Pokémon the Movie: I Choose You!

When Pokémon GO took over the world last year I got pretty addicted to it. I wasn't super familiar with the franchise outside of watching the anime when I was younger, but the clever way in which it let players explore real-world locations, combined with the competitive video game element, was right up my street. The only reason my addiction lasted for just a month is that a crash in the game locked me out of my account and I couldn't be bothered to start again from scratch. I am, however, still interested in it (I even watch YouTubers playing it online, still) so when I heard about the new Pokémon movie exploring that same world and characters I was keen to check it out.

I Choose You! tells the origin story of how 10-year-old Pokémon trainer Ash Ketchum (the main character in the animated series) meets Pikachu, the first Pokémon in his collection who becomes his best friend. It shows their trials and tribulations along the way as they make new friends, battle other Pokémon and meet some baddies on their journey too (among them Team Rocket, who in this film may have been reduced to cameo characters but still provide plenty of the crazy antics they're known for).

Ash and and Pikachu's mission in the film is to track down the legendary Ho-Oh Pokémon. Ash briefly caught sight of this avian creature who in turn left a rainbow coloured feather behind. And now Ash believes he is the rainbow hero and he is destined to find Ho-Oh.

For fans of the anime, the 20th film in the franchise is a blast from the past as the story is similar to that of the very first episodes in the series. While Ash and Pikachu's iconic bond has not yet been formed – instead Pikachu is a bit of a pain in the behind while Ash is a very inexperienced trainer who is more focused on winning than making a difference – it provides a great starting off point for the characters to grow and evolve from. 

And for those who are new to Pokémon, this origin story commemorating twenty years of the franchise provides a great entry into the world of battles, Pokéballs and more. It's a very accessible story and the perfect introduction to key characters and dynamics. Very suitable, also, for the hordes of new fans that have joined on the back of Pokémon GO as many first generation characters from the game make an appearance.

With a 10-year-old protagonist it comes as no surprise that this sweet tale of friendship (with the occasional non-lethal battle thrown in) is primarily aimed at a young audience. There will undoubtedly be those who grew up on the original games or anime that go to see it for the nostalgia-fest, but mostly the film is as an introduction to the franchise for a audience that may not yet be familiar with what Pokémon are – and why you'd want to catch 'em all.

It serves this purpose very well, and even as someone wholly out of the target audience I really enjoyed this adorable and not too complicated tale of morality. It was occasionally a tad cheesy, sure, but during a time of incredible political and social tumult, a simple tale of the power of friendship is just what we need to provide us with a 90-minute antidote to the hate and fear that is sweeping the world.

Pokémon the Movie: I Choose You! is a feel-good story about kindness and courage with some very imaginative characters thrown in. It's cute, colourful and definitely makes you want to catch 'em all. In fact, I might just reinstall the Pokémon GO app right now to see if I am finally able to get back into my account and return on my mission to becoming a Pokémon Master myself!



Pokémon the Movie: I Choose You! will be in cinemas across the UK on November 5 and 6 only. You can find tickets here and also use the website to check your local cinema(s) for listings/times.


🎵 Listening to: Fall Out Boy – My Songs Know What You Did in the Dark
🔹 Mood: Content