Team Rocket strikes and manages to steal a capsule from his lab. Tragedy strikes one after another as the Wind Festival's Sacred Flame disappears! As they set off on a journey to find the culprit, Satoshi and the group meet many people on the way—including Zeraora, the Thunderclap Pokémon who was believed to be dead...
Audience Consensus
Audience reception is largely positive, with many praising the film's artistic achievements, character focus, and departure from the typical Pokemon formula. However, a significant portion of viewers found the narrative boring, overstuffed with characters, and lacking a strong central conflict or antagonist. This results in a divided opinion, with strong admiration for its fresh approach clashing with criticisms of its pacing and narrative depth.
Strengths
- Outstanding artwork and animation quality, with backgrounds and wide shots compared to Studio Ghibli, and vibrant, unique character designs.
- The film successfully juggles multiple main characters, giving each sufficient screen time and development without losing its way.
- The world-building, particularly Fula City, is well-fleshed out and realistic within its fantasy setting.
- The narrative shift away from solely Ash's actions provides a unique and appreciated angle for the series.
- The music is fitting and enhances key scenes, and the English dub maintained a majority of the original tracks.
- Character designs are praised as the best in the franchise to date, with great attention to detail in outfits and appearance.
- The directing, camera movement, and framing create standout, memorable moments.
- The sound design effectively gives weight to the film's elements.
- The film's structure, focusing on character-driven stories and interpersonal connections rather than a singular antagonist, is seen as a refreshing change.
Weaknesses
- The plot is considered boring and uninspired by some, with predictable character arcs and a lack of engaging conflict.
- The movie has too many characters and subplots, spreading the narrative thin and causing many elements to have minor uses.
- The film suffers from pacing issues, with some parts feeling like filler, and the main plot only gaining momentum in the second half.
- The antagonist is weak or non-existent, leading to a lack of tension and a less compelling narrative drive.
- The messaging, while positive (e.g., pro-nature, togetherness), is seen as generic and overly simplistic by some critics.
- Some plot points and character motivations are poorly explained or left unanswered, leading to confusion.
- The CGI usage in some scenes is criticized as generic and jarring.
- Ash's character is often seen as underdeveloped and serves more as a plot device or familiar element rather than having a significant arc.