Digimon:The Movie was one of those movies, that I thought I wasn't going to enjoy. Anyway, I watched it with low expectations, and it was better than I expected it to be. Maybe the pivotal factors of my fear that it wasn't going to be good, is because I am not a huge fan of the TV show, and that I did not like Pokemon:The First Movie. I did enjoy most of it, but it is mediocre as a film. The animation is mostly good, and true to the show, and the voice talents on the whole were dynamic and expressive, and aided by some good dialogue. The characters are likable,even the villains were adequate, and there are one or two thrilling action sequences. Sadly, there are some factors that let it down. I am still not receptive to the title song, and whereas the film starts off fine, the last 20 minutes are rushed, and are highly suggestive of two or three episodes thrown together. There were also some parts in the story that were underdeveloped. While mediocre, Digimon certainly isn't a terrible movie, it just isn't a great one either. 5/10 Bethany Cox.
72 Reviews
Second part was the best
olyfreak-18 September 2003
I've seen this movie numerous times, and found it to be an interesting part of the Digimon storyline. However, not every part of this movie was worth writing home about. While the first two segments expanded on plots mentioned in the TV show, the third movie was one big void. No episode since then has mentioned the events of that segment, and it's the only part of the movie that we don't know when it takes place. We know the first part takes place 4 years prior to Season 1, and the events of this segment are shown in flashbacks during the episode "Return to Highton View Terrace." We also know that the second part of the film takes place shortly after Season 1, although the events after the last episode of Season 1 have not been clarified, so we don't have an exact point of reference. Finally, the third part seems to have just been thrown in to show the Season 2 cast, pre-Ken's conversion to the good side.
Now that I've finished that part, I'd like to say that the second segment, called "Our War Game" in Japan, was my favorite part. Even if the concept was a bit hokey (It's Digimon, the whole concept is hokey if you think about it.), it still was written extremely well. It also answered the question we've all been asking: "When will someone attack them while they're Digivolving?" All in all, I rate the segments of this film as follows: Favorite: Segment 2 "Our War Game", followed by Segment 1 (can't remember the title in Japan), and then Segment 3 (also can't remember the title!).
Now that I've finished that part, I'd like to say that the second segment, called "Our War Game" in Japan, was my favorite part. Even if the concept was a bit hokey (It's Digimon, the whole concept is hokey if you think about it.), it still was written extremely well. It also answered the question we've all been asking: "When will someone attack them while they're Digivolving?" All in all, I rate the segments of this film as follows: Favorite: Segment 2 "Our War Game", followed by Segment 1 (can't remember the title in Japan), and then Segment 3 (also can't remember the title!).
Slightly overrated
TheArgentWolf31 January 2005
Well I have to admit, when I watched the movie in 2000 (when I was 11), I was obsessed with it. But since I've aged I've come to decide that this movie is pretty poor. I think it was slightly tacky and unfair to Americans and other non-Japanese speaking companies that they had to wait for all 3 Japanese movies to be released before this film was made. I also think compacting 3 movies together confused a little, and people could easily get confused. 3 very similar story lines in one film can cause utter confusion.
I think it's better than the Pokemon movies though, because the storyline has more depth to it, and the voice actors are of a higher standard, and less "whiney" than in Pokemon.
In conclusion, I think the film could've been a lot better, though I may be biased as it is not for my age group anymore.
I think it's better than the Pokemon movies though, because the storyline has more depth to it, and the voice actors are of a higher standard, and less "whiney" than in Pokemon.
In conclusion, I think the film could've been a lot better, though I may be biased as it is not for my age group anymore.
Funtimes
kjforrest8 October 2003
I really can't bring myself to insult this movie as it got me into anime. Actually, to rephrase that, it got me interested in the idea of anime: Akira got me into PROPER anime.
As for the film, it is actually pretty good. Digimon is one of those anime series that, while aimed at younger audiences, is actually very enjoyable. There are funny moments, and the fight scenes are cool without being too violent.
The film is split into three loosely linked sections, the first really just setting the story up, but containing a cool fight scene at the end. The second part is the longest and most enjoyable: it features Tai and Izzy trying to stop a Digimon with a virus that has taken over the internet. This section contains the best jokes and interaction between the characters, and has a good plot and animation. The third part I didn't like so much, but for the record is takes place later, and deals with the aftermath of what happened, this time set in the USA.
Obviously, Digimon: The Movie is just a kids picture, and the animation and plot are pretty basically, but it will be enjoyed by fans of the series, children who are into anime, scifi, etc. and even my more mature (i.e. older!) anime fans like myself who just want a fun little film to pass the time with.
As for the film, it is actually pretty good. Digimon is one of those anime series that, while aimed at younger audiences, is actually very enjoyable. There are funny moments, and the fight scenes are cool without being too violent.
The film is split into three loosely linked sections, the first really just setting the story up, but containing a cool fight scene at the end. The second part is the longest and most enjoyable: it features Tai and Izzy trying to stop a Digimon with a virus that has taken over the internet. This section contains the best jokes and interaction between the characters, and has a good plot and animation. The third part I didn't like so much, but for the record is takes place later, and deals with the aftermath of what happened, this time set in the USA.
Obviously, Digimon: The Movie is just a kids picture, and the animation and plot are pretty basically, but it will be enjoyed by fans of the series, children who are into anime, scifi, etc. and even my more mature (i.e. older!) anime fans like myself who just want a fun little film to pass the time with.
Good Movie, Even If The Dialogue Gets Cheesy
jeremycrimsonfox9 May 2020
I never saw Digimon The Movie as a teen (I was only able to see Pokémon 2000: The Movie), and now, seeing this film, I think it is good, but it does have a few issues that keep it from being as good as the second Pokémon film.
So, basically, this film is actually three films edited into one film, using the first three Digimon movies (as each movie had a varied length in its original Japanese form). But before we see the Digi-Action, we have to sit through a four minute Angela Anaconda short themed around Angela trying to see the Digimon movie. Basically put in because the series is one of Fox Kids' ratings hits back then, this is basically boring and a waste of four minutes, as other Angela "digivolving" into a giant Tai-inspired heroine, it has mostly nothing to do with Digimon, and was thrown together so the film can have a short in the vein of the Pikachu shorts that the Pokémon movies have before the main movie.
After that, we get the movie, and it begins with a generic opening credits sequence accompanied by what is called the Digi Rap, a horrible rap whose lyrics are mostly Digi puns (with MC Peapod singing it as well as the pun popping up on screen as he says it) while also adding in the theme song we hear on Fox Kids six days a week at the time. I found it annoying and makes me wish they just either added the theme song as it was on TV or made a theatrical version like Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers: The Movie did for the theme song to the show it was based on.
So, after that, the movie really begins. With Kari as narrator, she goes through the three stories: the first being set eight years before the events of season two, which is set as a prequel to the first season, the second story, which is called Our War Games in Japan, is set in between seasons one and two and fleshes out elements that would appear in season two (as the movies are canon to the anime), and the third and final film, called Hurricane Touchdown in Japan, which is set during the second season.
