Barnes & Noble

Of course, young Pokémon lovers eager to "catch 'em all" will want to own this phenomenally popular franchise's inevitable First Movie. Parents take note, however, that this launch vehicle for Pokémon No. 151, the bioengineered Mewtwo, is darker in tone and more intense than the TV series. In despair over its own existence, Mewtwo rebels against its makers and unleashes a breed of other fierce Pokémon clones. Ash Ketchum, aspiring Pokémon master, and his companions Brock and Misty, are summoned along with other trainers to Mewtwo's remote island lair to engage in the ultimate battle -- one in which such beloved characters as Pikachu (the Elmo of Pokémon world) get seriously slapped around. More appropriate for preschool fans is "Pikachu's Vacation," a surreal 20-minute featurette that precedes the movie on the video and DVD. Other bonus features include a sneak preview of Pokémon: The Movie 2000 and a 10-minute segment, "The Story of Mewtwo's Origin." An exclusive Pokémon trading card is included in each package. Donald Liebenson

All Movie Guide

Pokémon, the lovable little characters who have become favorites in video games, TV cartoons, comic books, and toys, comes to the big screen with this animated feature film. In a fantastic alternate universe, there are 151 different varieties of the creatures called Pokemon, each with its own unique talents. Many humans attempt to capture the Pokemon and train them; the top trainers can teach the critters how to capture and train other Pokemon, making them Pokemon Masters. Ash Ketchum is one of the leading Pokemon Masters, and with his friends Misty, Brock, and Pikachu (a Pokemon with electrical powers), he discovers Mewtwo, a super-powered Pokemon created through biological engineering. Mewtwo has powers of which a mere Pokemon can only dream, and when he uses his skills to create even more super-Pokemon, Ash and his Pokemon friends must join forces to battle for survival. A major box-office success when released in Japan in 1998, Pokemon the First Movie was accompanied for its 1999 U.S. release by a 22-minute short subject, Pikachu's Vacation. Mark Deming

Product Details

• UPC: 085391802020
• Source: WARNER HOME VIDEO
• Region Code: 1
• Aspect Ratio: Pre-1954 Standard (1.33.1)
• Presentation: Pan & Scan
• Sound: Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround
• Language: English
• Subtitles: English
• Time: 1:30:00
• Sales Rank: 18,025

This DVD is also available as part of a box set:

• Pokemon: the First Three Movies

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