This time, the "World of Pokémon" segment has a little "Greatest Hits" reel about all the previous films and Pokémon they featured before we even get to the main cast! Even though the series has come a long way since I got into it, and the same deal with this blog; I am glad I am finally getting a chance to look at this film.
The film opens proper on a fight between two of Sinnoh's Legendary Pokémon: Dialga and Palkia!
 |
| Dramatization of the fanbase reactions to the new game announcements. |
We then see a man named Tonio, who is researching the danger of these beasts from reading an old manuscript about them! He is also voiced by Rich McNanna, who is taking a different route from the role he played in the last movie. Still, even if he's not in the same league as Jack Walker; he is still a character that I enjoy in this movie.
Then, one of the computer monitors in Tonio's lab starts going crazy; even giving away some of the Engrish on the screen! Notably, Alamos Town, the movie's setting is rendered as "Aramos Town," and I will point other examples out as I go. Kind of the reason why OLM began transitioning to this not-quite English; not-quite Japanese linguacode around this time.
We then cut back to the battle I mentioned earlier, and as many have pointed out, the anime version of Palkia sounds like Boga from Star Wars: Episode III-Revenge of the Sith. A legendary Pokémon that sounds like a Krayt dragon is always a plus for me.
Dialga and Palkia clash in some relatively impressive animation for the time, and one of Dialga's attacks cracks the gem on Palkia's shoulder! This is going to be important later, in case you're wondering.
An hourglass in Tonio's lab breaks, and this smash cuts to our title card!
Minor side note, but I really love how Shinji Miyazaki's G/S/C battle theme was arranged here. I agree that it's disappointing that there aren't any DP remakes yet (though the company is now officially developing for the Switch, according to an announcement from Tsunekazu Ishihara), I also agree that it will be great to play Gold and Silver on VIrtual Console. I plan on downloading them the moment they go live.
We then see Ash, Brock and Dawn on their way to Alamos Town so Dawn can take part in a Pokémon contest and Ash can take part in new battles! Also, no comment on Dawn's "so little dresses and so little time" line.
We then see Ash, Brock and Dawn on their way to Alamos Town so Dawn can take part in a Pokémon contest and Ash can take part in new battles! Also, no comment on Dawn's "so little dresses and so little time" line.
They find out that Alamos Town is on the other side of the valley, but luckily, they're given a lift by a young woman in a hot air balloon!
The woman's name is Alice, and in addition to Brock being smitten with her; this lady's name is going to bring up a lot of Alice in Wonderland references in this movie. Still, this movie at least makes more sense than Alice Through the Looking Glass.
Brock then tries to add Alice to his address book, and his Croagunk responds by Poison Jabbing him. That still has to be one of my favorite variants of that running gag. I also really want to play as him in Pokkén DX (been Japanese DLC for a while now).
Alice is also good at music, and can even play a melody on the leaf! Nice, but I wonder how she'd do on the paper and comb.
Team Rocket then crosses paths with some Drifloon and a Drifblim, and Jessie tries to catch them with her net! Drifblim, not amused, then blow them away with Gust! Geez, they go any further; they'll be halfway to Oz!
The balloon makes its way to Alamos Town, where the contest will be held at the Towers of Space and Time. Brock's guidebook also mentions that the towers where constructed 100 years ago. Ash then tries to figure out how to get that times 10, and Dawn finishes that it's times 10. ... We'll talk when I do some more of the Sun and Moon series in a bit.
The balloon makes its way to Alamos Town, where the contest will be held at the Towers of Space and Time. Brock's guidebook also mentions that the towers where constructed 100 years ago. Ash then tries to figure out how to get that times 10, and Dawn finishes that it's times 10. ... We'll talk when I do some more of the Sun and Moon series in a bit.
At the 10 minute mark, everyone decides to take the grand tour with Alice! Rather than a remix of the first DP theme (which I still find to be enjoyably cheesy, and at least a better rap than the One Piece rap or Transformers Cybertron rap), we get a demo version of the Battle Dimension theme, "We Will Be Heroes!" After the AG films were inconsistent with their musical arrangements, things do get better with this movie. Have a listen for yourself.
There's also another appearance of the little girl and her mother from the Lucario movie; and I still have no formal opinion on that fan theory, nor any rumored spoilers about the I Choose You movie. Such as it is, I'm halfway there.
Alice takes everyone to a garden so their Pokémon can frolic, and as a result: hijinks ensue.
