Pokemon the First Movie: Mewtwo vs. Mew Reviews

• A Mom's perspective:

  
  By on 2000-03-17
  My review is purely from a parent's perspective:

  I have twoboys, 9 and almost 11. They love Pokemon. They loved Ninja Turtles,Power Rangers, Star Wars, etc. so you know they are prone to being led by commercialism. Pokemon encourages nurturing, caring, and ideals like honesty, acceptance, and forgiveness. The good trainers protect and care for Pokemon. The bad guys exploit them and put their own selfish motives ahead of the Pokemon. The middle-can-be-turned-around characters learn from their mistakes and are forgiven by the main characters. Even Jessie and James occasionally show remorse and are treated with compassion.

  Do Pokemon battle? Yes. Unlike Ninja Turtles, Power Rangers, and Star Wars, however, a Pokemon doesn't have to be hurt or killed to be defeated. Their weapons are inner strengths that they are born with. And no trainer worth his salt lets his Pokemon get injured. It's not hard to take the lessons from Pokemon and apply them to the reality of the child.

  It's like Beanie Babies -- I know they're making a fortune leading our kids around by the nose. But it's relatively benign and I watch every video with them to make sure nothing changes. On a long trip in the truck, I let them play the two CD's -- the music is actually very enjoyable for me (and I'm 46!) and contains no bad language.

  And I liked Pikachu's Vacation film much better than the actual Pokemon movie... but my boys loved both!
  
  

• Great DVD!

  
  By on 2000-03-16
  This movie is exellent! I loved it at the theaters. It was so cool watching Mewtwo and Mew fight it out. Another thing that was cool is Pikachu Vacation mini movie. I got some real laughs over there though their really was just only pokemon. The best part is when Raichu and Pikachu battle it out in a race. It also showed some pokemon from Gold and Silver. But even if you saw it at the theaters... STILL BUY IT. Chances are that you didn't get a card but when you buy the VHS or DVD you get the Mewtwo Promo card (I think it's a promo card. If not just know that it is a Mewtwo, and it has the same attacks of the promo Mewtwo.) with a different picture. You also get both Mewtwo Strikes Back and Pikachu's Vacation and a bonus..... A PREVIEW OF THE SECOND MOVIE!
  
  

• US cuts ruined the film

  
  By on 2000-03-15
  Why exactly did they make cuts to the movie? I am baffled to this move, but compared to the Japanese version of the movie, which had real emotions attached to the storyline, this one falls flat. The entire pre-story isn't told.

  If you or your kids are into Pokémon, obviously this is a must buy. But, if you're an adult Pokémon fan or you want your kids to see a much more intelligent version of the movie, buy the subtitled import. So it's not in English; you'll enjoy the story so much more. I would easily grant the original Japanese version 4, maybe 5 stars. This disgusting oversimplification can only be granted a 2.
  
  

• Just Say No to Pokemon

  
  By ACMOLKXVKQ06Z on 2000-07-26
  I can't see why any animator, filmmaker, or little child could possibly respect this lame movie and cartoon series. This movie doesn't have anything that makes a movie good.

  Story? There is none. There is no plot, this movie consists of little creatures running around and doing mindless slapstick moves on each other.

  Animation? This is what really stands out as being horrendous. Dialogue consists of 2 frames of animation (one with the mouth open, one with it closed). Not that it matters, the dialogue is never in sync anyway.

  This is just a lame movie. It is just low quality animation, with BAD and ANNOYING acting, and a very low production value. This movie says "I was made in a couple of weeks, for a couple of bucks."

  This movie is unhealthy for impressionable youth to watch. Pretend this is the plague, and stay away.
  
  

• An insult to the Japanese version

  
  By AWHSWTMHL7W3N on 2000-03-25
  First off, let me say that the Japanese version of Mewtwo Strikes Back is, IMO, the best the pokemon world had to offer, and my personal favorite. The American version, is well, really bad.

  I have seen both versions, and most notably, they change absolutely everything in the American version. And I do mean absolutely everything.

  The plot is not the same as in the original Japanese version. In the original, the basic plot is a confused Mewtwo resenting the fact that he was created by humans, not God, and thinks his life has no meaning. Throughout the movie, Mewtwo tries to get revenge on those who made him and tried to enslave him, and more importantly, to prove his worth as a living being by beating his original, Mew.

  The American version simply has Mewtwo trying to take over the world and destroying everything.

  The original has an introduction that depicts Mewtwo as somewhat of a confused child, not knowing who he is, what he is, or why he is there, a theme that is emphasized throughout the movie. He is told that he was made by humans and is a clone, which upset him, to say the least. Mewtwo only teams up with Giovanni because the crime boss offers to give some value to Mewtwo's life.

