User Reviews

Not sure exactly what bug bit Nintendo's Pokémon studio but their string of features during the Unova region just hasn't hit the mark in entertainment. As mentioned in the previous entry, it seems like things are just on auto-pilot. The stories tend to feel repetitive despite trying to appeal to their current fan base while expanding on the foundation when the anime began. There's even been callbacks to certain things but it just hasn't been enough to feel like anything new is really being done. Unfortunately, this entry is very much the same again with only slight variations in different places. It's possible the production crew thought this story would get more viewers' attention because it involves a familiar face other than Ash, but that would be the only familiarity.

Once again handled by the Yuyama and Sonoda duo, this film finds Ash, Cilan and Iris headed to another city looking a lot like central park of New York City. Inside the park is a sanctuary where Pokémon of several regions live together. Meanwhile far away a group of 300-million-year-old telepathic Pokémon called Genesect are searching for their home. Thinking the area Ash and company are in reminds them of it, they begin attacking everyone so they can claim it for themselves. At the same time, Mewtwo who can relate to Genesect's feelings gets involved in the situation too. Really it's not that good of a story for several reasons. For one, it's just not engaging. Genesect was apparently resurrected by scientists and no longer trusts humans. See how Mewtwo understands? But even after all that Mewtwo has from its previous experience, it too doesn't trust or like humans. So no one's learned anything then.

Let's also not forget Mewtwo began the whole concept of telepathic English speaking Pokémon (other than Meowth). Genesect is just another copy of those usual things to be expected. Aside from finding their home as its repeatedly mentioned, there isn't much else to really get behind for these new Pokémon. Making things even worse is how botched Mewtwo is as a character. Upon meeting Ash again, Mewtwo recalls nothing of what it went through with Ash from the first movie or when it crossed paths with Ash after that. Unless this is a new Mewtwo, which makes no sense. Where's the continuity? So much for Ash promising they wouldn't forget what they experienced together several movies back. Making things even more confusing is whether this is actually the same Mewtwo from before. Reason being the voice is totally different and Mewtwo can now transform into another form. When did this come about?

There really are more questions now than from before. Miriam Pultro who now voices Mewtwo is okay in her delivery, but because the original performance was different it is very jarring. This also seems to be Pultro's only voice acting credit to date. The same could be said for Samia Mounts who voices the Genesect who befriends Ash and company. However, voicing the lead Genesect is Scott Rayow who does have experience doing anime dubs before and even in Pokémon. Then there's Eric who is Ash and friend's tour guide through the park voiced by Jake Paque. The character is useless as he tries to fix the tech being destroyed by the fighting Pokémon. Somehow he's the only one working among all other park employees. It's almost pointless to have this character.

Voice acting in general is fine though as usual. Even Team Rocket gets lines this time, which is cool. Animation was also an equally good looking component. Featuring bright colors and fluid movements there isn't much that needs correcting either. Cinematography was credited to Tatsumi Yukiwaki in their first Pokémon project although, like everyone before them, no idea what it's used for. Finally, the music composed by Shinji Miyazaki believe it or not felt a little more noticeable this time. The tracks heard in this feature feel a little more heartfelt despite the connections not fully being there. But like always there was no domestic release so the album is again unattainable locally. One day, maybe one day they'll get a rerelease. That's all there is to it though.

Regular components like the animation and voice acting are kept the same. Music even picks up some but the story in general is still bland. Continuity is also very confusing with the changes made to Mewtwo.

I like the new Pokemon Genesect design. I also like how they have brought back Mewtwo. I think that the main story is new and very creative. I think that they have done some of the things the same like them being happy, then sad at the fight scene and last everyone happy in the end. that does tend to happen a lot. Though all this is good I think that the script writers do need to research on there Pokemon information. As Mewtwo already learnt his lesson, also Mewtwo didn't act like it knew Ash though it ha met him in the first movie. I think Mewtwo is a good Pokemon to introduce mega evolution as it is a legendary Pokemon so no one would think of it as a next evolution but as a special ability that Mewtwo has a legendary Pokemon. I think that maybe in X and Y though Ash might have figured out that it was a mega evolution when the professor introduced him to it.