Yeah, the stories are good, however, the film basically alters the events of each film for time and budget reasons. Also, the movie makes it where the events of the first two movies are tied to the third film, as it makes it where Willis (the Digi-Destined who appears in the third movie) was re-written to be the one responsible for creating Diaboromon (the original Japanese dub has Diaboromon's origin being computer viruses infecting a Digi-Egg). Also, the movie does edits to remove anything related to Japan while adding new lines (oolong tea becomes beef jerky shakes, and young Tai getting a call from Sora, which was never in the Japanese version) and real world references are added (like Kari mentioning Power Rangers). Yeah, this results in some cheesy dialogue and corny jokes that kids may find funny, but older fans will groan at.
The third and final movie is really edited, The original version had a plot where the older Digi-Destined were kidnapped and de-aged, which was cut here to keep the movie short, as Saban was unable to get this to be a two hour film. However, it is still good, as it explains a lot of things (the events of the first movie were mentioned in season one, where the battle between Red Greymon and Parrotmon was said to be a terrorist attack, and events of the second movie would be referenced in season two). It is a good movie, despite the Angela Anaconda short, horrid rap song, and the corny jokes.
So, basically, this film is actually three films edited into one film, using the first three Digimon movies (as each movie had a varied length in its original Japanese form). But before we see the Digi-Action, we have to sit through a four minute Angela Anaconda short themed around Angela trying to see the Digimon movie. Basically put in because the series is one of Fox Kids' ratings hits back then, this is basically boring and a waste of four minutes, as other Angela "digivolving" into a giant Tai-inspired heroine, it has mostly nothing to do with Digimon, and was thrown together so the film can have a short in the vein of the Pikachu shorts that the Pokémon movies have before the main movie.
After that, we get the movie, and it begins with a generic opening credits sequence accompanied by what is called the Digi Rap, a horrible rap whose lyrics are mostly Digi puns (with MC Peapod singing it as well as the pun popping up on screen as he says it) while also adding in the theme song we hear on Fox Kids six days a week at the time. I found it annoying and makes me wish they just either added the theme song as it was on TV or made a theatrical version like Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers: The Movie did for the theme song to the show it was based on.
So, after that, the movie really begins. With Kari as narrator, she goes through the three stories: the first being set eight years before the events of season two, which is set as a prequel to the first season, the second story, which is called Our War Games in Japan, is set in between seasons one and two and fleshes out elements that would appear in season two (as the movies are canon to the anime), and the third and final film, called Hurricane Touchdown in Japan, which is set during the second season.
Yeah, the stories are good, however, the film basically alters the events of each film for time and budget reasons. Also, the movie makes it where the events of the first two movies are tied to the third film, as it makes it where Willis (the Digi-Destined who appears in the third movie) was re-written to be the one responsible for creating Diaboromon (the original Japanese dub has Diaboromon's origin being computer viruses infecting a Digi-Egg). Also, the movie does edits to remove anything related to Japan while adding new lines (oolong tea becomes beef jerky shakes, and young Tai getting a call from Sora, which was never in the Japanese version) and real world references are added (like Kari mentioning Power Rangers). Yeah, this results in some cheesy dialogue and corny jokes that kids may find funny, but older fans will groan at.
The third and final movie is really edited, The original version had a plot where the older Digi-Destined were kidnapped and de-aged, which was cut here to keep the movie short, as Saban was unable to get this to be a two hour film. However, it is still good, as it explains a lot of things (the events of the first movie were mentioned in season one, where the battle between Red Greymon and Parrotmon was said to be a terrorist attack, and events of the second movie would be referenced in season two). It is a good movie, despite the Angela Anaconda short, horrid rap song, and the corny jokes.
I have a confession to make.
La Gremlin6 September 2001
I must confess. I am an adult "Digimon" fan.
I don't know how it happened. I watched a few episodes and got hooked. Now we're on Series Three in America and I figured I might as well rent the movie so I'm not completely lost.
I will now reiterate something I said way back in my "My Little Pony: the Movie" review. This movie was marketed to a *very* specialized audience. Probably, anyone who was meant to see a "Digimon" movie has already seen it, rendering this review pretty pointless. Oh well.
So what was the deal with all the "plugs" for (enter name of car company that sounds a little like "Mars, duh")? Overall, this movie was enjoyable if very episodic. Part Two holds together the best.
I don't know how it happened. I watched a few episodes and got hooked. Now we're on Series Three in America and I figured I might as well rent the movie so I'm not completely lost.
I will now reiterate something I said way back in my "My Little Pony: the Movie" review. This movie was marketed to a *very* specialized audience. Probably, anyone who was meant to see a "Digimon" movie has already seen it, rendering this review pretty pointless. Oh well.
So what was the deal with all the "plugs" for (enter name of car company that sounds a little like "Mars, duh")? Overall, this movie was enjoyable if very episodic. Part Two holds together the best.
Good animation, bad script
Elvis-Del-Valle22 March 2023
The film is composed of extracts from 4 animated films of the Digimon franchise. What makes this movie spectacular is its animation which is quite good with good character designs and exciting action scenes. What fails is the script since everything happens very quickly, it is a lot of noise and nothing. They changed the original dialogues and really many of the new dialogues are horrible and the dubbing in English too, only the Latin dubbing is decent. Even the editing is flawed. Some songs are good, but many of them don't fit with the movie. It is an enjoyable and entertaining animated film, but in the end it is a mediocre film and that is why I give it a 7/10.
Digi See! Digi Hear, Digi Know it was awful! This movie is a digital monster! It's a dreadful Digi mess.
