When the Pok?mon craze picked up a few years ago, a few people ?knew? that it couldn?t last longer than a year or two... but I knew better. At least five years later, Pok?mon is still around, even if it?s not in the media spotlight any longer. The fact that the movies are still getting to theaters, albeit very briefly, should speak something about their quality. Pok?mon 4Ever is no exception. It is the fourth Pok?mon movie to reach America and caters to both children and older fans alike.

In case you just woke from a coma, Pok?mon are cute little creatures that you can train and fight with against other Pok?mon. Well, they start out cute and cuddly, but some can get pretty mean once they get strong enough. It originally started out as a video game, but it was the cartoon show that really kicked off its popularity. While the Pok?mon has lessoned somewhat, it?s still very much alive and kicking, and with a new game coming out soon, we?re likely to see it pick up again.

Every Pok?mon movie needs its cast of rare and legendary Pok?mon, and Pok?mon 4Ever features the rarest and most enigmatic one to date, the time Pok?mon, Celebi. Celebi is essentially the center of the story which, unfortunately, teeters dangerously close to the cartoon clich? of being ?environmentalist.? The movie begins 40 years in the past and has a hunter chasing Celebi through the forest. When it flees 40 years into the future, a young boy named Sammy is taken along for the ride. Unfortunately, another hunter is waiting for him in the present day, and this one is far more dangerous. With his specialized Pok?balls (called dark balls), he turns Pok?mon evil whenever he catches one. Since Celebi is the spirit of the forest, it won?t be pretty if it?s turned evil. While I don?t think the original writers meant for the movie to have any ?activist? level environmentalist messages, it definitely feels like it has some clich?d plot moments. It does have a neat plot twist near the end, but it?s not anything earth shattering. Of all the movies so far, Pok?mon 4Ever feels the most like an extra long episode of the TV series, which is unfortunate. I blame the villain, who is too much like the ones you usually see in the TV series. It does offer some nifty CG animation near the end though.

It bears mentioning that this is still your typical Pok?mon stuff. If you hate the little buggers, this isn?t gonna change your mind. Celebi has to be, bar none, the ?cutesiest? Pok?mon yet. It?s completely kid friendly though. So if your little ?uns like Pok?mon, they?re sure to like this. Some older folks who enjoy playing the games may get a kick out of it as well. While it?s not the best of the Pok?mon movies so far, it?s better than some and no worse than the series. If you like Pok?mon, you?ll like Pok?mon 4Ever.