  In the American version, It starts off with a really bad speech about the meaning of life, then a short little bit of the scientists explaining to Mewtwo that he was a experiment, Mewtwo getting ticked, and blowing up the place. Giovanni comes along, and they agree to destroy stuff together.

  I won't go into all that much detail about the rest of the movie, but I will point out some major changes.

  First, the intro song is different, of course, and is in fact, worse.

  A lot of the dialogue is different, aside from the everyday stuff, like Ash saying, "I said I was too tired to work, not battle!" as opposed to "Just one or two battles before lunch!" For example, every single line Team Rocket says is different. I am not kidding. The scene about Jessie holding up a frying pan is originally about them having no food to cook, as opposed to Jessie's horrible cooking. Also, not once in the original did Team Rocket make a bad pun. In the American version, that was the only thing they did.

  The pier master in the original says that one can tell what the conditions are in the ocean by asking the seagulls, while in the American version, she speaks of a legend of magical tears that can revive living things. (Gotta explain the ending to us dumb Americans)

  Also, the American version says nothing about the fossilized eyelash of Mew that was created to form Mewtwo. Heck, the entire computer speech was different. In the original, it was a third, unnamed, person who spoke, not the scientist.

  The speech Mewtwo gives to the trainers when they first meet him is completely different, as well. In the original, Mewtwo says that humans are weak and cruel, and the world will fall into ruin because they control it. He also says that Pokemon are no better off, since they choose to associate with humans. Not once did he say anything about taking over the world, but it is vaguely suggested. Also, it is Mewtwo who says that they should battle pokemon to see who is the strongest, the clones verses the originals.

  In the American Version, Mewtwo basically says he'll destroy all humans and take over the world.

  This is a key change in the movie: In the original when Mew appears, it says that originals will never be defeated by their copies when they fight without special powers. Thus, Mew is partially responsible for the big battle that follows. The battle itself is about pokemon fighting for the meaning of their lives, since, (as Mewtwo sees it) clones have no value, and whomever wins will be the 'real' one, not the worthless clone.

  In the American, Mew is free of all sin, and says that pokemon's greatest strength is their heart, or some corny thing like that, and the battle is basically the clones trying to destroy the originals for no reason.

  I'd also like to point out that the original had a pretty good music score in this scene, while the American version had a really bad teeny bopper song playing inappropriately in the background.

  Also, the original have the humans who are watching says a whole heck of a lot more about how Mewtwo and all the clones are living beings with value, while in the American, that was touched on briefly, followed by people crying out how bad it is that everyone's fighting.

  And as little other thing, when the two Nayasus meet, in the original, the copy says that Nayasu is not fair because he is not fighting with him, and also they talk about philosophy and the moon, and how tasteful it is to be talking about the moon at a time like this. The American version simply has Meowth saying that fighting is bad.

  The ending is different by quite a bit too, naturally. In both the original and American version, it appears that the humans forgive Mewtwo for what he has done. This is *much* more implied in the original as opposed to the American version. Also, in the original, Mewtwo states that it does not matter who is more powerful, that the clones and originals both have value, and nothing else about the matter. He also says that it would be best if no one knew about what happened. The American version tacks on some stuff about how he realizes fighting is wrong, and that he shouldn't have made things just to destroy them, and other forced moralisms. When Mewtwo flies off in the end in the original, he says that he will find a place where clones can live in peace, while the American version goes on trying to shove morals in a movie that originally did not have one.

  I guess to put it bluntly, WB seriously dumbed down the movie and simplified it. In the original, Mewtwo is battling for revenge, but more importantly to add meaning to his life. That is why he wants to prove he is the most powerful pokemon, so that he can prove to the world, and most importantly to himself, that he is in fact a living being with value, since he relates power with value. Mewtwo is not evil in this film, just confused, misguided, and really ticked off.

  The American version takes that element out, and portrays Mewtwo as an evil pokemon who wants to destroy the world. That is why I got sick when seeing the American version. (Did I mention that the voice acting in the American version was really bad also?)
  
  

• An Objective Look from a Pokemaster
  By A58ZVLOR5EYHJ on 2000-03-04
  I am a devoted fan of Pokemon, despite my age (a whopping 16!). However, although I found the TV series entertaining (in a baffling, obsessive way), this feature lacks the charm, humor, and tone of the episodes and instead, seems to be just winging it, exploiting the enormous success of the pokemon phenomenon purely for corporate profit, without the care of an artist. Not only is it crudely translated and dubbed (may I mention the some 20 minutes cut? or the error on the pokemon names?), but the emotion behind the original Japanese production is lost. And the whole "fighting is bad" tirade? Come on! Much of the effort at emotional content resulted in several mawkishly sentimental scenes. We don't need to be told; we want to be shown. I'm aware that this film is directly mainly toward a younger audience, but I don't think any less effort should be put forth to make it a quality film. Hopefully, with the some $83 mill from this production, the second pokemon movie will be handled with more tenderness. I (and I speak for many others) will be waiting to applaud this summer's Pokemon Revelation Lugia.
  
  
• The Best Pokemon Movie EVER!!
  By A1L8HNSNIL7LP5 on 2006-04-04
  IGNORE THE *OTHER* REVEIWERS WHO SAYS THAT THIS MOVIE SUCKS. THEY'RE WRONG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  
  This is a beautiful, suspenseful movie that brought tears to my eyes and made me cry. The action kept me on the edge of my seat. And, there were surprises!
  
  This is the best Pokemon movie ever, regardless of what the other reviwers say. Though, I don't know why they released this one and the second movie in theaters, instead of the rest.
  
  Buy this movie, you won't regret it!
  
  Unlike most viewers you say, "Pokemon sucks", "The Pokemon craze is over", "Pokemon is getting old", YOU'RE WRONG!!!!!!!!!!!!
  
  
• Pokemon: Mewtwo Strikes Back
  By A8XNL1X3FHHU9 on 2000-03-16
  All in all, a great movie, although there are a few flaws. I will first name the few drawbacks that kept this movie from a five star rating: Shallow plot in the most part, little dialogue, and childish theme. However, for those true pokefanatics out there, the many pokemon battles are astounding and exciting. If I were Siskel or Ebert, I would certainly give this movie 2 thumbs up!
  
  
• Could lead to Interesting Classroom Discussions...
  By A1Q4ZU2Y929N0A on 2003-05-14
  In the first theatrical release of the Pokemon series, we are given secondary stories to follow - stories that might lead to interesting classroom discussions. This is not only a movie children will enjoy, but a movie that adults will find has story elements worth following up on.

  If you're unfamiliar with the basics, Pokemon (short for "POcKEt MONsters") are creatures a little like those from this world, but with strange and unusual powers and abilities that they use for their masters - masters that can be either good or evil. Ash and his friends train their Pokemon to fight battles with their enemies. They travel all over the planet to collect new and unusual types of Pokemon. They trap Pokemon in "Poke Balls" - a small device that hangs from a belt. When Ash's enemies release their Pokemon to do their work, Ash and his friends release their Pokemon, and they have a big battle.

  In the main story, Giovanni, the leader of the evil "Team Rocket", uses cells from a prehistoric Pokemon named Mew to create a whole new creature. But MewTwo is not a true clone - he is manufactured to be better than his 'parent'. Giovanni wants to control MewTwo for himself, but MewTwo revolts against this, breaks free from his creator and begins a campaign of revenge. It's up to Ash and his friends to stop MewTwo before he kills everyone on Earth with his scientifically enhanced psychic powers. MewTwo begins his reign of terror by cloning other Pokemon to be better than their predecessors.

  It is MewTwo's revolt and its results that can start interesting classroom discussions. Questions for discussion include: "Is Cloning Wrong?" "If we do clone, do we want to try to alter the original?" And, the most interesting dilemmas of all - "Is this all I am?" "Why am I here?" "Where do I go from here?" These are dilemmas everyone must deal with.

  I won't spoil the ending - it has to be seen. Even the original Mew shows up to add to the fun. The ending caused hours of talk between my daughter and myself. I gained a whole new respect for Pokemon thru this movie, and I'm sure you will too. The story's twin messages - one about cloning and its effects and one about "Is This All I Am?" are not preachy and the art is Japanamation at close to its best.

  There's also a short Pikachu cartoon that younger Pokemon fans will enjoy. Fans of the TV show will love this extra.

  The story makes this movie well worth adding to your home video library.
  
  

• Very powerful
  By A8XJ2WGQVD5QW on 2006-05-02
  Now I saw some of the reviews on the site and some are bad and some go way far into the plot. Now as an adult I'm going to rate this.
  
  Pokemon is first of all a show that follows Ash Ketchum aboy who begins an adventure to catch and train pokemon-creatures that inhabit his world. It is pretty much a childrens show but the movie really has a strong theme.
  
  It begins with a scientist funded by Giovonni, a corupt mad man in charge of a lethal organization. Now the scientists recovered a fossil that is said to be remains of the legendary pokemon Mew, also the first one in existence.
  
  The cloning process was successful but Mewtwo soon discovered that the humans care nothign for him and rebelled against his creators. Once Giovonni betrayed him Mewtwo was adamant to destroy humanity thining humans are all the same. Doing that he brings forth the greatest trainers on the planet and clones their pokemon.
  
  The movie teaches the greatest lesson that can be learned- We are all different but if you can look past the differences and focus on what we have in common then perhaps we can be so much more.
  
  A good lesson hidden inside the chaoticly famous series.
  
  
• The greatest movie I have ever seen in my life.
  By A3O0ZA0PSBXAUR on 2000-03-01
  This is a great movie. Well technically, two movies.

  Pikachu's Vacation: This is a cute short movie. It is about Pikachu, Togepi, and all of the other Pokemon who's Trainers are the main characters, going on a one day vacation to a Pokemon playground called "Pokemon Land". After everyone settles down, Togepi misses Misty and cries. After Bulbasaur calms it down, a group of 4 Pokemon Cubone, Raichu, and two newly discovered Pokemon- Marrill, and Snubble walk by talking loudly. In fear that Togepi may awake, Pikachu's party of Bulbasaur, Suirtle, and Himself ask the crowd to please quiet down. But they get angered. And thats where it all starts. From then on, Pikachu's party face off against the other party, but an emergency will stop the competition, and have team work save the victim of the emergency- Charizard. It is a very cute little short movie aimed for the younger Pokemon fans.

  Mewtwo Strikes Back: This is a story about a Pokemon named Mewtwo. He is the clone of the legendary Pokemon Mew. When Mewtwo awakens, He is confused, but when he learns that his whole life is an experiment, and that He was artificialy made just for an experiment for Science, He grows sad, depressed, unloved, and enraged. He kills all the Scientists in the lab including Dr. Smith-the head Scientist of the Mewtwo project. Mewtwo then meets a promising Man. His name is Giovanni. He is the leader of Team Rocket. Mewtwo hates Humans because of why they created Him, and lusts for world domination over them. Giovanni promises Him world domination, as His partner. Mewtwo excepts. Mewtwo is placed in armor restraining His powers in case He were to grow angry and attack Giovanni. In Team Rocket HQ and the Viridian Gym, Giovanni decieves Mewtwo, and uses Him to test His skills, beat Trainers and hurt them and their Pokemon, and to catch rare Pokemon for Team Rocket. Mewtwo realizes how He is being used though and destroys Team Rocket HQ, and flys off. He lands in the rubble of the lab He was created in, and takes of the armor that didn't already break off when he flew off. Mewtwo then declares that He will dominate the world, and will show the Human race His revenge, and show- The Wrath of Mewtwo. Mewtwo's rage is shown then through His eyes. Then, when the prologue is over, we are shown our hero Ash. He battles a Pirate wannabe, and Bulbasaur, Squirtle, and Pikachu lead Him to a win. But a Fearow His recorded that with a camera on it's neck, whom is flying over Ash and Friends. Mewtwo watches Ash. A mysterious beautiful lady, whom is Mewtwo's servant, asks if She should send out a invitation to Him. A invitation to what though? Something Mewtwo is behind... Ash and Friends recieve the invitation from a Dragonite that works for Mewtwo! The invitation Has the beautiful lady whom is Mewtwos's servant. She asks if the person who recieved the letter would please attend Her masters party. The directions are then shown. She then asks to please R.S.V.P. by checking off the "Yes" or "No" blocks. All She says about Her master is he is a powerful trainer looking for a challenge. They check off the "Yes" box. Team Rocket stops Dragonite from taking off- by Jessie stopping it with a frying pan. The letter is dropped and Team Rocket views the hologram invitation card too. They decide to leave for the island which is named "New Island" also. And from on that point a incredible, dramatic, dark, beautiful, funny, sad, happy epic adventure takes place that even talked about the essence of life itself, and the wrong of war, and fighting in general. MSB is aimed for the older viewers of Pokemon.

  All in all, PV is a cute little adventure, that You will love, and MSB is a beautiful story that will have You cry, as it did to Me. However MSB has death, cloning, drama, essences of life and war, and deep drama, but is the better movie, and I DONT distraught the younger fans from seeing it-just the immature bratty ones.

  Beautiful. 5 Stars

  Review written by, Ash Ketchum 2
  
  

• A long version of a TV episode, with extras!
  By AK81JTJZPM6ZR on 2000-03-22
  Wow! If you don't know what Pokemon is, you've probably been stuck in a cave for the past year or so with your fingers in your ears. Just kidding. Well, we all have grown to love (or hate) Pokemon for our own reasons. Anyway, down to the movie.