A fight breaks out between the Pokémon, but Alice is able to quell them by playing the leaf again! I think I'm really going to like this character.
Then, the garden is being damaged and the Pokémon are being spooked, and this regal figure says that Darkrai is the cause! This is Baron Alberto, a character that has varying reception depending on who you ask. In my case, I find his ego to be supremely entertaining; even if the movie goes onto show that he's in over his head. Do you take your ham rare or well-done, Baron?
Brock then exposits that Darkrai makes those who fall asleep near it have nightmares while Team Rocket watches through their macrobinoculars. They then devise a plan to steal Pikachu by getting close to the Baron. Of course, that should go swimmingly! Just like whenever people try to mess with the King of Wakanda!
Alberto then sends out Lickilicky to take on Darkrai! Yeah, while the Baron is totally full of himself; he's also not very smart. Not a total stretch for someone in a position of power today, but still.
He has Lickilicky use Hyper Beam, but all he gets is Tonio! I know I've got a joke here, but I don't feel comfortable using it right now.
Even though the Baron wants to marry Alice, Alice and the others make clear that she doesn't love Alberto; she loves Tonio! Alberto, however, doesn't believe a word of it. Yeesh, sounds like that rambler who thinks that Ultra Sun and Moon will suck because they weren't what he was expecting! Long story, will probably do my take on the matter before I do the Arceus movie.
Further evidence for this is the fact that Tonio apparently saved Alice when they were children! Works in a pinch, and it's not that different from how Ash and Serena met in the XY series later.
Further evidence for this is the fact that Tonio apparently saved Alice when they were children! Works in a pinch, and it's not that different from how Ash and Serena met in the XY series later.
So, right at the 22-minute mark of this 89-minute movie; we see Darkrai make his appearance! I can honestly say that this is one of my favorite Sinnoh legendaries; and one of my favorite Generation IV Pokémon overall.
Darkrai then attacks everyone, and traps Ash in a nightmare!
 |
| Tracey: Why? Why? Why have you forsaken us? |
The nightmare shows Ash alone in a desolate environment where Alamos Town once stood!
Tonio looks over his notes, and discovers an old photograph of Alice's ancestor Alicia, who met Darkrai in the same garden when she was a little girl! We'll, that's convenient.
We even get a flashback to when Alicia was a little girl, complete with everything in sepia tones! Fancy that!
When Dawn points out the talking Lickilicky, Baron Alberto indignantly points to his sash and corrects her! So, not a total stretch to see a pompous blowhard in this movie that tries to inflate his own ego; but nobody takes him seriously.
So, without any plans or any indication that attacking Darkrai will work; Baron leads everyone back into town to do battle with Darkrai; more or less on a suicide mission that's based on a faulty assumption that Dakrai is evil because reasons. If this doesn't work, maybe he could get a job at the Crimson Permanent Assurance.
Their battle starts destroying Alamos Town, and everyone tries to find a way to quell their fighting! Darkrai even tries to intervene, to no avail!
At the 1-hour mark; Tonio determines that if the fighting doesn't stop, the city really will be destroyed! Jeez, this really is like the final battle in Ultron; eight years before that movie came out!
Alice then determines that the song from before, "Oracion" is the key to stopping the battle; and everyone heads back to the Space Time Tower to get the disc they need to play the song! I also really like how Brock's Croagunk is able to fend off one of their attacks just by Poison Jabbing it. I really liked that Pokémon, and I still look forward to playing as him in Pokkén Tournament DX (I have an episode to recap in mind when it comes out, as well as the Virtual Console versions of Gold and Silver).
Conveniently, everything else BUT the Space/Time Tower is disintegrating around them! I may be among the people that like this movie, but even I will admit there's a lot of conveniences in this finale alone.
Fortunately, Darkrai is able to contain the explosion just long enough so Ash and Dawn get the disc they need in place and start playing the music!
Right before the final blow is struck, Ash is able to get the disc in place and the song starts playing to quell the chaos: "Oracion!" It's a great song, and I think I'll post a link of it for you all.
So, the fighting has ceased, and Palkia's wounds are healed as he undoes the damage in town! After that, he returns from where he came. Yes, I know Legendaries are genderless, but Palkia's head is a bit suspect depending on your POV.
Ash then says solemnly, "I'm sorry, Darkrai." (Laughs) I know that's supposed to be a serious scene, but I can never help chuckling at that line.