This Pokemon movie is pretty good. It had a good plot, good themes and good animations. There were many kinds of Pokemon from older generations. Kids are sure to enjoy Ash's adventures and Pikachu's heroics. However, I hated Mewtwo's voice, personality and character design. It's definitely not the same Mewtwo from the Pokemon movies back in my day. They would've been better off leaving Mewtwo out of the movie. Also, I wish Cilan had gotten more screen time. Cilan is my favorite character. He is funny and has a great personality, but they made him run off somewhere for 1/3 of the movie. The movie was too serious.

It's not a bad movie in any way, it's a good kid movie and there are plenty of pokemon to entertain young kids and pokemon battles between Genesect and various other pokemon. But if you're like me and you've been playing pokemon since the 90's this film is not going to be as good as for example Mewtwo returns or the movie 2000. Mewtwo and Ash act as if they've met each other for the first time ever, team rocket get barely any screen time and the only one of ash's pokemon that get any action is Picachu. This movie is primarily aimed at younger audiences like 3-8 because those of us who are 16 and above have been forgotten about by the pokemon company. But like I said, your kids or younger siblings will love it.

The movie is about Mewtwo helping the Revived Genesects find peace. Ashs shows up and the rest is history.

Its a better movie in terms of quality, story and action.

Mewtwo's voice was horrible. Ash is still cringy. And Pokemon is still very kiddie.

Verdict: A rare good pokemon movie that is not worth watching again.

I had heard really bad things about this movie and how it was so bad even pokemon fans resented it. Being one myself, I can certainly agree with everybody. As bad as the pokemon movies have been before, they never really did anything to get the mythology wrong. In the first movie, it's clearly established that Mewtwo is one of a kind but now here's another one. I guess other scientists did the same thing? Wouldn't that make her Mewthree? Even for a short movie, it's pretty padded. I guess the animation is nice, but that's about it. As someone who personally thought the original was mediocre at best, I had no choice but to hate this. It's the worst thing that ever had the pokemon name on it.

Team Rocket serve no purpose, but it doesn't really matter. Ash, Iris, and Cilan don't serve any purpose either! The fight scenes are just monotonous with Mewtwo and the head Genesect just flying around for too long. There are so many pokemon movies, you get to the point where you just can't reprise old stuff and that's just what this movie was. There's even a scene where Genesect gets between a blast with the head Genesect and Mewtwo, directly lifted from the original movie! Mewtwo can Mega Evolve. Why would she need to do that? Why does she keep going back to her original form? I think even the people who worked on this movie admitted this was a gamble and knew people wouldn't like it. If a idea seems bad, just don't make it. *1/2

This was a fairly decent Pokémon movie. This is hardly up there with the best ones, but it's at least a vast improvement over the fiasco that was "Kyurem vs. The Sword of Justice."

I thought the premise was kind of interesting. I liked the dynamic with the Genesect having been created the same way that Mewtwo was. Not a bad way of using the cliché of machines created by humans turning into monsters.

The animation and GCI are top-notch, and the scenery is really nice in a setting that is based off Manhattan. The action scenes were also pretty good, and it was nice to see Ash's Charizard again.

However, there are lots of flaws. Of course, I didn't think there was any need for another movie involving Mewtwo, and I have no idea why Mew has a female voice in this film. It was kind of strange how Mewtwo just suddenly started caring about humans during the climax of the film.

The baby Genesect was kind of annoying with it constantly repeating "I want to go home" over and over. The script has its weak spots and some scenes are kind of strange. Also, there's Iris and Cilan.

While not everything in this one measures up, this is still a mostly satisfying addition to the series. Not really a must-see, but still worth a look for Pokémon fans.