  The movie itself was done pretty well. It is just like the cartoon you can watch on your television set, but with a clearer picture quality and better soundtrack (it really is pretty good). No story spoilers, but it is a pretty basic story. Good vs. Evil. The Pikachu's Vacation short is really cute and will appeal to kids who don't like violence all the way to kids who want to see action (there's competitions). As for the movie, I wouldn't recommend it for kids who don't like the fighting aspect of Pokemon, but rather one particular pokemon (such as Pikachu or Psyduck). The story can get quite violent and my godbrother and godsister (about age 12 and under) really did not enjoy the violence in the film (violence = evil deeds from the evil side of the team).

  However, if you can bypass that whole violence part of Pokemon, then it's a pretty good movie. Though simple in story, it does a pretty good job capturing the essence of the television show and video game. You get to see new pokemon from gold and silver AND... you get a free promo card! Well, I did anyway. So if you've never seen this movie yet, worth a rental. If you're a poke-maniac, buy it asap. If you don't like pokemon whatsoever... then... er... don't even consider it. It won't change your opinion (however, the show and games might).
  
  

• This One's For the Fans
  By on 2000-03-04
  Now first of all, Ive liked Pokemon since before it became a huge craze in the US, and am older than the average Poke-fanatic. But the charm of Pokemon is the cute critters, namely Pikachu, who has more personality than ten Bambies put together. Having bought all 16 of the VHS videos put out with 3 eps a piece, I can safely say Im familiar with the anime, and the movie in comparision is a little darker and altered some from the Japanese version. For an anime movie the dub is quite excellent, and rarely gets into the annoying factor. Why so many people have complained about Pokemon and the movie, I cannot imagine. Its cute, but never in the realms of being stupid, and has enough appeal to reach people of all ages. One of the cutest parts is the pokemon all together at the beginning short, having to rely on their body movements and the various inflections in the sounds they make to interpret what's going on. The Pokemon are so full of personality that its a joy just to watch them interact with one another.

  If you like Pokemon this is a no-brainer. The movie is a must-have, there are so many Pokemon in the main feature, with lots of super cute battling and even that classic shot of Pikachu with tears dribbling down his cheeks. The story plays out very much like one of the 3 part episodes with a lot of cuteness to fill out the rest of the time. For anyone that is skeptical about all this Pokemon stuff, I assure you that Disney has not done anything this cute or intriguing since some of their animated flicks in the 60s-70s.
  
  

• Adults say: 25 minutes too long
  By on 2000-02-22
  I have two small boys, and I regularly watch the TV episodes with them. I even like them. (The episodes, that is. I love my boys - for this reason, we saw the movie in the theater.)

  The "feature" portion of this movie is too long - the plot would have been fine in a shorter episode. As it was, it was padded out and I just kept wishing it was over. Plus, Ash gets turned to stone (and comes back to life.) This didn't seem to traumatize my kids - but watch out for anybody that takes this too seriously.

  The cartoon "short" at the beginning is entertaining assuming you can tolerate the lack of dialog. Several times the short is padded with images of dancing pokemon - my kids loved this, I found it nearly pointless. Still, if you like silent films, this might be for you. I liked it better than the feature.

  If you haven't taken your kids to see this already, you dodged the bullet - don't bother getting your own copy - I'm sure they can watch it at their neighbor's house.
  
  

• Pokemon The Movie Rocks!
  By AJRJ93MAIADHD on 2000-03-10
  At first look, I thought the movie was going to be like the cartoon, ok but with something missing from it. But I was wrong! This movie is awesome. Even though it's not on video yet, you should pre-order it now! I listening to the soundtrck as I write this and it's awesome too! This is a must-see for all Pokemon fans, and even those who are not familiar with pokemon will get something out of it!
  
  
• A trashy version of the original movie
  By on 2000-02-24
  Unfortunately, this must be one of the worst movies of the year. Not only the English dub of "Mewtwo Strikes Back" not changed the dialogue and the scripts, but provide with absurb voice acting. No way is the artificial pokemon Mewtwo is an anthrophobe who is out to destroy all humans and the pokemon who are loyal to them. Nor is he the villain that 4Kid Productions created him to be. In the original movie, Mewtwo wants revenge on his creators, not all humans.

  Lastly, the moral of the movie is soo laughable, that it does not compare with the modest moral of the original movie. While the theme of the English dub and the original movie is anti-war, the former has gone too far and make it into an annoying preachy subject. This and other things in the English dub made it a trashy version of the original Japanese movie.

  Remember, if you are smart purchase the original "Mewtwo Strikes Back," not from the hacked-up English dub! Support TV Tokyo and Sho-Pro, not 4Kids Productions!
  
