Pokemon 3: The Movie (G, 2001)

Like the first two Pokemon features, this one includes both a short Pokemon-on-their-own adventure and then a longer feature story along the familiar lines of Pokemon Trainer Ash and his pals save the world. (A primer for newbies: Pokemons are adorable little pocket monsters who love to be caught by their human trainers, who carry them around and deploy them against the pocket monsters of other trainers, to see who is the best.) This time, the threat comes not from a mad scientist, as in the second Pokemon movie, or from a rogue Pokemon, as in the first movie, but from a little girl named Molly who unwittingly causes havoc when she meets up with some Pokemons who grant her every wish.

I suppose that it's a sign that we've passed the peak of Pokemon frenzy that the word "Nintendo" got a bigger reaction from the kids in the audience than the word "Pokemon," but this movie mustered enough of the old Pokemon spirit to keep the kids pretty happy.

Most adults find Pokemons somewhere between annoying and painful, but children love them. They are always drawn to the idea of hidden sources of power accessed by seemingly powerless figures (think of Superman, Power Rangers, etc.). And they love the memorizing, sorting, and of course collecting opportunity that Pokemons afford. This can be an important part of their social development, and parents should respect their affection for Pokemons while maintaining control over the accumulation of clutter.

Studio: Warner Bros.
Director: Michael Haigney
Cast: Eric Stuart, Rachael Lillis, Veronica Taylor
Genre: Family and Kids
Run time: 93 minutes
Theatrical release: April 6, 2001
DVD release: August 21, 2001
MPAA Rating: G