RATING: B-

I mean i know how Pokémon movie 1 is it's Amazing even in dubbing but this movie's Hindi dubbing is not good. In India, Fans can't even understand cause because seasons of this movie based on that not even dubbed in Hindi but movie released first how? And Why?

After the cultural landslide that was the cinematic release of Pokémon: The First Movie (hands up if you've still got a Burger King tie-in toy!), all subsequent Pokémon movies have struggled for relevance. Lacking in the first film's energy and urgency from being released in the thick of the rampant zeitgeist, the later straight-to-DVD offerings have largely slumped somewhat – still lots of fun for allegiant fans, but increasingly obligatory, and, arguably not unlike the games, inextricably knotted in a formula too restrictive for much innovation. Despite the franchise's motto, few would dispute that if you've seen one, you've effectively caught 'em all.

Genesect and the Legend Awakened, sixteenth(!!) film in the series, does not jostle this formula, but does its best to breathe some life and gumption into it. Unlike the customary expansive, globe-trotting Pokémon movie narrative, Genesect marks a rare exception where lowering the scope from "the fate of the world is at stake!" is actually beneficial. We still get the familiar 'thrilling but vaguely defined mythology' (the origins of the titular Genesect – fossil Pokémon who have been weaponized by humans…? – are glossed over in an infuriatingly quick aside), naturally. But, after an impressively gripping airborne mountain skirmish, the action is confined to a Pokémon natural reserve, and the bustling metropolitan city surrounding it, lending some interesting consequential collateral damage to the inevitably destructive Pokémon showdowns, and making the action all the more claustrophobically exciting. Naturally, there's little motivating the plot or conflict, but the trappings make it worthwhile. The animation demonstrates a marked increase in quality, and is gorgeously engaging in its fluidity, integrating more seamlessly with CGI to bring rich texture to the backgrounds.

As always, half the fun is playing your own game of 'Who's that Pokémon?' with all the cameoing creatures flitting by in the background – a shout out to a particularly valiant Feraligatr thrust into central hero status here. Similarly, the Genesect make for engagingly off-kilter enemies – uniquely eerie and alien in their fusion of robotic and insectoid tics, aided by some creatively skittering sound editing choices, even if their respective personalities, defined in the broadest of possible strokes, verge on irritatingly bland. Inevitably, the fun lies not in the moralizing melodrama, but in their fighting, with their myriad of abilities making for some furiously energetic and entertaining battles, changing shape like Transformers, ripping through the air, and letting rip with concussive energy blasts all the while. And at the other end of the ring: back by popular demand, the iconic Mewtwo (now, seemingly with added Poké-sex change, and mega-evolution to boot…) – a more than suitably thrilling and mobile sparring partner. Whether spitting cynical diatribes about creation and denial of humanity or blasting one another, the film sparks to life when the two titans clash.

It's a shame that the human characters fail to engage even more than usual. Diluting boy-hero Ash of his initial whiney exuberance may be an attempt at having the character slowly grow up, but recasting him as a perennial Mother Theresa type patron saint of all Pokémon is a far less interesting lead to connect with. This, in tandem with the lack of the show's goofy cutaway humour (the movies are SERIOUS BUSINESS, you know), an extraneously shoehorned in Team Rocket, and interplay with the particularly drab 'Gen V' Misty and Brock surrogates Iris and Cilan makes the filler character building scenes bridging the action drag far more than usual. As with most anime dialogue, kids will infuse the script's hyperbolically proclamative one-liners with their own inspirational profundity ("it's time…to push it…to the limit!"), but it's unlikely that even the most naïve or forgiving of audiences will fail to sneer at the film's climax and its aggressively trite moral about the importance of friendship, complete with a 'profound worldview' pilfered from Superman Returns of all things (bleh).

