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REVIEW: Pokémon the Movie: Mewtwo Strikes Back EVOLUTION


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Cardcaptor Takato



Joined: 27 Jan 2018
Posts: 5253
PostPosted: Mon Jul 15, 2019 11:29 am Reply with quote
The only draw for me to this movie is the possibility of finally getting to see subbed Pokemon in the US if that Anime Expo screening actually leads to anything happening. But really I would rather just have a subbed release of the original version of Mewtwo Strikes Back as I already have the dub of the original movie on BD.
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Crispy45



Joined: 23 Sep 2012
Posts: 363
PostPosted: Mon Jul 15, 2019 12:05 pm Reply with quote
Surprised this review spent so much time complaining about the Pokemon models but said absolutely nothing on the horrifying human models. I much prefer these CG models over the inaccurate Detective Pikachu ones, but the human models were easily the worst thing about the movie.
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TheCanipaEffect



Joined: 27 Apr 2017
Posts: 52
PostPosted: Mon Jul 15, 2019 12:13 pm Reply with quote
Crispy45 wrote:
Surprised this review spent so much time complaining about the Pokemon models but said absolutely nothing on the horrifying human models. I much prefer these CG models over the inaccurate Detective Pikachu ones, but the human models were easily the worst thing about the movie.


You'd be surprised, you actually get used to the trainer models pretty quickly and they're at least consistent with what they set out to achieve. The Pokemon are just very confused. For example, there's an Onix early on with a realistic rocky texture but his model is the same smooth Onix we know from the games. It ends up looking off-putting and there's enough of these sort of cases to break the spell.
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The Psychic Wolf



Joined: 15 Jul 2019
Posts: 2
PostPosted: Mon Jul 15, 2019 1:13 pm Reply with quote
No, you guys got the story wrong. In the original japanese version of Mewtwo Strikes Back, Mewtwo wasn't a villain, it was an allegory of humaniuand nature. It was an animal given human intellect, and was overwhelmed by it's newfound emotions and thoughts, generated by how it had been treated. It never wanted to destroy humanity, that storm it created was actually meant to test the trainers who were coming to it's island, and it's true intention was to clone the Pokemon so that it could prove that it deserved life. Mew wasn't even there to teach Mewtwo sbout the importance of heart, she was actually there against the clones, having bigoted views on them, and wanting to get rid of Mewtwo.
All this story was actually changed over in the American version, because the dubbers at the time, 4kids thought kids were too stupid and sensitive to handle those themes, while also not thinking about how adults would view it. The remake is currently only in Japan, and you talked about the rewritten American version of the original film, unbelievable.
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Aca Vuksa



Joined: 22 Mar 2018
Posts: 643
Location: Nis, Serbia
PostPosted: Mon Jul 15, 2019 2:01 pm Reply with quote
Here is the difference between the First film and the remake, as stated by the Bulbapedia editors:
Quote:
1. Mewtwo's armor has a different design, and can also act as a restraint should he rebel. Giovanni attempts and fails to utilize this feature before Mewtwo escapes the Team Rocket base.
2. Raymond's Golem is replaced by a Drowzee, in the process eliminating the error present in Mewtwo Strikes Back, where Pikachu manages to knock out the part Ground-type with a Thunderbolt.
3. While Mewtwo observes Ash's battle with Raymond, Nurse Joy delivers some exposition about Misty and Brock.
4. Ash's Charizard lets itself out of its Poké Ball and tries to battle Dragonite when it lands.
5. Team Rocket attempts to take Ash and his friends to New Island in a Lapras-shaped sailboat, with the Viking motif being eliminated entirely.
6. Brock tries to flirt with Neesha, which he doesn't do in Mewtwo Strikes Back.
7. When Ash is petrified during the movie's climax, he turns to black stone instead of gray rock.
8. The ending credits now feature paintings of Ash and his friends in different areas.
9. The post-credits scene, which was previously a shot of Mew flying off into the mountains, now shows Mewtwo and the clones flying toward Mount Quena, foreshadowing Mewtwo Returns.


Sources: https://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/M22

There is still going to be more updated about the difference between the first and the remake as the Bulbapedia editors continue to edit out their articles and adding more difference.
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Aca Vuksa



Joined: 22 Mar 2018
Posts: 643
Location: Nis, Serbia
PostPosted: Mon Jul 15, 2019 2:04 pm Reply with quote
I am sure the film in the dub would be called as Mewtwo Strikes Back: REBOOT, because of the remake looks pretty much neat and has an CGI perfect animation.
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immblueversion





PostPosted: Mon Jul 15, 2019 2:22 pm Reply with quote
The one thing this movie has going for it is the potential to expose international viewers to its vastly different script, and even then, it could've been done through an official release or redub of the original.

I can only imagine what kind of reaction the dubbers would have if they strove to adapt the Japanese script, especially if they were exclusively exposed to 4Kids' treatment beforehand.
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bluesheep02



Joined: 27 Mar 2006
Posts: 78
Location: Tokyo, Japan
PostPosted: Mon Jul 15, 2019 5:32 pm Reply with quote
I think all the reviews I’m reading are just simply too harsh. People have a difficult time just letting things be or allowing a studio to make something an simply try it out. Here in Japan Pokémon has never been a cinematic masterpiece aimed at adults. It’s viewed as a kids show aimed at kids. That being said the entire audience when I saw it on opening night was people around my age (late 20’s to late 30’s), and from what I heard after the film everyone loved it.