  

• Aaaagh! What have they done to this movie?
  By on 2000-04-30
  I rented this movie merely to compare it to the Japanese version, and was quite disappointed. As others have said, Mewtwo's character is very poorly portrayed in the American version. In Japan, he is merely confused and quite angry-he's trying to find a purpose to his life, and is angry at humans for how they have treated him-like a laboratory experiment, nothing more. In America, he's out to destroy the world and all the humans and Pokemon in it. He's changed from a lost, angry soul to a one-dimensional villain. Not nearly as interesting. Also, the opening scene has a narrative over it that's supposed to give newbies an introduction to the world of Pokemon, but ends up merely being annoying. The dialogue is butchered up horribly. They even added an explanation about the 'legend' of the Pokemon tears reviving someone-as if we can't figure out what's happening at the end when they revive Ash... The worst thing, by far, though, was the music. The pain...the pain! The Japanese themesong that I once spent a 30 minutes downloading a clip of so I could listen to it on my computer was replaced with a stupid rap version of the already barely tolerable American one (I wanna be..the very best..like no one ever was..blech!). The whole Japanese soundtrack, which I would buy in a minute if I could find it for a decent price, was replaced with dumb pop music. Horror of horrors, they replaced the awesome music from the end fight scene with this slow, sad song (Brother, My Brother, I believe it was). Even the resident four year old in my house thought that the music didn't go with the scene at all-and she's four, for crying out loud! What were they thinking? All in all, a very poor dub. See the Japanese version if you can. I found it much better, and I don't even speak a word of Japanese! What's next...let's see...they've changed Revelation:Lugia to Pokemon: The Movie 2000. Nice title, guys. I can hardly wait...
  
  
• If only....
  By on 2004-12-13
  *Sigh* When I first saw this movie, I loved it. I was obsessed with it, I had no negative comments on it whatsoever except maybe the crappy DVD/VHS box art, but now...
  
  I am a Pokemon Fan. Unlike most low raters of this movie, I am not giving it a two due to being biased against it, as I am an avid Pokemon lover, but the story behind this movie is just plain sad(sad as in sad, not pathetic)
  
  The plot of this movie, in a nutshell, is Mewtwo, a super-powerful pokemon is resentful toward his human creators and wants to destroy them and take over the world, but then lures Pokemon trainers to an island fortress to clone their Pokemon and them pit them against the originals to prove that clones are stronger.
  
  Do you know what the plot, in a nutshell, was in the JAPANESE version? They cut out the long, twenty minute beginning of the movie which may have been the best part: Mewtwo as a baby talking with a girl and three other clones about life and who they are. Then, in the main movie, Mewtwo, who has been created for the sole purpose of fighting, clones trainers' Pokemon in order to destroy all humans and allow clones to live not as the products as science. But when confronted by the trainers, Mewtwo, after having been told his sole purpose in life is to fight, pits the clones and originals against one another and they fight because they believe that their lives are not meant for anything else.
  
  Nearly all Pokemon fans with a brain want to horribly maul the Engilsh dubbers for how they mutilated such a wonderful Japanese plot. For a long time I wondered why they changed it, until I realized, after a conversation about plot with my younger sister, the plan behind it.
  
  Little kids don't like plot. They cant register depth, they don't comprehend theme, and meaningful plot means nothing to them. "I'm stronger than you so we'll fight to see who's better," on the other hand, is what they live for, and I think it's truly sad how this good movie went to waste. Yes, it still is entertaining, and I still enjoy it, and yet...if only there was a way to see how the movie would have turned out if it had been dubbed directly into English, with the original splendor still intact.
  
  
• Best movie I've seen in my life!
  By on 2000-03-24
  This movie rocks! It has a very strong plot. The mini movie, Pikachu's Vacation is also a good movie because it's really cute and funny. Hope you like the movie! Bye!
  
  
• 5 star movie
  By on 2000-03-06
  Pokemon the First Movie: Mewtwo Strikes Back is the best movie I have ever seen. It is not a 1,2,3 or 4 star movie, it is a guaranteed FIVE STAR MOVIE. It has comedy, action and drama. And I can't wait to get the video.
  
  
• The Pokemon Movie is More Exciting than the Videos
  By on 2000-02-23
  My son has ALL of the Pokemon vidoes. So, naturally, we took him to see Pokemon:The First Movie. Unlike the cartoon series, the action is a little more intense. And the setting is very dark is some cases. But my son just loved it. It is not as "cutesy" as the cartoon series. But there is alot of action and most of the 150 Pokemon are in there somewhere! The only drawback is as usual there are alot of "matches" between battling Pokemon. IF you have watched the series, this is not surprising. This movie is a must for any Pokemon fan! They will love it!
  