"Pokémon: The Rise of Darkrai" is a solid 10th entry into the long-running series; and even though it's not my favorite film in the series, it is a film that I can see why many others like it. While there are some scenes that are admittedly silly, the battles and large doses of nightmare fuel definitely make this film worthy of being the 10th installment as well as the first main film to be rated PG by the MPAA (not counting TV movies like Mewtwo Returns).
I also must mention that I'm finally seeing my father in California on Friday, so I might have to bump some of the stuff I had planned to July. Next up in my Pokémon movie marathon is another movie I've been wanting to talk about for a while: Giratina and the Sky Warrior! See you, space cowboy!
 |
| Misty: You never came back, you left us. You abandoned your purpose. |
Then, after seeing a vision of Palkia; he's confronted by Darkrai!
 |
| You have forgotten your purpose! YOU HAVE FORSAKEN US! |
After dreaming about being enveloped in an abyss alongside Pikachu, Ash comes to in a hospital bed set up in the Pokémon Center! So, basically a reverse version of "A Chansey Operation," a bit of an oddball in the original series (to the point where I don't even know if I like it, let alone feel like recapping it in hindsight. Dogasu's revamped comparison has given me a lot to think about, to be honest.).
Nurse Joy explains that Darkrai's ability is Bad Dreams, and falling asleep in his presence will bring the worst nightmares imaginable. While Dawn and Brock were worried about Ash, they're glad he's all right as he greets Pikachu. I have been wanting to work on this movie for some time, and I am glad that I have finally gotten a chance to after all these setbacks.
As Tonio tries to determine what the cause of Darkrai's presence is, the festival begins that night to celebrate their centennial!
Tonio looks over his notes, and discovers an old photograph of Alice's ancestor Alicia, who met Darkrai in the same garden when she was a little girl! We'll, that's convenient.
We even get a flashback to when Alicia was a little girl, complete with everything in sepia tones! Fancy that!
It also posits that Darkrai is a misunderstood Pokémon; despite being the closest thing the series has to the lord of darkness so far. If all these protest groups are still getting their shorts in a knot about the subtext of the series, Persona 5 is going to blow their minds.
The next day, Dawn buys a Cresselia feather from a hippie vendor (who may or may not be related to the one in the Jirachi movie) to ward off nightmares; which is one of the few elements from the movies that actually cross over into the TV anime. While many of them take place in alternate continuities (this also applies to OVA series such Origins and Generations); some elements do make their way in.
Before Dawn's contest, Alice takes everyone to visit Tonio in the Space Time Tower! They find him passed out on the floor; but Tonio has also discovered more about the link between Darkrai and Alicia!
They also discover a bunch of discs with music on them, which leads to a gag about trying to get to the top of the tower first. Cute, but I'm willing to bet this is probably going to be important later. Also, that makes the third straight movie I've done from the series with Breath of the Wild references aplenty. In this case: more is revealed after they all climb the tower!
With a series of etched discs, the tower is also the world's largest music box! As I said before, I get the feeling this will be important later. Just like you have to climb the towers to get more information on Hyrule!
They also discover a bunch of discs with music on them, which leads to a gag about trying to get to the top of the tower first. Cute, but I'm willing to bet this is probably going to be important later. Also, that makes the third straight movie I've done from the series with Breath of the Wild references aplenty. In this case: more is revealed after they all climb the tower!
With a series of etched discs, the tower is also the world's largest music box! As I said before, I get the feeling this will be important later. Just like you have to climb the towers to get more information on Hyrule!
Everyone decides to take further part in the town's festivities, but Darkrai appears in the town center once again!
Team Rocket, posing as a TV news crew; tries to film Baron Alberton saving everyone, but this just results in his Lickilicky and other Pokémon getting caught in the crossfire, and the Baron turning into a Lickilicky! Well, here you go.
 |
| Cocaine is a Hell of a drug. |
Ash insinuates he's having another nightmare, and asks Pikachu to wake him! Pikachu then complies by shocking him. I wonder what role Pikachu plays in his dream, or what would be Ash's totem.
At the Pokémon Center, all the Pokémon are having strange dreams; and their visions are taking form as Dawn's Buizel is one of many Pokémon that's swimming through the air!
When Dawn points out the talking Lickilicky, Baron Alberto indignantly points to his sash and corrects her! So, not a total stretch to see a pompous blowhard in this movie that tries to inflate his own ego; but nobody takes him seriously.