ironhorse_iv7 June 2015
Warning: Spoilers
Hoping to replicate, the success of their first two Pokémon films, 20th Century Fox hope to distribute, yet another, of their Japanese anime own TV Series for the big screens. This time, it will be their Digimon: Digital Monster franchise created by Akiyoshi Hongo. First produced by Toei Animation in cooperation with Bandai and Fuji Television in Japan. The show was later pick up by Fox Kids for distribute in the US, when their Pokémon show, became a big hit. While, the show is look upon, as a Pokémon clone or rip-off, the show is more influenced in style by the contemporary Tamagotchi or nano gigapets toys craze of the late 1990s. The TV Series tells the story of a group of pre-teens children who became the caretakers of Digital creatures that came to Earth from their "Digital World"; a parallel universe that was created by Earth's various communication networks. Technically, this movie claims, you don't need to watch the show, to enjoy this film. They say they will explain everything to new viewers. However, this movie did little to no explanations to those unfamiliar with the show. Yes, it did have some exposition dump, but there isn't a lot of time spent, explaining it all, to have the audience absorb what's going on. The movie excels in visual unnecessary action. Most of the film is this. Due to that, it fails to build any kind of emotional involvement with the characters, human or otherwise. The protagonists are given little to do other than explain the latest crisis then cheer on their respective Digimon when they fight. Scenes alternate between kitschy cuteness and spectacular violence, with only a nod toward plot, character development, and motivation. So if you came, across this movie, without seeing the show. You'll be deeply confused. Another fault about this movie is how it was made. Since, Toei Animation had no feature-length films for Digimon, but instead had smaller animation featurettes. The producers of this film, felt that three solo short films of the Digimon franchise could be combine into one film. It didn't work. Digimon: The Movie had a significant degree of bad editing, with more than 40 minutes of scenes from the individual Japanese versions cut out to save time. The three films, used Digimon Adventure (1999), Our War Game! (2000), and Digimon Hurricane Touchdown! / Supreme Evolution! The Golden Digimentals (2000), were respectively 20, 40, and 60 minutes long, footage was condensed to fit 85 minutes. The last film included in the compilation, was heavily cut and reedited, because Saban Entertainment lacked the funding to produce a full two-hour movie. Due to this, the movie lack a cohesive narrative. That's one of the reasons the movie is so terrible. It has no arc, no connection between the three stories. You could pop on the movie at any point and have no idea if you're in the first act, or near the climax, or the resolution. In order to connect the stories of the different movies together, the adapting screenwriters place the film over a span of eight years, in which the movie chronicles the first appearance of the Digimon, the internet meltdown caused by another powerful Digimon, and last the fight between the whole cast of Digimon Monsters against a mysterious Digimon named Kokomon. The first act has nothing to do with the actual plot of the movie and serves nothing more than to introduce those who are not familiar with the Digimon franchise. The second act is possibly the heart and soul of this movie. Truly epic in scale, the movie's second act has both the thrills and deeper emotional. It's also smart. There is a nice subtext satiring society's dependence on technology and the dehumanizing effect of internet communication. It should have been the final act. Sadly, this movie had to end on an extremely weak note with the badly made third act. The animation is alright, but it's very different from the TV series. In fact, it follows more of the western animation conventions than Japanese anime. They seem to be a lack of detail in the artwork, with characters being just simple outlines with flat colors without even simple shadows or clothing folds. The characters' eyes are smaller with less of that "anime shine", and the designs have been simplified somewhat. However, the animation movements is a lot more fluid and expressive. The movie tries a little to less Japanese, and more American. The culturally awkward Japanese elements were removed, and replaced by badly Americans stereotype ones. Due to this, a lot of the jokes fall flat. The movie even add an awkward American sounding pop rock eclectic soundtrack that felt distracting. Many of the pop tunes has little to no relation with the film, itself. Honestly, what does the song, 'All My Best Friends Are Metalheads' by Less than Jake, have to do with this Japanese anime!? The songs are effectively no help for the scenes they are coupled with. Some of the songs are so, overused, like "All Star" by Smash Mouth, "The Rockafeller Skank" by Fatboy Slim and "One Week" by the Barenaked Ladies. I'm kinda tired of seeing them, in all these late 1990's/early 2000s flicks. At least the music is catchy. It's better than the ear grating "digi-rap" that opens the film. It's also weird, that the movie opens with another cartoon, introducing it. A four-minute short film featuring animation characters from the Angela Anaconda (1999 to 2003) TV series appeared before the film in the theatrical and home media releases. Don't get me wrong, I love Angela Anaconda, but I found, this self-promoting a bit jarring. I get that Angela Anaconda was owned by Fox as well, but couldn't they just cut this part from the film or add it to the special features. Overall: This movie is disappointing even for Digimon fan. Just stick to watching the show. It's better.
Awesome!
Ivan Ravenous8 October 2000
Except for the previews for several horrible kid movies and an excruciating ten minute Angela Anaconda short, Digimon: The Movie was a great film!
I think that my friend and myself were the only people in the theatre who understood it, as the little kids and their parents probably had no idea what was going on or why. It's a deeper movie than I expected, and hard to understand if you haven't been following the TV show to become acquainted with the characters and their world.
The animation is great and fun to look at, there's a lot of comedy, interesting characters and rad monsters. I was surprised to find there was even a little poop.
If you're a fan of the show, you'll probably love every second of the movie, although a lot of it is apt to fly right over little kids' heads.
I think that my friend and myself were the only people in the theatre who understood it, as the little kids and their parents probably had no idea what was going on or why. It's a deeper movie than I expected, and hard to understand if you haven't been following the TV show to become acquainted with the characters and their world.
The animation is great and fun to look at, there's a lot of comedy, interesting characters and rad monsters. I was surprised to find there was even a little poop.
If you're a fan of the show, you'll probably love every second of the movie, although a lot of it is apt to fly right over little kids' heads.
A cherished time-capsule for this Digimon fan
jephtha18 May 2019
Going to the movies has always been a beloved pastime for me. I can still vividly recall regularly attending a small local theater in California. It was no Harkins or AMC in term of size, but at that age there's a magical quality to any such place, and it is a sad fact of life that we lose sight of that as the years pass. But that's a topic for another day. I believe everyone has those seminal theater experiences that set the standard for such visits and help shape their attitude about the medium. To date, there have been 5 for me: Matilda, A Goofy Movie, Attack of the Clones, The Dark Knight, and "Digimon: The Movie".
"Digimon" is one of my favorite movies of all time for wholly special reasons. It's not one I recommend to people in general, it clearly wasn't conceived as a full-length feature, and is widely dismissive of usual critical standards. If one really wants to make the case that this is a bad movie, they've got a goldmine to work with. But, for someone like me, who happens to fall squarely within the target demographic, this movie delivers everything hoped for: the joy of being reacquainted with people and creatures who get to do what they do best. It's the perfect subject for a quality of film criticism that has become something of an endangered species amongst all the self-aggrandizing "objective" analyses that have flooded the internet.
At the time of the movie's release, my obsession with the series was at its peak. The second season was in full swing and the news of a theatrical project launched my excitement into the stratosphere. It was unthinkable; the opportunity to see the fantastical antics of the show on the big screen with improved animation. My expectations were general in nature, and the results were satisfying. Sequences and images from this film stayed with me long after leaving the theater, and I waited with great anticipation for the video release.
While there's not much depth to the portrayal of the characters, the strong voice-work from the series carries over. The cast had grown into their roles at this point, effortlessly conveying the vivid, distinct personalities of the team. They never seem to be phoning it in, even during the cameos. The second-generation team hadn't quite settled in yet, though Brian Donovan is amusing as Davis and Cody remains in the sidelines...where he belongs.
It's impossible to miss the fact that the movie is essentially a compilation of three shorts that were forcibly connected. The results: newcomer Willis is awkwardly shoehorned into the first two episodes and the story of Kokomon eviscerated. The movie would have worked fine as three distinct tales that happen to take place in the same universe. Nonetheless, this inelegant melding, while creating some confusion, doesn't make it impossible to be drawn into the individual episodes.