  
• Why this is a good movie
  By A2SD2F5O2ZHK8M on 2000-03-10
  When I sat in the red, damp seat to see this movie when it came out, I knew it would be a ride. And then the open theme came in... There is something about this that seems to generate excitement and hope, because besides seeing the look in the eyes of kids and adults alike, I felt it. It is all about being your best, never giving up and fighting for what is right. This is in the show, yes, but this scale is... Well, great. Buy this if you like anime, are looking for something to bost your spirit, or if you are alive. This is VERY good stuff. I am a BIG critic of anime, but this has it all. Buy it. Trust me.
  
  
• So It's Been Americanized
  By on 2000-04-13
  I've heard a lot of complaining about how this movie is different from the Japanese version. I have not seen the Japanese and I probably won't get to see it. The best way to look at them each separately. I didn't get to see Pokemon: The First Movie in the theaters so my first time seeing it was on DVD. I love the show and I loved the movie. It's darker and more dramatic than the show. I have to say though that those who are unfamiliar with Pokemon, might not like this movie. Pikachu's Vacation was brighter and bubbly. It's kind of kiddy, too. The DVD features are cool, too. The sound is great and it also features Ash's Journey, M2M's music video, and stuff about Anime. If you get the DVD, you've gotta watch it with the Director's Commentary. It's really interesting and funny. One thing though: the reviews say that the movie is only 55 minutes long, but my counter read 1:15 at the end, and that wasn't including Pikachu's Vacation.
  
  
• Americans are so restricting.....
  By A2UXW36T8GMQ7E on 2000-03-19
  I have seen the English version once. I have seen the Japanese version over eight times. I find no fault in the Japanese version, but when compared, the English version falls short. Why are we Americans so restricting?

  I let my younger cousins watch the Japanese version, and they have never seen the English version. (I had made sure to watch the movie before hand incase it needed screening, which it didn't.) I find it disgusting the way editors hack apart a foreign film, taking out all emotion, and anything worth watching.

  The dubbing was horrid, the Proffessor's voice was grating on the ears. The soundtract for the English version was so out of place. Yes, the music is okay as a stand-alone, but when combined with the movie, it just ruind the overall mood.

  Many of the Pokémon names were confused and just plain messed up. The new composed music that replaced the nifty-spiffy creepy pipe organ music (Mewtwo's theme) was so depressing that i wanted to throw up.

  Yes, Shogakukan digitized some sections for the US release, and that was rather neat, but to hack apart a wonderful entertaining movie was just wrong.

  The kids will rave, but older Pokémon fans like myself will find it frustrating and rather dull. If you want to see the English version, that's fine. (I'm getting it just for the card, and to use as a "compare-and-contrast" with my Japanese version.) But, if you want to see a better, well put-together story of creation, betrayal and the value of life, then seek out and find the Japanese version. You will not be dissapointed.

  And "Pikachu's Vacation" is just scary... *Shiver*
  
  

