Pokémon: Lucario and the Mystery of Mew

This is easily my favorite Pokemon film in the franchise. Everything from the characters, animation, and effects blend in together amazingly

The eighth film in the lumbering anime Pokémon saga, here I'm totally unfamiliar with the accompanying TV Series so the newish companions May and Max don't leave much of an impression and Brock is still consistently being portrayed as a unrepentant creep. However, as always, they are just spectators as the plot unfolds and for once, the plot itself is pretty solid. The epic Lucario storyline is pretty well drawn and it makes a decent fist of doing epic fantasy in the prologue. The armoured Pokémon gearing up for war are pretty groovy and the animation throughout is genuinely impressive. The running thread of Lucario's betrayal is well handled and apart from some set piece flabbiness towards the hour mark and the bewilderingly surplus Kidd Summer (who was so specific a character I assumed she was from the series but apparently not) this one is quite solid and seems to mostly deserve the warm nostalgia people have for it. Also my toddler has been a devoted fan of Lucario ever since we saw it so that says something.

I only watched this on you tube rather than give it a rental or even own it. That said, I did like the opening sequence which gives the complete history of Pokémon. However, after that it begins to go down hill and becomes another advanced generation episode with the same old paper-thin, immature, predictable plot, annoying characters (like Max and May), and same old third-rate pop songs from the show. I did like the animation though, and how Lucario had to understand humans, but with the inclusion of Mew, it kind of lost its "umph". I only recommend renting it to see what it is like. The third movie still ranks even with the test of time as the number one Pokémon movie

1 of the beat Pokemon movie I ever seen.

Pikachu disappears soon after he is crowned as the Wave Leader Hero, along with Satoshi. When Lucario is released from the prison, he has to locate Pikachu and unearth the mystery of the Wave Leader.

I was a little hesitant to watch this movie, after seeing the other Advanced Generation movies (Jirachi, Deoxys). But I'm glad I did. The opening was one of the best introductions I've ever seen to any movie, and the title was just as impressive. I was a little curious as to why the main theme (I'm Unbeatable) was postponed until twenty minutes into the movie, but it went well with that particular scene. And the plot was fascinating, albeit with holes in places. At places, the movie even made me cry--something that hasn't been done since Pokemon Heroes.

Overall, an enjoyable film. Highly recommended, even to non-Pokemon fans.