One may find it surprising how strong "Digimon: The Movie" is in two areas. First, all three segments boast an effective atmosphere. Consider the night-time depiction of Highton View Terrace in the first segment, or the entirety of "Our War Game" that takes place within a surreal physical interpretation of the internet (the progenitor for OZ in "Summer Wars"). Even "Hurricane Landing" excels in this respect, with numerous tense, nightmarish encounters with the villain. Second, the soundtrack is forceful and ubiquitous. Udi Harpaz and Amotz Plessner did a terrific job crafting certain themes to bolster the action or set the mood, in some cases even re-mixing themes from the television series to give them a more "theatrical" quality. The new rendition of the widely reviled English Digimon theme song, for example, actually works very well with the brawl between Greymon and Parrotmon. The random insertion of pop songs, however, is hit-or-miss at best.
One fascinating thing about certain intellectual properties is how they work with their apparent limitations, or, as Ebert might put it, "finding inspiration in their limitations". "Digimon" has never been known for pushing the envelope in animation, and the movie is no exception; the human characters have a rough look that is far removed from the livelier aesthetic of the anime. But, in its best moments, one gets the impression of an uneven product that nonetheless aspires to set itself apart. The terrific sense of scale in the confrontation with the Diaboromon army, the forceful rendering of "Big Agumon's" flame breath, the fighting maneuvers of Flamedramon and Antylamon, and many others demonstrate commendable use of visuals, sound, and timing.
"Digimon: The Movie" was and remains an important part of my affinity for the Digimon franchise. The conclusion of "Digimon Tamers" commenced the decline of the series, which would soon be replaced by Star Wars on my list of priorities. It was not an easy thing to move on from, despite the arrival of something new to fill the void. Yet, even during this waning, "Digimon: The Movie" kept my fondness for the series alive, even if for brief moments. Today, there is no shortage of resources to fulfill that want. The anime is readily available in all its incarnations, and the Tri movie series has recently concluded, with a new film set for release in 2020. But, on a very personal level, "Digimon: The Movie" is different. Like a true event, its impact endures the years and revisiting it "is to revisit a place in the mind" (Ebert). Some may call it a nostalgia trip, a term that has taken a largely derisive meaning in the current pop-culture context. But there's no reason to be ashamed of occasionally looking to the past for solace. I appreciate innovative material as much as the next person, but when I re-watch this film, part of me is always back in that California theater, when Digimon meant the world and there was no obligation to prove it to anyone. I think we all need something like that from time to time.
"Digimon" is one of my favorite movies of all time for wholly special reasons. It's not one I recommend to people in general, it clearly wasn't conceived as a full-length feature, and is widely dismissive of usual critical standards. If one really wants to make the case that this is a bad movie, they've got a goldmine to work with. But, for someone like me, who happens to fall squarely within the target demographic, this movie delivers everything hoped for: the joy of being reacquainted with people and creatures who get to do what they do best. It's the perfect subject for a quality of film criticism that has become something of an endangered species amongst all the self-aggrandizing "objective" analyses that have flooded the internet.
At the time of the movie's release, my obsession with the series was at its peak. The second season was in full swing and the news of a theatrical project launched my excitement into the stratosphere. It was unthinkable; the opportunity to see the fantastical antics of the show on the big screen with improved animation. My expectations were general in nature, and the results were satisfying. Sequences and images from this film stayed with me long after leaving the theater, and I waited with great anticipation for the video release.
While there's not much depth to the portrayal of the characters, the strong voice-work from the series carries over. The cast had grown into their roles at this point, effortlessly conveying the vivid, distinct personalities of the team. They never seem to be phoning it in, even during the cameos. The second-generation team hadn't quite settled in yet, though Brian Donovan is amusing as Davis and Cody remains in the sidelines...where he belongs.
It's impossible to miss the fact that the movie is essentially a compilation of three shorts that were forcibly connected. The results: newcomer Willis is awkwardly shoehorned into the first two episodes and the story of Kokomon eviscerated. The movie would have worked fine as three distinct tales that happen to take place in the same universe. Nonetheless, this inelegant melding, while creating some confusion, doesn't make it impossible to be drawn into the individual episodes.
One may find it surprising how strong "Digimon: The Movie" is in two areas. First, all three segments boast an effective atmosphere. Consider the night-time depiction of Highton View Terrace in the first segment, or the entirety of "Our War Game" that takes place within a surreal physical interpretation of the internet (the progenitor for OZ in "Summer Wars"). Even "Hurricane Landing" excels in this respect, with numerous tense, nightmarish encounters with the villain. Second, the soundtrack is forceful and ubiquitous. Udi Harpaz and Amotz Plessner did a terrific job crafting certain themes to bolster the action or set the mood, in some cases even re-mixing themes from the television series to give them a more "theatrical" quality. The new rendition of the widely reviled English Digimon theme song, for example, actually works very well with the brawl between Greymon and Parrotmon. The random insertion of pop songs, however, is hit-or-miss at best.
One fascinating thing about certain intellectual properties is how they work with their apparent limitations, or, as Ebert might put it, "finding inspiration in their limitations". "Digimon" has never been known for pushing the envelope in animation, and the movie is no exception; the human characters have a rough look that is far removed from the livelier aesthetic of the anime. But, in its best moments, one gets the impression of an uneven product that nonetheless aspires to set itself apart. The terrific sense of scale in the confrontation with the Diaboromon army, the forceful rendering of "Big Agumon's" flame breath, the fighting maneuvers of Flamedramon and Antylamon, and many others demonstrate commendable use of visuals, sound, and timing.
"Digimon: The Movie" was and remains an important part of my affinity for the Digimon franchise. The conclusion of "Digimon Tamers" commenced the decline of the series, which would soon be replaced by Star Wars on my list of priorities. It was not an easy thing to move on from, despite the arrival of something new to fill the void. Yet, even during this waning, "Digimon: The Movie" kept my fondness for the series alive, even if for brief moments. Today, there is no shortage of resources to fulfill that want. The anime is readily available in all its incarnations, and the Tri movie series has recently concluded, with a new film set for release in 2020. But, on a very personal level, "Digimon: The Movie" is different. Like a true event, its impact endures the years and revisiting it "is to revisit a place in the mind" (Ebert). Some may call it a nostalgia trip, a term that has taken a largely derisive meaning in the current pop-culture context. But there's no reason to be ashamed of occasionally looking to the past for solace. I appreciate innovative material as much as the next person, but when I re-watch this film, part of me is always back in that California theater, when Digimon meant the world and there was no obligation to prove it to anyone. I think we all need something like that from time to time.
Actually 3 movies in one.
xamtaro23 August 2010
It is no secret by now that this so called "movie" based on the famous "Digimon" anime series is actually a combination of 3 separate Digimon OVA short films. Remember what Robotech did with Macross, Southern Cross and Mospeada? Digimon the movie does the same, only with less effort made to keep up the illusion of the 3 separate stories being 1 coherent tale. While long time fans will cry foul of the show once they hear of the numerous cuts made to the original OVAs, the American "Digimon the movie" never did aim for the otakus. The target audience for this movie is no doubt the kids who have watched Saban's adaptation of the Digimon anime series.
