Video: Pokemon 2000: The Movie

Herald rating: * *

Running time: 101 mins

Rental: Today

Review: Ewan McDonald


Oooh boy, just as well my grandsons can't read yet, because I wouldn't dare to give this anything less than *****. The funny little Japanese cartoon characters that no one over 10 can understand and everyone under 10 adores are back in their second feature film, still saving the world and, to adult eyes and ears, looking more like a good marketing idea than anything else.

Six new Pokemon are introduced, including Lugia, a legendary Pokemon rumoured to lurk beneath the ocean's surface; Hoothoot, an owl-like Pokemon who lives in the trees; and Ladyba, a ladybird Pokemon with a swarm of friends.

They help Ash save the entire world once again by foiling a baddie who appears to be English (have you noticed that all the bad guys in Hollywood these days are British?) He has been playing with the weather (hang on, wasn't that in a Bond movie recently?) and shows a fondness for collecting Pokemon. Ash and co have to find three treasures representing fire, ice and lightning, or something like that.

There are some pretty cool moments: weird round fish, a boat crashing down hundreds of steps and a "chicken" lit up by golden delete energy. At the end you'll still be wondering what your kids spend their pocket-money on these days. They'll be thrilled, though.