Quartile rating: 6.5/10 · 1 rating
When Lawrence III's scheme to capture the Legendary Pokémon Lugia upsets the balance of nature, it is up to Ash Ketchum and his friends to save the world.
Pokémon the Movie 2000 is a serviceable but formulaic entry in the franchise. The plot leans heavily on the 'chosen one' prophecy trope with little subversion, and the stakes feel familiar from the first film. Voice acting is passable but unremarkable. The animation and visual design show some genuine ambition — the legendary bird Pokémon battles and ocean sequences have visual flair above the TV series standard. Novelty is low; while the legendary collector villain is a slight twist, the story is largely a by-the-numbers escalation of the first film's formula. The ending resolves predictably with minimal dramatic weight, though the spectacle is decent for its era.