Product Description

AN ANCIENT LEGEND COMES TRUE WHEN POKEMON ARTICUNO, ZAPDOS AND MOLTRES ARE DISTURBED AFTER CENTURIES OF HARMONY. AS THE VERY FORCES OF NATURE COME UNBALANCED, LIFE ON EARTH DEPENDS ON THE UNLIKELY TEAMING OF THE MYTHICAL POKEMON LUGIA AND A MYSTERIOUS CHOSEN ONE FORETOLD IN THE LEGEND.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #9627 in DVD
• Brand: WARNER HOME VIDEO
• Released on: 2000-11-14
• Rating: G (General Audience)
• Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
• Formats: Animated, Color, Dolby, DVD, NTSC
• Original language: English, French
• Subtitled in: French, English
• Dubbed in: French
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 102 minutes

Amazon.com
Thanks to a greedy Pokémon collector, Earth's weather patterns are askew and its population doomed unless Pokémon trainer Ash can return three glass balls to their proper place in this second Pokémon feature. Unlike the television show, the movie features little violence and no Pokémon battles in the classic sense. Instead, the focus is an environmental one: what happens when humans interfere with the harmony of Earth's elements--in this case fire, ice, and lightning. Even Team Rocket have a (temporary, to be sure) change of heart, joining Ash and Misty in their effort to free the three imprisoned birdlike Pokémon who regulate those elements. The good intentions of this 76-minute film, however, don't make it any less dull for grownups (even though this feature is better than the first). Even more mind-numbing than the feature is the lead-in short, "Pikachu's Rescue Adventure," in which Pikachu and Pokémon friends follow Team Rocket's feline down a hole into a Munchkinland-type place. Without the humans for dialogue, viewers must endure a full 20 minutes of nothing but the squawks and squeaks of pocket monsters. As the movie's title song says, "We all live in a Pokémon world." (Ages 3 and older.) --Kimberly Heinrichs

Customer Reviews

Five Pikas for An Improvement Over the First Movie!!!!!
Pokémon 2000 The Movie: The Power of One

This movie starts with a little short called "Pikachu's Rescue Adventure." Unlike the short which accompanied Pokémon The First Movie, Pikachu's Rescue Adventure contains substance as well as cuteness. It focuses, as the name suggests, on Pikachu's adventure rescuing--Togepi! The short treats the viewer to Pikachu's intelligence, bravery, and of course, cuteness. Like the first short, it goes out of its way to show a wide variety of Pokémon, including four new ones, which I understand are named Hoothoot, Ladyba, Bellossom and Elekid. Elekid, a new electric Pokémon, plays a major role after becoming friends with Pikachu through an exchange of electricity. (Hoothoot and Bellossom now have played important roles in episodes of Pokémon: The Johto Journeys on television as well.) You'll even finally get to see a Snorlax do something other than eat and sleep!

The Power of One itself seems substantially less dark than its precursor, yet manages to outdo the First Movie's tale of MewTwo versus Mew. The Power of One Introduces us to a new Pokémon, a powerful Guardian of the Water named Lugia which is nearly as large as the three legendary birds--Moltres, Zapdos and Articuno--combined. It's also nearly as powerful as the three combined. I say "nearly" because, according to an ancient prophecy, without the help of the Chosen One all of its efforts to stop the three from fighting will come to nothing, "making the world turn to ash." And who should be the Chosen One? Well, as Misty realizes, the prophecy DOES say that the world will "turn to Ash."

As an added little bonus, the movie finally provides first names for Professors Oak and Ivy, and for Mrs. Ketchum, Ash's mom. It also gives two uproarious, albeit non-speaking cameo appearances by the original companion of Ash and Misty--Brock the Rock. Fans of Brock, myself included, may find his limited role disappointing. Fans of Tracey, Brock's replacement, may also be disappointed at his limited role in The Power of One. Moltres fans might be disappointed that he isn't a good-guy like he was in his one appearance in the TV series, and at the way he's been drawn for the movie. Misty fans, however, will revel in her pivotal role.

