It’s nostalgia time!
Okay I must admit, Pokémon: Mewtwo Strikes Back – Evolution is an exact replica of the (better) Pokémon: The First Movie from 1998. However, you have to remember – especially as an adult viewer – that there are kids out there who don’t remember that movie, or haven’t seen it at all.
What’s cool about this is that young children especially today are simply not used to hand-drawn 2D animation anymore. The brilliance of this movie lies in the fact that it is more likely to get kids engaged with Pokémon in today’s climate, which to me seems like a pretty genius move by its creators. What’s more is, seeing all of these characters (yes, even the human ones), in 3D was kind of magical. The animation itself is adorable, and even though it is a futuristic update that I could never have dreamed of when I was younger, it is brilliant. I won’t pretend it achieves Pixar standards, but it still gets the job done.
Of course, Team Rocket remain to be the best characters. Although they’re villains, they are that perfect balance of menacing and goofy, making them the type of villains you love to hate. There’s one specific sequence in this movie which sees them dressed as sailors, deceptively luring Ash and the gang onto their boat which I truly believe is the best scene of the movie. Throw in a couple of classic Team Rocket jokes and they maintain their status as great villains.
I won’t pretend that the crying scene (I won’t delve into what I mean by that for spoilerific reasons) at the end was as hard hitting or emotional as it was in the original movie though, so you’ll have to rummage through your dusty old VHS tapes to dig your copy out if you want to have a good sob.
Not gonna pretend this is the best movie ever. But if you have young children or just fancy a little bit of a nostalgia kick during lockdown, this is as good an option as any.
Pokémon: Mewtwo Strikes Back – Evolution is available on Netflix in the UK.
TQR Category Ratings:
Performance: 
Cinematography:
Soundtrack:
Costume & Set Design:
Plot:
Overall Rating:
The Quayside Review 