On first viewing, it is easy to mistake this show for an actual "made in America" animated movie. The art and animation style is very different from the TV series and in fact follows more of the western animation conventions than Japanese anime. For example, the level of detail in the artwork is painfully low, with characters being just simple outlines with flat colors without even simple shadows or clothing folds. The characters' eyes are smaller with less of that "anime shine", and the designs have been simplified somewhat. However, the animation is a lot more fluid and expressive. Movements are shown in full with little of the usual cost cutting measures that anime uses such as repeating stock footage or panning the camera over a still background. Not exactly "movie" level animation, especially when compared to other theatrical animated movies, but nonetheless satisfactory.
The combination of Three OVAs naturally translate to 3 loosely connected acts told from the narrative standpoint of Kari, one of the main characters. The first act taking place "eight years ago", details the first encounter between the Kamiya siblings, Tai and Kari, and digimon. One day a mysterious egg appears from out of their computer and soon hatches into a cute bubble blowing creature. The children decide to keep it while not letting their parent find out, but the creature mutates overnight into a more monstrous lizard-like form. What follows is a devastating battle in the streets of their neighborhood between two ferocious Digimon, a battle only hinted at in the TV series.
Now this first act seems rather unnecessary. It has nothing to do with the actual plot of the movie and serves nothing more than to introduce those who are not familiar with the Digimon franchise to the Kamiya siblings and a few core concepts. A very refreshing thing was the re-interpretation of "Digital Monsters" as scary monstrous beasts, a stark contrast to their less threatening portrayal in the TV series.
THe second act is possibly the heart and soul of this movie. Four years after the Kamiyas' first digimon encounter and a short time after the events of the first Digimon TV series, Izzy the computer genius discovers a computer virus that is actually an evolving digimon. As Tai and Izzy race to gather the digidestined for one final battle, their digimon buddies must enter the internet and destroy the virus digimon before it becomes too powerful. The stakes get raised once the virus, calling itself Diaboromon, hacks into servers all over the world turning all computers crazy. Society gets thrown into chaos and the technology that even the digidestined take for granted, such as emails and telephone, now becomes the source of their downfall.
Truly epic in scale, Digimon: The movie's second act has both surface level thrills and deeper emotional themes. There is a nice subtext satiring society's dependence on technology and the dehumanizing effect of internet communication (a theme that director Mamoru Hosoda expounded upon in 2010's "Summer Wars" anime movie). It is in this segment where the English script shines the most. Witty in-jokes and word puns pepper the energetic dialog delivered by a fine cast of voice actors who masterfully grow into their roles.
So enjoyable was the Diaboromon segment, right up to its awesome climax involving a brand spanking powerful new digimon taking on gazillions of diaboromon clones, that it is regrettable that Digimon: The Movie had to end on an extremely weak note.
The third segment takes place in "present day" and it involves the remnants of the diaboromon virus from four years ago returning and infecting a digimon called Kokomon. Kokomon is one half of a set of twins. He and his twin brother Terriermon belonged to an American kid called Willis. The digidestined from the Digimon season 2 get drawn into this conflict as Kokomon becomes increasingly powerful. But unknown even to them, is that Willis' digimon twins are somehow connected to the Kamiya's first digimon encounter 8 years ago and Diaboromon's emergence four years ago.
This act is where it all falls apart. Not only is it the weakest in terms of story and its link to the previous two acts, but the writing seems rushed. Jokes that were supposed to sound timely and witty end up being really out of place and only serve to spoil the otherwise serious tone of the show. As the act reaches its climax, the editing done to the scenes becomes even more slip shod leaving many gaping plot holes. Even the battle sequences have been edited to the point of incoherence. And that ending? All too sudden and honestly, a little freaky especially when taken in context with the music.
Whether a change for the better or worse, the music incorporates many American pop tunes that, save for one, effectively complements the scenes they are coupled with. At least the catchy music is a good distraction from the ear grating "digi-rap" that opens the film and the other shortcomings of the movie.
Fans of Digimon, especially the Japanese digimon series, would undoubtedly give this a miss. It is recommended however that one at least watch the second act of this movie just for the fun of it.
On first viewing, it is easy to mistake this show for an actual "made in America" animated movie. The art and animation style is very different from the TV series and in fact follows more of the western animation conventions than Japanese anime. For example, the level of detail in the artwork is painfully low, with characters being just simple outlines with flat colors without even simple shadows or clothing folds. The characters' eyes are smaller with less of that "anime shine", and the designs have been simplified somewhat. However, the animation is a lot more fluid and expressive. Movements are shown in full with little of the usual cost cutting measures that anime uses such as repeating stock footage or panning the camera over a still background. Not exactly "movie" level animation, especially when compared to other theatrical animated movies, but nonetheless satisfactory.
The combination of Three OVAs naturally translate to 3 loosely connected acts told from the narrative standpoint of Kari, one of the main characters. The first act taking place "eight years ago", details the first encounter between the Kamiya siblings, Tai and Kari, and digimon. One day a mysterious egg appears from out of their computer and soon hatches into a cute bubble blowing creature. The children decide to keep it while not letting their parent find out, but the creature mutates overnight into a more monstrous lizard-like form. What follows is a devastating battle in the streets of their neighborhood between two ferocious Digimon, a battle only hinted at in the TV series.
Now this first act seems rather unnecessary. It has nothing to do with the actual plot of the movie and serves nothing more than to introduce those who are not familiar with the Digimon franchise to the Kamiya siblings and a few core concepts. A very refreshing thing was the re-interpretation of "Digital Monsters" as scary monstrous beasts, a stark contrast to their less threatening portrayal in the TV series.
THe second act is possibly the heart and soul of this movie. Four years after the Kamiyas' first digimon encounter and a short time after the events of the first Digimon TV series, Izzy the computer genius discovers a computer virus that is actually an evolving digimon. As Tai and Izzy race to gather the digidestined for one final battle, their digimon buddies must enter the internet and destroy the virus digimon before it becomes too powerful. The stakes get raised once the virus, calling itself Diaboromon, hacks into servers all over the world turning all computers crazy. Society gets thrown into chaos and the technology that even the digidestined take for granted, such as emails and telephone, now becomes the source of their downfall.
Truly epic in scale, Digimon: The movie's second act has both surface level thrills and deeper emotional themes. There is a nice subtext satiring society's dependence on technology and the dehumanizing effect of internet communication (a theme that director Mamoru Hosoda expounded upon in 2010's "Summer Wars" anime movie). It is in this segment where the English script shines the most. Witty in-jokes and word puns pepper the energetic dialog delivered by a fine cast of voice actors who masterfully grow into their roles.
So enjoyable was the Diaboromon segment, right up to its awesome climax involving a brand spanking powerful new digimon taking on gazillions of diaboromon clones, that it is regrettable that Digimon: The Movie had to end on an extremely weak note.