After Team Rocket brings Lickilicky into the Pokémon Center; Tonio brings up the data on his computer; and I never noticed this when I was a teenager, but apparently the screen has Lickilicky's Japanese name, "Beroberuto" on it. Imagine that. This is a very strange movie, and my current state of mind has made that even more amusing.
 |
| I'm not afraid of dying, anytime will do... |
Everyone is also trapped in town by a mysterious mist, which can't be cleared by a Defog attack! Every time they try to escape, they end up back in town!
The Baron once again insinuates that Darkrai is the cause of all this, and wants it destroyed! Always a logical course of action: "we don't know why this is happening or how the source is causing this, so let's kill it!"
 |
| Come in peace, shoot to kill! |
So, without any plans or any indication that attacking Darkrai will work; Baron leads everyone back into town to do battle with Darkrai; more or less on a suicide mission that's based on a faulty assumption that Dakrai is evil because reasons. If this doesn't work, maybe he could get a job at the Crimson Permanent Assurance.
While everyone else tries a different course of action, we get another flashback to when Alice and Tonio were children! It turns out that Alice almost fell off a cliff when she was a little girl; and Darkrai saved her! OK, since I'm going to be seeing my father out of town soon; might as well start playing Cinema Sins at the halfway point.
 |
| "Character in a fantasy film has history with the main antagonist" cliché. |
As Tonio continues researching the nature of Darkrai's appearance; predictably, Baron's assault against Darkrai doesn't go well. It doesn't help that a fair number of the trainers where attacking with moves that would be totally ineffective against Darkrai.
Tonio then deduces that Darkrai was trying to warn everyone, and that Palkia was the true cause of everything going on!
Now, the climax begins as everyone heads back to the Space Time Tower! Boy, I love a hobby where I get to type stuff like this!
 |
| Is this the future, or is this 1999? |
Palkia begins materializing in Alamos Town, and the Pokémon awaken as the Baron is restored! He immediately begins admiring himself when he's back to his original form. Do you take your ham medium or well-done, Baron?
On a more dire note, it also turns out that Alamos Town is suspended in space/time like Sokovia was in the final battle in Age of Ultron!
I must say, that this battle between Dialga and Palkia is very nicely put together for this time; and I'm once again glad I'm finally doing this movie. Beats dealing with Vogon bureaucracies.
 | |||||||
| I'm telling you, Ultra Sun and Moon will be good games if you give them a chance! "NEVER! Give me DP remakes or give me death!" |
At the 1-hour mark; Tonio determines that if the fighting doesn't stop, the city really will be destroyed! Jeez, this really is like the final battle in Ultron; eight years before that movie came out!
Conveniently, everything else BUT the Space/Time Tower is disintegrating around them! I may be among the people that like this movie, but even I will admit there's a lot of conveniences in this finale alone.
Fortunately, Darkrai is able to contain the explosion just long enough so Ash and Dawn get the disc they need in place and start playing the music!
Right before the final blow is struck, Ash is able to get the disc in place and the song starts playing to quell the chaos: "Oracion!" It's a great song, and I think I'll post a link of it for you all.
So, the fighting has ceased, and Palkia's wounds are healed as he undoes the damage in town! After that, he returns from where he came. Yes, I know Legendaries are genderless, but Palkia's head is a bit suspect depending on your POV.
Ash then says solemnly, "I'm sorry, Darkrai." (Laughs) I know that's supposed to be a serious scene, but I can never help chuckling at that line.
Then, it turns out Darkrai is OK, as we close on one more unintentionally hilarious image of Darkrai with legs and everyone else thanking him for his help.
 |
| Darkrai will return in Spider-Man Homecoming. |
"Pokémon: The Rise of Darkrai" is a solid 10th entry into the long-running series; and even though it's not my favorite film in the series, it is a film that I can see why many others like it. While there are some scenes that are admittedly silly, the battles and large doses of nightmare fuel definitely make this film worthy of being the 10th installment as well as the first main film to be rated PG by the MPAA (not counting TV movies like Mewtwo Returns).
I also must mention that I'm finally seeing my father in California on Friday, so I might have to bump some of the stuff I had planned to July. Next up in my Pokémon movie marathon is another movie I've been wanting to talk about for a while: Giratina and the Sky Warrior! See you, space cowboy!
No comments:
Post a Comment