Every year, the anime expands into a full-length feature film, released theatrically in Japan to commercial success, and released everywhere else on TV and home video. Every season of the TV series has produced at least one major movie, so if you're counting, this year, with the currently airing sixteenth season of the anime, we get the sixteenth Pokémon movie, titled Genesect and the Legend Awakened.
The story, basically an extension of the anime series, continues the journey of Ash Ketchum, his Pikachu, and their friends Iris and Cilan, as they continue to explore the vast Unova region. Stopping by a large, New York inspired city, the friends are in for adventure as they happen upon a team of Genesect - ancient Pokémon who were resurrected by the villainous Team Plasma and genetically modified. The Genesect are confused, as they want to return home but their world has changed a lot in the millions of years they were asleep. Afraid and confused, the Genesect threaten to destroy the city and the native Pokémon - that is, until the legendary Mewtwo stops them. This Mewtwo is another legendary Pokémon (not the one from The First Movie), who understands the conflict of the Genesect - it too was created by people. A massive battle ensues, and as always, it's up to Ash and company to save the day.
First of all, I was really impressed by the visuals this movie boasts. The CGI blends seamlessly with hand drawn animation and looks amazing. Speaking of the animation, it's a step-up from the basic quality of the weekly TV series. As in many Pokémon movies, this time too, the legendary Pokémon speak. All five Genesect do- as does Mewtwo (curiously with a female voice). The story turned out to be on the stronger side, with Mewtwo and Genesect finding things in common, and the conflict between change and constant. There's a fair amount of emotion and tender moments, which makes all the violent explosions okay.
At just sixty six minutes, the movie isn't much of a chore to get through. It lacks unnecessary sequences and sticks to the story, which is very taut and straightforward. In addition, the underlying messages of friendship and understanding manage to shine through without feeling too "in your face". As someone who watched the First Movie (Mewtwo Strikes Back) I found a number of similarities between both movies, but I'll let you figure those out on your own.
Still, Genesect and the Legend Awakened doesn't really do much to stand out in the Pokémon movie canon. It feels generic, contrived and of course, it exists for the sake of brand promotion. Athough it boasts great quality animation and some stunning visuals, that's not enough to conceal a bland and uninspired story at the core. For fans, though, its a fun time in the world of Pokémon, with dozens upon dozens of Pokémon from all five generations. It's also a great movie to keep little kids entertained for an hour, with enough positive messages to keep it afloat. Fans only!
RATING: ★★1/2
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