The third segment takes place in "present day" and it involves the remnants of the diaboromon virus from four years ago returning and infecting a digimon called Kokomon. Kokomon is one half of a set of twins. He and his twin brother Terriermon belonged to an American kid called Willis. The digidestined from the Digimon season 2 get drawn into this conflict as Kokomon becomes increasingly powerful. But unknown even to them, is that Willis' digimon twins are somehow connected to the Kamiya's first digimon encounter 8 years ago and Diaboromon's emergence four years ago.
This act is where it all falls apart. Not only is it the weakest in terms of story and its link to the previous two acts, but the writing seems rushed. Jokes that were supposed to sound timely and witty end up being really out of place and only serve to spoil the otherwise serious tone of the show. As the act reaches its climax, the editing done to the scenes becomes even more slip shod leaving many gaping plot holes. Even the battle sequences have been edited to the point of incoherence. And that ending? All too sudden and honestly, a little freaky especially when taken in context with the music.
Whether a change for the better or worse, the music incorporates many American pop tunes that, save for one, effectively complements the scenes they are coupled with. At least the catchy music is a good distraction from the ear grating "digi-rap" that opens the film and the other shortcomings of the movie.
Fans of Digimon, especially the Japanese digimon series, would undoubtedly give this a miss. It is recommended however that one at least watch the second act of this movie just for the fun of it.
Part two of the movie was hilarious
sandura_xanseas126 February 2004
I like the second part of the movie best because of the way Izzy looked liked when he was about to burst. Furthermore, this movie serves as to what happens after the first series ends. To me, I loved how it was told and I loved how Tai got frustrated over a silly letter to his friend Sora. It was funny to see the movie, especially when Izzy ate all that bad food of Tai's mother. But its purpose of it will never be forgotten for this movie really rocks.
A disjointed mess
prestonwardcondra8 August 2015
Warning: Spoilers
I'll get down to the nitty-gritty here. The Digimon Movie is awful.
The story is a complete mess (even to me who is a fan of the anime) the movie is actually told through 3 "mini-movies" with the first one involving Tai, his sister Kari and the origins of his partner Greymon and seeing a wild bird attacking their home.
For whatever reason, only Tai and Kari can only see the rampaging bird attacking their home. Only the "Digi-Destined" can. Confused enough already? The worst part to the first third of the movie is that this is never referenced in any part of the TV show (if you follow it that is) and it makes you wonder if it's cannon or not. It's hard to follow and it's nonsensical.
The second part pits Tai and Izzy (and the rest of characters given lame reasons why they can't help Tai and Izzy >_>) and eradicating a computer virus. The only notable part to it was Omnimon and even that part I mentioned, is stretching it.
The third part pits...zzz...and I'm bored enough with this movie already.
At least in "Pokemon: The First Movie" Ash Ketchum died. Nothing happened in The Digimon Movie. 2/10. Don't even bother with this.
The story is a complete mess (even to me who is a fan of the anime) the movie is actually told through 3 "mini-movies" with the first one involving Tai, his sister Kari and the origins of his partner Greymon and seeing a wild bird attacking their home.
For whatever reason, only Tai and Kari can only see the rampaging bird attacking their home. Only the "Digi-Destined" can. Confused enough already? The worst part to the first third of the movie is that this is never referenced in any part of the TV show (if you follow it that is) and it makes you wonder if it's cannon or not. It's hard to follow and it's nonsensical.
The second part pits Tai and Izzy (and the rest of characters given lame reasons why they can't help Tai and Izzy >_>) and eradicating a computer virus. The only notable part to it was Omnimon and even that part I mentioned, is stretching it.
The third part pits...zzz...and I'm bored enough with this movie already.
At least in "Pokemon: The First Movie" Ash Ketchum died. Nothing happened in The Digimon Movie. 2/10. Don't even bother with this.
It could have been much better, but still very much enjoyable as movie.
satori_rahyne1 December 2004
I've been a fan of Digimon Adventure and Zero Two for about four years now, and when I heard they were coming out with a movie in America for it I got excited.
So when I finally saw it, it was somewhat of a letdown. Sure, the movie has its funny parts, but it was too changed from the original Japanese versions that it just can't really compare. For one, the three "parts" don't really have anything to do with each other. They're three separate movies in Japan (and there was a fourth one later that never made it's way to the US), and they should have stayed that way. Plus, chunks were left out of the movie to cut down on time, parts that were rather important to understanding the plot as a whole. Some of the jokes were funny, but some were quite stupid, and of course a lot of them portrayed Daisuke (Davis) as being more stupid than he was shown in the Japanese version.
However, I understand that many people cannot understand raw Japanese, and as of yet there is no official subtitled version legally released, so if you enjoy Digimon and are looking for a good laugh, I would still recommend this movie. Though I admit I enjoyed the four Japanese movies better than this one, it's still a movie I found good enough to go out and buy and watch from time to time. It's cute, it's fun, and how can you not enjoy a movie about a bunch of kids and their pet digital monsters trying to save not just one, but the best of two worlds?
So when I finally saw it, it was somewhat of a letdown. Sure, the movie has its funny parts, but it was too changed from the original Japanese versions that it just can't really compare. For one, the three "parts" don't really have anything to do with each other. They're three separate movies in Japan (and there was a fourth one later that never made it's way to the US), and they should have stayed that way. Plus, chunks were left out of the movie to cut down on time, parts that were rather important to understanding the plot as a whole. Some of the jokes were funny, but some were quite stupid, and of course a lot of them portrayed Daisuke (Davis) as being more stupid than he was shown in the Japanese version.
However, I understand that many people cannot understand raw Japanese, and as of yet there is no official subtitled version legally released, so if you enjoy Digimon and are looking for a good laugh, I would still recommend this movie. Though I admit I enjoyed the four Japanese movies better than this one, it's still a movie I found good enough to go out and buy and watch from time to time. It's cute, it's fun, and how can you not enjoy a movie about a bunch of kids and their pet digital monsters trying to save not just one, but the best of two worlds?
A terrible combination of three good movies.
dgalloway20 August 2003
Warning: Spoilers
Ah, Hollywood. Land of greed and bandwagons. Anyway, whoever decided to put three Digimon movies together and release it as one big movie should be arrested on crimes against humanity. I'm a Digimon fan, and I hated this. I guess I should explain why, at least.
First off, in order to fit it in at a normal "American" time limit, tons of plot had to go. This is especially evident in movie 3, where *SPOILER* a good subplot with six of the original Digidestined were turned into toddlers */SPOILER* was cut off, and as a result, later parts make very little sense. Also, they added plot elements from the other movies into parts of this in order to give it a more sequential feel. In the original, Diaboramon was only in movie 2, Wallace was only in movie 3, and as far as I can tell, in the grand scheme of things, movie 1 had NOTHING to do with movie 2 and 3.
Take it from me, this thing is a disaster. I'd rather have a hundred simultaneous root canals than watch this disaster again. However, the original three movies were good, so I reccomend hunting them down somehow. Don't settle for the worst thing ever piped out of a bandwagon; namely, this movie.
ONE STAR.