Team Rocket fans, perpetually hoping to find their heroes playing a role other than that of the inept butt of jokes, will find their hopes finally realized. Team Rocket too plays a pivotal role in The Power of One, believe it or not, deliberately and through the creativity of Jesse, James and Meowth! Ah Team Rocket, we always knew your tendency to "think outside the box" would pay off one day.

In addition to Lugia and Team Rocket's effectiveness, the movie offers something else new: a new Pokémon called Slowking. Slowking, the final evolved form of Slowpoke and Slowbro, resembles a Slowbro, but with the spiral Shellder on its head rather than on its tail. Best of all, the Slowking can speak. When you hear what he has to say, you'll be glad he can. Lugia's no slouch at communication either--like MewTwo, he just psychically speaks in Ash's head. Neat, huh?

The Power of One offers an amazing spectacle of color and animation. The movie produces vibrant images, color and sound. I found the music good too, although I must warn you that as with the first movie, most of the songs on the soundtrack appear only over the closing credits and have little to do with the movie itself. At least more of the songs from the this soundtrack seem at least generally related to Pokémon. You will definitely want to watch the closing credits, however, both to hear "Weird" Al Yankovic's "Polkamon" song and to see the second, hysterically-funny, cameo appearance by Brock. If you like Pokémon you will like this movie; your little Pokémaniac (either the one you tuck into bed at night or the one hiding inside you) will love it.

Much better than the First Movie
Many people criticized "Mewtwo Strikes Back" when the first Pokemon movie was released in the US, because in comparison with the excellent Japanese version it was a mess, missing out important things that explained about the characters (such as The Birth Of Mewtwo), and it had sloppy characterization.

However, I'm pleased to say that this film is generally much better than the first Pokemon movie. The plot involves a Pokemon collector called Laurence III who wants to capture the three Legendary birds Articuno. Zapdos and Moltres - or the Gods of Ice, Lightning and Fire as they're called here. Unfortunately, this creates a huge problem with Earth's weather patterns, causing violent storms and snow, and it is left up to Ash to get them back, and return things to normal.

There are some little hints to the possibility of an Ash/Misty romance in this film - when Ash arrives on the island at the beginning of the movie, a girl called Melody kisses Ash on the cheek which makes Misty really jealous, as well as some other cute moments.

Sadly, in spite of an improved plot I believe that, as before, the choice of music stands out as the film`s downfall and the producers haven`t learnt from the mistakes they made in the first film. Apart from a few exceptions ("The Legend Comes To Life" is a wonderful track), this movie replicates the same pop-styled rubbish used in the First Movie. The remix of the TV theme song ("Pokemon World" performed by Youngstown & Nobody's Angel) is absolutely horrible, with a scratchy beat and synthesized vocals. The campaign to ban vocoders starts here...

Next time round, I would like to see a better choice of music which is less pop-orientated, but I`m not holding my breath...

Overall though, in spite of the terrible soundtrack, this is a major improvement on the First Movie which I think any Pokemon fan should add to their collection.

An outstanding entry in the Pokemon Series
While the first Pokemon movie was weak and sadly overly cutsey at times, Pokemon 2000 holds an excellent plot, awsome action, beautiful animation, and overall quality entertainment.

The plot behind Pokemon 2000 is that an insane trainer has created a way to capture the Legendary Birds, Articuno, Zapdos, and Moltres. By doing so he plans to lure Lugia out of hiding so he cna capture it as well. Ash and the gang stumble upon this madman and they try to stop him. Unfortunatly when they free the legendary Birds they go ballistic and so it is up to Ash and Lugia to stop them.

This works because it keeps both parents and kids entertained. While it does lack the moral dilema that the First movie held, it does hold the attention much beter than the first. IT's strong point is definetly action but it does hold a strong enough plot that it keeps everyone entertained.