Such in-depth concerns may be a moot point, as Genesect and the Legend Awakened comes with a pretty infallible built-in audience. For kids or adult fans of the series, there's lots of fun to be had here, and the vivacity of the battles and exhilaration of the return of Mewtwo should help diffuse the over-familiarity of story. To those three under-a-Crustle dwellers who have yet to either yay or nay at the world of Pocket Monsters: this is unlikely to convert you as Poké-fans (or make even a mote of sense), but if the formulaic but fun action and heart on display appeals, you, like the Genesect, may finally have found a home.

-6.5/10

I would sure love Genesect and Mewtwo leave, cuz this movie sucks!

I can't say it was as bad as "Pokemon Ranger and The Prince of The Sea - Manaphy" movie, but it's still a really short movie to watch.

Aside from The New Mewtwo design, Genesect always force smiling, and Genesect and Mewtwo's constant fighting.

This movie uses all the clichés that most "Terminator"-like movies have, from the stereotypical characters, to the harsh-living conditions, to the team comeback at the end, Just about every character in this movie is an idiot.

The only ones that seem remotely normal are Ash and his friends. and They've only been around for the whole movie.

But you know what the best thing about this movie is, there's no more New Mewtwo, yeah there's no more New Mewtwo appearances after this. Well, you know what they say, The bigger he is, The harder he falls.

It may be the end of Mewtwo, but it's certainly not the end of Pokemon, a little while after Genesect's release in Japan, Hooper starred in his own movie called "Pokemon: 18th movie", in which I'm going to review next.

Will it be bad? most likely, but hopefully not as bad as the 9th, 13th, and 16th Pokemon movies, cuz believe me Kunihiko Yuyama, one of your movies are bad, and you should feel bad. "Starfish headache" for the best one of the worst Pokemon movies. and That concludes "The Pre- Pokemon X and Y trilogy."

The Pokemon movies can get pretty formulaic, but I still like to see them because the animation gets a humongous upgrade from the anime series (although that rift diminished in the spectacular XY anime series). This movie sees Ash and co. exploring a Central Park-esque Pokemon Hills. Trouble looms, however, as a group of Genesect are set on making Pokemon Hills their new home, disrupting the Pokemon ecosystem and potentially the power plant beneath it that runs the city. It's up to Ash, Cilan, Iris, the Pokemon Hills director Eric and Mewtwo to put a stop to it.

The Genesect's motivation at the beginning of the film is clearly established; they've been fossils for 300 million years and have been woken up by Team Plasma and weaponized. This is clear enough, but having the Team Plasma scientists play a bigger role could have greatly enhanced what is a middling entry in the series.

Mewtwo's appearance in this film is understandable given that they wanted to advertise its mega form. What was unnecessary, however, was erasing the relationship Ash and Mewtwo built up through two movies plus several other appearances.

The way Mewtwo and Genesect's conflicts were resolved were also very unclear. Overall, this is a passable film and one I'd put around the middle of the Pokemon pack. It didn't take full advantage of its unique setting, but it did shed some light on Genesect, a Pokemon that even in the games is very mysterious.

POKÉMON THE MOVIE: GENESECT AND THE LEGEND AWAKENED (2013) is the seventeenth Pokémon movie and the last one in the "Best Wishes" ("Black and White") series that's been running on TV in Japan since 2010 and in the U.S. since 2011. This time the regular protagonists' adventures take them to New York City and a brand-new Pokémon sanctuary established right in the middle of Central Park in the heart of Manhattan, making this the first time the Pokémon crew has traveled to this reviewer's hometown. It's much more of a solid action-adventure than usual for these movies, with far more Pokémon-vs.-Pokémon action than we've seen in a long time. In fact, the main characters of Ash Ketchum and his ever-present Pokémon sidekick Pikachu take something of a back seat here as the formidable MewTwo, a talking cat Pokémon created in a lab and first seen in the first Pokémon movie 15 years ago, takes on the major fighting role as he seeks to protect other Pokémon from the invading Genesects, a party of five extinct Pokémon recreated from fossils in yet another lab and then set loose on a destructive path into the world. One of the Genesects disdains fighting and laments that it just wants to go home. It soon bonds with Ash and his party and paves the way for some climactic mediation with the Red Genesect, the ruthless leader of the invaders.

