POKEMON: THE FIRST MOVIE
A weakly made fantasy with occult themes; families should pass.
Should You Watch It?
The decision is clear: skip this one. The movie offers some positive values, including love, friendship, self-sacrifice, teamwork, and turning the other cheek. It also presents a warning against competition becoming real fighting.
But those moments are wrapped in an occult worldview about magical and psychic powers. The wider trading-card phenomenon encourages children to use “special” powers in real life rather than relying on God. The film’s art and story are weak, its villain is poorly conceived, and its human hero has only marginal charm.
The movie alone will not irreparably damage your child. Still, the source review urges strong, wise parents to provide balance and truth rather than feed a fad that can turn children’s hearts away from God, Jesus Christ, and the Bible. For your family, the practical answer is simple: skip it.
The Story
NO SPOILERS — WE KEEP THE SURPRISESAsh is a young Pokémon trainer with a small group of pocket monsters, cuddly creatures with special powers that battle one another in a kind of martial arts contest. He travels to a mysterious island for an ultimate Pokémon competition.
There, an angry Pokémon clone named Mewtwo sets real Pokémon against more powerful clones. Ash and other benevolent trainers must face a conflict involving battles, psychic powers, and the fate of Pokémon and humans.
Is It Any Good?
Two stars means this is a weak film, even apart from its content concerns. Fans of the television show may enjoy seeing their favorite creatures in action, but the movie is more serious and lacks some of the show’s clever humor.
The art and story leave much to be desired. Pikachu speaks like a teletubby, many Pokémon grunt and giggle, and Mewtwo looks more like a strange kangaroo than a menacing villain. Ash has only marginal charm, while most of the trainers have little personality. Apart from the battles, there is little story.
The Worldview
The movie presents Pokémon as creatures with special powers, including psychic abilities. Mewtwo uses those powers in a struggle involving clones, destruction, and the creation of a new world. The story also includes implied prayers to an ancient false religion.
The film does offer moral moments. Love, friendship, teamwork, self-sacrifice, and turning the other cheek are treated positively. Its message also suggests that healthy competition can be acceptable as sport, while real fighting should be stopped. Yet the positive values do not remove the larger problem: the movie reinforces a world where magical and psychic powers are desirable. The trading-card phenomenon carries that influence into children’s role-playing and collecting.
The movie’s Japanese animation arrives during a period when anime was receiving more mainstream attention in America. This film, however, may leave animation fans disappointed because of its weak art and story.
The film’s longing for love and self-sacrifice points toward moral truths, but its supernatural framework departs from biblical dependence on God. Scripture says, “You shall have no other gods before me” (Exodus 20:3).
The Content Guide
The specifics — spoilers included by nature — so you can judge for your own family.
Content Summary
Occult worldview purporting manipulative, magical & psychic powers with implied prayers to ancient false religion & many moral moments including love, friendship, self-sacrifice, teamwork, & even turning the other cheek; no foul language; extensive cartoon action violence including chases, threats of violence, falls, crashes, near drowning, characters thrown against walls, hand-to-hand combat, some characters throw electrical bolts, & explosions; no sex; no nudity but a shapely female character wears a midriff bearing shirt; no alcohol use; and, no smoking.
Talk About It
Questions for the drive home, the dinner table, or the youth group.
The movie presents psychic and magical powers as desirable. Why does Scripture warn us against occult practices, and where should we look for true help?
Deuteronomy 18:10–12 · Psalm 121:1–2The story includes self-sacrifice and love. How is biblical love greater than simply feeling sadness for someone?
John 15:13 · 1 Corinthians 13:4–7The film distinguishes healthy competition from real fighting. What does Scripture teach about peacemaking and responding to conflict?
Matthew 5:9, 39The Pokémon trading cards can become habit-forming and turn hearts away from God. How can your family recognize when entertainment or collecting has become an idol?
Exodus 20:3–5 · 1 Corinthians 10:31The Final Word
This movie has a few positive moral moments, but weak art and story cannot overcome its occult worldview and the influence of magical trading-card role-play. Strong, wise parents should provide balance and truth and choose something better for their children. Our answer is SKIP IT. Find alternatives here:
