Pokemon the Movie: Secrets of the Jungle Parent Guide

Deep in the jungle, the territorial and selfish Zarude rule over all the other Pokémon. That is, until one day a Zarude (Edward Bosco) stumbles across a human baby and decides to raise it as his own. Now 10 years old, Koko (Kimlinh Tran) meets Ash Ketchum (Sarah Natochenny) and his companion, Pikachu (Ikue Otani). As Koko learns about the world of humans, he also uncovers a plot that threatens the jungle and all the creatures in it.

Pokémon the Movie: Secrets of the Jungle is a retread of well-traveled ground, both because it is a Pokémon film, of which there are many, and because its plot has been done many times before. Children being raised by animals is not a new concept by any means (The Jungle Book and Tarzan both spring to mind), nor are stories centered around the destruction of forests through human greed (The Lorax and Ferngully anyone?). The writers simply took those two well established ideas and combined them in the world of Pokémon. That is not a bad thing in and of itself, but it does create a predictable story. We all know how the movie will end before the first scene even closes. However, this production was obviously made for very young audiences, so predictability in this case is more of a positive than a negative.

Really whether I recommend this film or not comes down to your appreciation for the franchise. As an adult with only a mild amount of nostalgia for Pokémon, I wouldn’t watch it again, nor do I predict that even ravenous adult fans will be all that interested. But for young kids, this is a perfectly serviceable entry into the Pokémon universe. The messages are clear and positive, and the content concerns are low. The story revolves around themes of family, friendship, selflessness, environmentalism, and interconnectedness, all of which are delivered in simple ways, making them easy for young viewers to pick up. The only negative content of note is the level of violence, though it is no more, and possibly even less, than can be found in any of the Pokémon TV shows or games.

If you have a budding Pokémon Trainer at home, or want to introduce your child to the franchise, Pokémon the Movie: Secrets of the Jungle is a fun, positive, simple viewing experience that will leave young audiences satisfied, even if it’s a bit too juvenile for anyone else.