Pokemon 3: The Movie (2001)

22% of critics liked it
(55 reviews)
56% of users liked it
(21,504 ratings)

A handful of strange creatures prove just how dangerous the imagination can be in the third American feature adapted from the popular Pokemon animated series. Prof. Spencer Hale is an archeologist studying ancient Pokemon when he uncovers a strange breed of "pocket monsters" called "Unown," whose… More A handful of strange creatures prove just how dangerous the imagination can be in the third American feature adapted from the popular Pokemon animated series. Prof. Spencer Hale is an archeologist studying ancient Pokemon when he uncovers a strange breed of "pocket monsters" called "Unown," whose bodies form runic symbols that resemble the letters of the alphabet. The Unown can read people's minds and transform their fantasies into reality, and when the professor mysteriously disappears, his young daughter Molly is given the materials (and the Pokemon) her father collected. As Molly plays with the Unown, her home is mysteriously transformed into a crystal fortress that expands to envelop the entire community of Greenfield, and a number of dangerous monsters are released from Molly's daydreams -- one of whom captures her mother and spirits her away. Realizing the crisis is the work of the Unown, legendary Pokemon-trainer Ash leaps into action to capture the creatures and teach Molly about the dangers of the Unown. Pokemon the Movie 3: Spell of the Unown was distributed with an accompanying short subject, Pikachu and Pichu, which finds the most popular Pokemon visiting the city with his new friend. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: G, 1 hr. 13 min.
Directed By: Kunihiko Yuyama, Michael Haigney
Written By: Norman J. Grossfeld, Michael Haigney, John Touhey, Takeshi Shudo, Hideki Sonoda
Genres: Action & Adventure, Television, Animation, Kids & Family, Science Fiction & Fantasy

In Theaters: Apr 6, 2001 Wide
On DVD: Aug 21, 2001
Studio: Warner Bros. Pictures

Critic Reviews

Robert Koehler, Variety
The animation doesn't display the kind of artistic advances that would compensate for the underdeveloped story.
Michael O'Sullivan, Washington Post
Creepy, yes, and confusing as heck, but not half so fearsome as the three little words ('Until next time!') spoken by whom I don't recall.
Edward Guthmann, San Francisco Chronicle
Even little trainer's pet Pikachu appears to have seen it all before.
Anita Gates, New York Times
Nap time for adults.
Lou Lumenick, New York Post
This adult found it somewhere between mind-blowing and headache-inducing.
Robin Rauzi, Los Angeles Times
A 75-minute sensory assault.
Nell Minow, Common Sense Media
So-so, violent movie for series fans only.
Mark Halverson, Sacramento News & Review
The lengthy battles here become tiresome in a film that says Pokémons live to battle but also know when to quit.
Ken Hanke, Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)
For kids and diehard fans, it's OK. Others beware.
Tom Grealis, RTE Interactive (Dublin, Ireland)
Childless couples everywhere should rejoice.
John R. McEwen, Film Quips Online
One would think that three feature vehicles for Pikachu and his mind-numbing friends would be sufficient to convince our kids that there's got to be something better available and cause their interest in the avalanche of trashy collectibles to wane.
James Sanford, Kalamazoo Gazette
action-packed ... suspenseful without being terribly scary. Although the lengthy climax caused the kids sitting nearby to make a meal of their fingernails, they couldn't take their eyes off the screen.
, Hollywood.com
it's surprising that this project wasn't shelved from the get-go, but it seems the contract for the third and fourth spin-off films were inked along with that of the second Pokémon movie.
, Boston Phoenix
Subsequent Pokémon battles give Nintendo the chance to showcase a few new characters, but equal effort is not made in the psychological arena.
Rich Cline, Shadows on the Wall
This one isn't nearly as gut-wrenchingly awful as the first one -- the animation is better. But it's still so bad it hurts.
Peter Bradshaw, Guardian [UK]
The animation and script still look as crummy as ever.
David Hughes, Empire Magazine
Lighter than its predecessors.
Neil Smith, BBC
If not exactly enjoyable, then at least halfway tolerable.
Urban Cinefile Critics, Urban Cinefile
For adults, there's little to recommend here.
Michael Dequina, TheMovieReport.com
Too little, too late for the phenomenon to gain a second wind, or for it to make converts out of any Pokémon haters.

Read all 20 critic reviews

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

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Featured Audience Ratings

Alexander D

To the people who created POKEMON: Can we stop being so brilliantly creative by subtitling every movie in this series, "The Movie"? We know it's a movie without the add-on. Actually, scratch that. There's so much marketing in this dumb franchise that such labels… More
To the people who created POKEMON: Can we stop being so brilliantly creative by subtitling every movie in this series, "The Movie"? We know it's a movie without the add-on. Actually, scratch that. There's so much marketing in this dumb franchise that such labels are necessary. Sad.
KJ P

Okay, I'll admit, that this has the weakest characters, but it also leads as being the most eventful of the franchise. It has the most complicated plot as a scientist discovers symbols, linking them to rare undiscovered pokemon. Ante, being the first pokemon found, is probably… More
Okay, I'll admit, that this has the weakest characters, but it also leads as being the most eventful of the franchise. It has the most complicated plot as a scientist discovers symbols, linking them to rare undiscovered pokemon. Ante, being the first pokemon found, is probably the most interesting legendary character so far, but there is just something about these films that I find wrong. Movies can only go so far, and with pokemon, they can't even pass the first two with good story.
Brad W

Better, but still weird and depressing
Michael E

as with every pokemon movie up until destiny deoxys a masterpiece
Luke B

Returns some of the darkness of the first film. Here we find a bunch of legendary Pokemon making one young girl's dreams come true. Not as nice as it sounds when her imaginary world is a nightmare for the rest of the earth. Pokemon 3 does a lot of things right, such as limiting… More
Returns some of the darkness of the first film. Here we find a bunch of legendary Pokemon making one young girl's dreams come true. Not as nice as it sounds when her imaginary world is a nightmare for the rest of the earth. Pokemon 3 does a lot of things right, such as limiting the number of Pokemon, allowing for more story. It also brings Ash back his Charizard for a while, which only makes sense, since he doesn't have any powerful Pokemon at this point in the continuity. Team Rocket are reduced to such a joke that even they question their appearance by breaking the 4th wall. More CGI, which doesn't quite mix with the simple anime style, adds something new but not essential.
Sanjaya &

the story wasn't good at all, but the effects were great
Bradley W

Probably the best in the series, but that is not saying much.
Dillon L

Better plot, still dumb.
Steven V

Really good movie. The story was excellent. The kind of pokemon, mostly is Unown are great.