Culturally, unlike the West’s version of nostalgia as a recent invention to cash in on the 90’s, “Natsukashi” is a whole concept that’s long been embedded in Japan’s cultural appreciation of life. I think the expectations placed on this film in the West and the hate it’s getting is entirely a byproduct of a different culture.

The original movie solidified my interest in anime and the draw of a foreign art form unfamiliar to me in 1999. But to say the animation has held up over the years in comparison to other movies in the franchises most recent history is simply false. Mewtwo strikes back is one of my favorite movies of all time, but nostalgia glasses aside, it was not a pure cinematic masterpiece in the animation department by any standards. If anything I get the reboot elongated upon and fleshed our certain scenes to make the movie feel more full, while adding more to the emotional impact during the last scene.

Last edited by bluesheep02 on Mon Jul 15, 2019 9:33 pm; edited 1 time in total
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Bioshocker



Joined: 13 Jun 2019
Posts: 29
PostPosted: Mon Jul 15, 2019 7:17 pm Reply with quote
bluesheep02 wrote:
Maybe ANN should have true fans of the series review films to at least give them a chance. As one of the biggest fans of the original movie, I enjoyed it for what it is and thought it was a fun remake.


Maybe you should look up who the author is. Canipa is one of the biggest Pokemon fans. He has consistently rated Pokemon films highly. That says a lot about this movie and its direction and animation.
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Shay Guy



Joined: 03 Jul 2009
Posts: 2362
PostPosted: Mon Jul 15, 2019 8:03 pm Reply with quote
bluesheep02 wrote:
Culturally, unlike the West’s version of nostalgia as a recent invention to cash in on the 90’s, “Natsukashi” is a whole concept that’s long been embedded in Japan’s cultural appreciation of life. I think the expectations placed on this film in the West and the hate it’s getting is entirely a byproduct of a different culture.


What? The very word "nostalgia" (English being a Western language) has had its present meaning for a century. Happy Days ran for 11 seasons.
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Hypeathon



Joined: 12 Aug 2010
Posts: 1176
PostPosted: Mon Jul 15, 2019 8:12 pm Reply with quote
Bioshocker wrote:
bluesheep02 wrote:
Maybe ANN should have true fans of the series review films to at least give them a chance. As one of the biggest fans of the original movie, I enjoyed it for what it is and thought it was a fun remake.


Maybe you should look up who the author is. Canipa is one of the biggest Pokemon fans. He has consistently rated Pokemon films highly. That says a lot about this movie and its direction and animation.

Not to mention his videos about the TV anime's production.
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Silktree



Joined: 15 Jul 2019
Posts: 2
PostPosted: Mon Jul 15, 2019 9:03 pm Reply with quote
I'm sorry, but between the reviewer thinking that Mewtwo wanted to destroy everyone but the clones, and his opinion that the movie should have been live action (surely that's what realistic models would entail), I find it hard to take the review seriously.

I can only imagine that the Pokemon animations aren't perfect, but I doubt they're bad. As for the lack of new Pokemon, such cameos wouldn't add anything to the movie's quality and luckily, the games don't the extra promotion. Finally, there is no way the original movie would have been randomly redubbed after 20 years, while Movie 16 recycling ideas is its own problem (out of many).
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Cardcaptor Takato



Joined: 27 Jan 2018
Posts: 5253
PostPosted: Mon Jul 15, 2019 9:29 pm Reply with quote
Mewtwo Strikes Back Evolution sounds like the anime version of the 2019 Lion King.
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bluesheep02



Joined: 27 Mar 2006
Posts: 78
Location: Tokyo, Japan
PostPosted: Mon Jul 15, 2019 9:34 pm Reply with quote
Bioshocker wrote:
bluesheep02 wrote:
Maybe ANN should have true fans of the series review films to at least give them a chance. As one of the biggest fans of the original movie, I enjoyed it for what it is and thought it was a fun remake.


Maybe you should look up who the author is. Canipa is one of the biggest Pokemon fans. He has consistently rated Pokemon films highly. That says a lot about this movie and its direction and animation.


My apologies and edited to reflect this. I still as a fan myself disagree with the review. I found the movie to be delightful and accomplish exactly what it set out to do.
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Scion Drake



Joined: 25 Nov 2017
Posts: 959
PostPosted: Mon Jul 15, 2019 9:43 pm Reply with quote
Cardcaptor Takato wrote:
Mewtwo Strikes Back Evolution sounds like the anime version of the 2019 Lion King.


Now that’s an apt comparison.

This looks like another movie that’s like a mediocre version of a previous product.

bluesheep02 wrote:
Bioshocker wrote:
bluesheep02 wrote:
Maybe ANN should have true fans of the series review films to at least give them a chance. As one of the biggest fans of the original movie, I enjoyed it for what it is and thought it was a fun remake.


Maybe you should look up who the author is. Canipa is one of the biggest Pokemon fans. He has consistently rated Pokemon films highly. That says a lot about this movie and its direction and animation.


My apologies and edited to reflect this. I still as a fan myself disagree with the review. I found the movie to be delightful and accomplish exactly what it set out to do.


So pandering to nostalgia successful then. Laughing
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