MewTwo is quite a powerful creature and makes for a good match against the Genesects. Their fights dominate the film, although the other Pokémon in Central Park threatened by the invasion stand up for themselves as well, especially a muscular Feraligatr, a bipedal alligator-like Water-type Pokémon who bravely leads the resistance. It's quite a stirring sight to see an army of wildly different Pokémon fighting back entirely on their own initiative. Most of the Pokémon counterattacks take place under Central Park inside a massive power station which serves as a new nest for the Genesects. Meanwhile Red Genesect and MewTwo take to the skies over Manhattan and have some spectacular nighttime battles, slamming into high-rise buildings with alarming force. The action culminates in a high-speed trip to outer space for MewTwo and Red Genesect that leads to an unusual and highly suspenseful finale.

There's only one new human supporting character in the cast and that's Eric, the caretaker of the sanctuary, Pokémon Hills, and apparently the only one on duty when the Genesects threaten the power station and cause blackouts in parts of the city. Eric comes up with the solution that satisfies the Genesects' ultimate needs, so he plays a major role, but there isn't a lot of downtime for Ash and his friends, Iris and Cilan, to socialize with him, other than a quick meal of hot dogs, a "local specialty," as Eric tells them. Team Rocket, the series' set of regular, hapless villains (Jessie, James, and Meowth), plays a greater role in this film than they have in any of the last few films, although their efforts, as usual, come to naught.

The production design of the New York backgrounds is breathtaking, with shots of Central Park and the towering Pokémon Hills complex arising from within sprinkled throughout the film and seen at all hours of the day from afternoon to dusk to nighttime to dawn. (The story pretty much takes place over the course of a single day and night.) There is one shot of Times Square that perfectly captures the 21st century BLADE RUNNER-style configuration of giant screens and moving images arranged in sprawling formations that shower light on the area 24 hours a day. This isn't TAXI DRIVER's Times Square. The only significant difference from the actual Times Square is the predominance of Japanese lettering. (Truth to tell, the film never actually identifies the city by name.) Also, Central Park is a highly unlikely place to build a power station, particularly one that, according to Eric, powers the entire city.

This is the last movie in which we'll see Ash's "Black & White" companions, Iris and Cilan, since they're leaving the series as Ash moves into a new season, "Pokémon XY." I, for one, won't miss them, since their schtick has changed very little since they were first introduced over two years ago, with Iris constantly berating Ash for being "such a little kid" in that grating voice of hers (at least in the English dub) and metrosexual Cilan constantly waxing rhapsodic by means of forced foodie/cooking metaphors to describe everything he sees. (Too bad Cilan doesn't simply stay in New York, since he and Eric seem to hit it off.) Where are Misty and Brock when we need them?

I happen to enjoy the annual Pokémon movies and while I think the best of them are found among the first seven (up to and including DESTINY DEOXYS, 2004), there've been some good ones in the last few years, with this film standing out as one of the better ones. If I have any criticism it's that it doesn't give Ash and his friends a scene where they get to explore New York and see some of its famous sights. A tourist sequence would have made this outing just perfect.

The movie was released to theaters in Japan on July 13, 2013 and was first shown in the U.S. in an English-dubbed version on the Cartoon Network on October 19, 2013. It was released on DVD here on December 3, 2013, marking the shortest period of time ever between a Pokémon movie's Japanese release and its arrival in the U.S. In the past, I'd been accustomed to seeing the Japanese version of the movie well before its U.S. release. As of this writing, my Japanese video store in Manhattan still hasn't gotten the Japanese version.

I've watched this movie in Hindi dubbed only and truly saying it has a best story line.......ok if there is a female mewtwo nothing will happen as it is a pokémon only......Suggesting everyone to watch this movie with your friends and family......Some people are just trolls only....they don't the real value ANIME.