First off, in order to fit it in at a normal "American" time limit, tons of plot had to go. This is especially evident in movie 3, where *SPOILER* a good subplot with six of the original Digidestined were turned into toddlers */SPOILER* was cut off, and as a result, later parts make very little sense. Also, they added plot elements from the other movies into parts of this in order to give it a more sequential feel. In the original, Diaboramon was only in movie 2, Wallace was only in movie 3, and as far as I can tell, in the grand scheme of things, movie 1 had NOTHING to do with movie 2 and 3.
Take it from me, this thing is a disaster. I'd rather have a hundred simultaneous root canals than watch this disaster again. However, the original three movies were good, so I reccomend hunting them down somehow. Don't settle for the worst thing ever piped out of a bandwagon; namely, this movie.
ONE STAR.
Brilliant!
arabesuku12 June 2006
I was watching this movie today, having not seen it for about two years, and I noticed a LOT more in it this time than when I last saw it:
1. The stunning animation. Not the Americanised, simplistic anime but a prettier and more detailed style. Smoother animation, too.
2. The plot - a more developed version of what you get on the series, which is what fans like to see! :)
3. The humour! I have always loved Digimon's humour and it is definitely improved further in this movie.
4. The fight scenes are as good as ever!
5. Great soundtrack! (apart from that Digimon Rap thing at the start - it got on my nerves o_O;;)
So, overall, this movie is great entertainment. Obviously I recommend this especially to Digimon fans but it also appeals to other audiences. I myself was a Digimon fan about 6 years ago, and hadn't seen it, and when I saw the old videos I have of the series and the movie recently after pulling them out of my shelves I remembered why I liked Digimon so much :D As everyone else has said, beats Pokemon any day! And this is coming from an ex-Pokemon fan too! Maybe the reason it beats Pokemon (apart from the reasons above) is because Digimon shows a lot more human emotion, rather than just fight fight fight pull Brock away from girls and more fighting and getting shiny badges.
Three word summary: BIG Digimon adventure
1. The stunning animation. Not the Americanised, simplistic anime but a prettier and more detailed style. Smoother animation, too.
2. The plot - a more developed version of what you get on the series, which is what fans like to see! :)
3. The humour! I have always loved Digimon's humour and it is definitely improved further in this movie.
4. The fight scenes are as good as ever!
5. Great soundtrack! (apart from that Digimon Rap thing at the start - it got on my nerves o_O;;)
So, overall, this movie is great entertainment. Obviously I recommend this especially to Digimon fans but it also appeals to other audiences. I myself was a Digimon fan about 6 years ago, and hadn't seen it, and when I saw the old videos I have of the series and the movie recently after pulling them out of my shelves I remembered why I liked Digimon so much :D As everyone else has said, beats Pokemon any day! And this is coming from an ex-Pokemon fan too! Maybe the reason it beats Pokemon (apart from the reasons above) is because Digimon shows a lot more human emotion, rather than just fight fight fight pull Brock away from girls and more fighting and getting shiny badges.
Three word summary: BIG Digimon adventure
The Goldberg of animation
Quinoa19847 October 2000
I say that this film is the Goldberg of animation because if you think about it, like Goldberg of WCW, he is just a rip off of Stone Cold Steve Austin of the WWF, and in animation terms it is Pokemon. And believe me, I am not even a big Pokemon fan, but throughout this film, I yearned for it like a coke addict yearns for it's fix. Because, when I thought that possibly Thomas and the Magic Railroad was the worst film of the year, I was wrong. This takes the cake. The story follows kids who have monsters in there computers and they have battles inside and sometimes the monsters can be stopped down by constant e-mail. Ok, maybe kids will find this a good movie, if they had any respect for the TV show. But hopefully they can do the parents a favor by not dragging them to this pathetic, rip-off that leaves a bad taste in your mouth, and I don't just mean the used soda. F
A well-deserved movie for an excellent series (1 small spoiler)
Phlox23 November 2004
Warning: Spoilers
Four years ago, when I first heard that my favorite animated series was being brought to the big screen, needless to say I was ecstatic. Over time, I've seen plenty of disappointing adaptations of TV series, such as the much anticipated "Pokemon the First Movie" and, most recently, the weak "Yu-Gi-Oh the Movie". But Digimon was different. Although it may not have been a perfect movie in the myriad of overall excellent films, It was the perfect Digimon movie. I do not think they could have done a better job. There was a perfect balance of drama and humor, seriousness and sarcasm, just what Digimon is all about. A great comprehensible plot is depicted, plus it expanded on the Tai/Sora romance hinted in Season 1. Overall if you are a digimon fan or just want to know what it's all about, don't miss this one.
Animated Movie Score (10/10) Overall Movie Score (8.5/10) Recommended
Animated Movie Score (10/10) Overall Movie Score (8.5/10) Recommended
Worse than a TV Episode, No New CGI, Horrible.
MoonLight16 October 2000
I am an avid fan of the "little monster" scene. Actually I like Pokemon, Digimon and Monster Rancher and watch each whenever I can. I was excited when this came out, and actually convinced my Husband to come out and watch it. (He's a big fan of Weregargumon)..
We came into the theater on a Sunday night, sat and watched the first 10 minutes, a HORRIBLE "Amanda Anaconda" short.. we were praying that this isn't part of the Movie..
Eventually the Movie began.. The scene where they go back to the beginning was well done, However from there it just got worse and worse. Wondering if they ran over budget early. The whole attack with the "computer virus digimon" was almost painful to watch. I was hoping and expecting cool CGI scenes, and that moment would have been perfect for it. but we got real cheesy looking backgrounds and the well used (and abused) "vid screen" look when the human characters interacted with the digimon on the Internet.
As for the Digimon Characters, they often went from well drawn and shadowed figures, to obviously quickly sketched and colored scenes. I think they used scraps of episodes cut out from the TV series and re-used them for the movie, and quickly sketched when they had to patch up the holes.
The character Interaction was funny at times. you will get a giggle or 2 from it.
The movie did contain some realistic and beautiful scenes. But it just felt incomplete, and drowned out with very sloppy ones. I give this movie an overall 1 because they should have held it in production a lot longer and finished it.
There was nothing "digital" about this Movie. The CGI scenes were the exact same as the TV series. This could have been ALOT Better. FOX, I am Ashamed you released this movie as it is. I am a Digimon Fan and this was Butchered together.
I suggest you Save your $$ and get this one on Video. but even then you'll be disappointed. This was BAD!!
`` MoonLight ``
We came into the theater on a Sunday night, sat and watched the first 10 minutes, a HORRIBLE "Amanda Anaconda" short.. we were praying that this isn't part of the Movie..
Eventually the Movie began.. The scene where they go back to the beginning was well done, However from there it just got worse and worse. Wondering if they ran over budget early. The whole attack with the "computer virus digimon" was almost painful to watch. I was hoping and expecting cool CGI scenes, and that moment would have been perfect for it. but we got real cheesy looking backgrounds and the well used (and abused) "vid screen" look when the human characters interacted with the digimon on the Internet.