• Mewtwo Strikes Back
  By A4D7ITMQQ2DUP on 2006-04-19
  Before you turn down this movie due to the negative reviews of other people, please read my review.
  This is a much more powerful and deep tale than, "evil Pokemon wants to rule the world". Dr, Fuji was a scientist who wanted to bring back his dead daughter, Ai. He decided to do this, by cloning her. He decided to clone a Pokemon, and discover their life force, since the human clone could only live for four years. Thus, Mewtwo, a clone of the most rare and most powerful Pokemon ever, Mew, was born.
  Even though they were in separate glass cylinders (that kept them alive) mew and Ai could communicate telepathically. Mewtwo began to learn about the world around him. But, as it happened, it had been four years, and Ai died. Her father, Dr. Fuji, was not worried. He had her DNA, and he could clone her again. This made Mewtwo angry. How dare he just replace her?! She was a living being! Not a toy you can just replace again and again! Mewtwo became unstable, and they had to tranquilize him.
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  (Japanese Version)
  Myuutsuu: Make them? As many as you want? That's not right. There's only one Ai.
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  A year or so later, Mewtwo awoke. He learned that he was not born a Pokemon, but created. Created? He wondered. He was told that he was a clone. An experiment. A mere scientific product. He became angry. He was angry with the scientists who created him. They created him to be only an experiment, and nothing else. How could they? Furious at his own existence, he destroyed the lab, and everyone inside. Soon, Giovanni, the leader of the evil Team Rocket, and the man who ordered the scientists to create Mewtwo discovered him. Giovanni offered a deal. That he would train Mewtwo, and they would rule the earth together. Mewtwo ignore him. He did not need help. But the cruel Giovanni insisted that Mewtwo had no control over his powers, and he could help Mewtwo harness them. Mewtwo agreed to this.
  Giovanni created Mewtwo a battle suit, and had him fight. But soon, Mewtwo discovered that Giovanni didn't care about Mewtwo. Giovanni thought that Mewtwo was worth nothing. That he was created to fight for Giovanni, and for no other
  reason.
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  Mewtwo: Now I fully perceive my power. But what is my purpose?
  Giovanni: To serve your master. You were created to fight for me. That is your purpose.
  Mewtwo: That cannot be. You said we were partners. We stood as equals.
  Giovanni: You were created by humans to obey humans. You could never be our equal.
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  This made Mewtwo angry. Giovanni believed that Mewtwo was an inferior being. How dare he? How dare he say that Mewtwo was only created to fight?! Furious, he left.
  He went back to New Island, where the original lab had been, and created a new one. Humans, the horrible species that created him, that used him, and betrayed him. They cared nothing for clones, and he would make them pay. He would challenge the strongest trainers to come and fight, and then he would clone their Pokemon. He would have them fight, the Originals and the Clones, and see who had more worth. It was a war to see who would control the earth, clones, or originals. He would get his revenge.
  And so, he formed his plan. He created a giant storm, so only the strongest would make it through. The trainers came, and the battle of the century began. Mew, the original came to New Island. Mew was a protector Pokemon, and watched over all of the Pokemon. She would not let Mewtwo destroy the planet! And so, Mewtwo cloned the trainer's Pokemon, and had them fight.
  The originals and clones fought viciously, their trainers watching horrified. Mew and Mewtwo also faced off. Ash Ketchum, a Pokemon trainer watched his Pokemon fight. He realized that it had to stop. As Mew and Mewtwo formed energy balls, and ran into the middle of the crossfire, turning him to stone.
  It was at that moment the Pokemon realized what would happen as a result of this senseless fighting. And the Pokemon, clone and original cried. Mewtwo was shocked. These Pokemon crying for a human? The species that had abused and betrayed him?
  The Pokemon tears were filled with life, and Ash was restored. Then Mewtwo realized something. That senseless war was not the answer, and that originals and clones could live together, in harmony. That everyone deserved equality. Mewtwo ceased the fighting, and took his clones to a place where they could live in peace. He wiped the memories of everyone except his clones and Mew, and everything was restored to normal.
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  Mewtwo: I see now that the circumstances of one's birth are irrelevant. It is what you do with the gift of life that determines who you are.
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  This movie is very powerful, and holds a meaningful message. Please, watch this movie and experience Pokemon at its greatest. Thank you.
  
  
• Pokemon the First Movie: Mewtwo Strikes Back
  By A1IITX9TFPIWN8 on 2000-03-30
  I thought that this was a great movie for anyone. The only reason I didn't give it five stars was that I thought it went straight into the plot too fast. Other than that its a movie children of all ages would enjoy.
  
  
• Terrible Dub
  By on 2000-03-30
  The English version of the first Pokemon movie is horrible. The Japanese version is MUCH better. Oh, and "Origin of Mewtwo" isn't the same as "Birth of Mewtwo"
  
  
• Ash Died
  By on 2000-04-17
  HA HA HA HA ASH IS DEAD!

  what, he came back to life

  NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
  
  

• THE BEST ONE YET
  By on 2000-02-23
  I saw the movie in the theatre and I loved it. I am going to get it apsalutley as soon as possible.The movie starts out on an island laboratory with pitch black because you are seeing it out of MewTwo's eyes. He talks to himself about what is going on then he escapes and blows up the lab. Then it is our heroes Pikachu and masters. They are just about to eat lunch when a trainer challenges Ash to a POKeMON battle then the theme song starts. You have to see it a couple times. I am not going to reveal the rest of the story to you but it got so sad that it made me cry, even during the credits! It is a deffinent YESSSSSSSS.
  
  
• Only endurable with drugs
  By A20ZJ898166ETY on 2000-07-19
  Let's face it: It's a terrible movie. Mediocre animation, stupid songs, awful story and the most rotten moral ever: "Don't fight", they say - but what else are Pokémon's good for? The 'best' was the episode before the feature. You have all those Pokémon sudddenly flashing over the screen, colorful backgrounds. No dialoge or story whatsoever. If you're under drugs, this might have the same effect like the lightrays-orgy at the end of '2001' had on some Hippies back in 1968. To sum up: If you like Pokémon, you'll like this movie. If you're a grownup, you won't. It's not even much about liking or not - it's about understanding. Most people just won't get it. And that's a *good* sign!
  
  

• Pokemon Projects Studio: Blue Version

• Pokemon - The Movie 2000
• Pokemon 3 - The Movie
• Pokemon 4Ever: Movie
• Pokemon Movie - Lucario and The Mystery of Mew
• Pokemon Heroes: The Movie