Quartile rating: 6.5/10 · 1 rating
In order to escape a greedy Pokémon hunter, Celebi must use the last of its energy to travel through time to the present day. Celebi brings along Sammy, a boy who had been trying to protect it. Along with Ash, Pikachu, and the rest of the gang, Sammy and Celebi must encounter an enemy far more advanced than the hunter, with the fate of the forest hanging in the balance.
Pokémon 4Ever is a serviceable but formulaic entry in the Pokémon film series. The time-travel hook involving Celebi and a young Sammy (revealed to be a younger Professor Oak) adds a modest narrative wrinkle, but the overall plot is thin and predictable — a nature-spirit threatened by a villain, saved by friendship and Ash's determination. The acting in the English dub is passable but unremarkable, as is standard for the franchise. Visually, the film features some lush forest sequences and a memorable dark transformation of Celebi, lifting the cinematography slightly above the TV-series baseline. Novelty is low — the film recycles the familiar Pokémon movie template of legendary Pokémon in peril, with the time-travel element underutilized. The ending is emotionally functional, leaning on sentimentality effectively enough for its target audience, though the Sammy-as-Oak reveal is a nice touch that elevates it marginally.