As for the Digimon Characters, they often went from well drawn and shadowed figures, to obviously quickly sketched and colored scenes. I think they used scraps of episodes cut out from the TV series and re-used them for the movie, and quickly sketched when they had to patch up the holes.
The character Interaction was funny at times. you will get a giggle or 2 from it.
The movie did contain some realistic and beautiful scenes. But it just felt incomplete, and drowned out with very sloppy ones. I give this movie an overall 1 because they should have held it in production a lot longer and finished it.
There was nothing "digital" about this Movie. The CGI scenes were the exact same as the TV series. This could have been ALOT Better. FOX, I am Ashamed you released this movie as it is. I am a Digimon Fan and this was Butchered together.
I suggest you Save your $$ and get this one on Video. but even then you'll be disappointed. This was BAD!!
`` MoonLight ``
One of the best!
TTBExpress30 April 2002
For those of you who think Digimon rips off Poke'mon guess what?DIGIMON CAME FIRST!Although Poke'mon appeard here in america first,it was Digimon that came first in Japan where it all started,so Poke'mon is the rip off!Anyway,about the film.This is a good movie,with some great action,poor comedy,and some of the best drama found,and unlike most movies of a show,this one is linked with the Tv series,I recommend this,and the show to anybody,you'll like it,if you don't,better call for some help,if you know what I mean whacko!
Digi see this c**p
mab223867 October 2000
Digimon is the biggest rip off of pokemon. You might be asking if I hate digimon why did I see the movie well I'm a big fan of anime and love pokemon so I thought I would give it a chance, and then become really disappointed. The only thing that was good about the movie was the animation, the rest really was bad so bad that I didn't stay to see the last 20 minutes.
They should have used the old theme song
TheOneThatYouWanted15 November 2017
Finally got a chance to watch this. This anime must have been on my must watch list for over a decade now - just because I was a fan of digimon back in the day. Anyway, the film Is overall unremarkable even though it starts off promising. Another thing the film does well is predict how persuasive technology relating to the internet of things would be in our lives. That animation style has to grow on you but the CG animation is very well done but it does use a white backdrop most of the time which oddly enough helps, I forgot what I was going to say and I am too lazy to go back and read this review. Final score 5.7 out of 10.
Great movie... for die-hard fans anyways!
omg_a_baby24 June 2010
Warning: Spoilers
DIGIMON!! :D! YAAY!!! Once a Digimon fan, always a Digimon fan! In my case anyways.. When I was little, I was completely obsessed with this series and even today, Im still pretty fond of these characters and all the little adventures they went on. This movie really wasn't -that- great, but to a die-hard Digimon fan like me, I had to give it a 8 because come on.. its Digimon!!! :P Otherwise this movie probably deserves like a 4-5 if you've never seen or heard about this series before.
This movie is actually a compilation of 3 separate movies, but they just spliced them together and tried to make it flow as one. You cant really tell though so it didn't really bother me. They did cut out some scenes though to shorten this movie, but those parts didn't influence the storyline that much.
This movie was pretty funny, and it had a lot of action in it. Some of the jokes were corny and made me just shake my head. Speaking of corny, wow, the songs/sound track were lame. It was actually a little embarrassing to be honest, to have to sit through and listen to this terrible Digi-rap as a person in their early 20s. Face palm! Overall, I still found the movie enjoyable. It has a lot of action in it and kept me on the edge of my seat. If you want to see the unedited original films, you can search for them on google. The Japanese version is much more serious than the American version, and best of all.. no more childish and annoying Digi-rap/Digimon songs. Instead of the "Digimon, Digital Monsters, Digimon are the Champion" songs that they mindlessly repeat throughout the American version, the Japanese version instead has Ravel's Bolero as the main theme... well in the first part with Baby Tai anyways.
If you're a die-hard Digimon fan, you will absolutely love this movie! If you are curious about the scenes that were edited out, try searching for the Japanese version on google. If you aren't a Digimon fan then I cant really recommend this movie. It has a lot of action in it, but its also laced with corniness. Depending on your tolerance, you might be able to sit through this childish version of the original. Happy viewing!
This movie is actually a compilation of 3 separate movies, but they just spliced them together and tried to make it flow as one. You cant really tell though so it didn't really bother me. They did cut out some scenes though to shorten this movie, but those parts didn't influence the storyline that much.
This movie was pretty funny, and it had a lot of action in it. Some of the jokes were corny and made me just shake my head. Speaking of corny, wow, the songs/sound track were lame. It was actually a little embarrassing to be honest, to have to sit through and listen to this terrible Digi-rap as a person in their early 20s. Face palm! Overall, I still found the movie enjoyable. It has a lot of action in it and kept me on the edge of my seat. If you want to see the unedited original films, you can search for them on google. The Japanese version is much more serious than the American version, and best of all.. no more childish and annoying Digi-rap/Digimon songs. Instead of the "Digimon, Digital Monsters, Digimon are the Champion" songs that they mindlessly repeat throughout the American version, the Japanese version instead has Ravel's Bolero as the main theme... well in the first part with Baby Tai anyways.
If you're a die-hard Digimon fan, you will absolutely love this movie! If you are curious about the scenes that were edited out, try searching for the Japanese version on google. If you aren't a Digimon fan then I cant really recommend this movie. It has a lot of action in it, but its also laced with corniness. Depending on your tolerance, you might be able to sit through this childish version of the original. Happy viewing!
The bad outweighs the good
ericstevenson4 June 2017
I feel so guilty for having the Nostalgia Critic's review of this movie as one of my favorite episodes. I'll never forget him saying, "At least Pokémon...". The thing is, I have never been into Digimon, but I've done my research and I don't think it ripped off Pokémon. This counts as a movie based on a video game which I believe was Tamagotchi which predates Pokémon. However, in 1991, there was a video game called "Shin Megami Tensei", which featured fighting monsters. So is everyone stealing from that game? No, this is just a genre of its own that's easy to identify, the "Mon" genre we call it. I saw one episode of this show and thought it was just weird.
I was really put off by the animation in this movie. It just looked so old. I find "Pokémon: The First Movie" to be better, but not by much. I was annoyed by all the pop songs in this movie which is really something I hate in animated movies (including anime ones). The last segment was the best, probably because it had the nicest character development. I don't hate Digimon and I actually did kind of like the romance surrounding the characters. "Pokémon" wouldn't have that until many years later. "Pokémon" has finally overtaken the higher score on this website. I guess the series is creative but it is pretty strange to me, particularly with how some Digievolutions are humanoid. It isn't for me. **
I was really put off by the animation in this movie. It just looked so old. I find "Pokémon: The First Movie" to be better, but not by much. I was annoyed by all the pop songs in this movie which is really something I hate in animated movies (including anime ones). The last segment was the best, probably because it had the nicest character development. I don't hate Digimon and I actually did kind of like the romance surrounding the characters. "Pokémon" wouldn't have that until many years later. "Pokémon" has finally overtaken the higher score on this website. I guess the series is creative but it is pretty strange to me, particularly with how some Digievolutions are humanoid. It isn't for me. **
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