Pokémon the Movie: Secrets of the Jungle – WISE Score & Parent Review | Screenwise

Pokémon the Movie: Secrets of the Jungle

Name: Screenwise
Author: Screenwise

movie2020

68%

WISE Score

Tarzan gets the Pokémon treatment—wholesome, predictable, and perfectly fine if your kid is already all-in on Ash and Pikachu.

Pokémon the Movie: Secrets of the Jungle

movie

G, 2020

68%

WISE Score

Tarzan gets the Pokémon treatment—wholesome, predictable, and perfectly fine if your kid is already all-in on Ash and Pikachu.

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Screenwise Verdict

Look, this is a perfectly serviceable Pokémon movie. It's got heart, it's safe, Zarude is cool, and the Tarzan premise works well enough. But let's be real: those audience scores (59% RT, 6.4 IMDb, 3.1/5 Letterboxd) tell you this isn't Detective Pikachu or even a top-tier Pokémon film.

It's the kind of movie that'll keep your Pokémon-obsessed kid happy for 90 minutes on a rainy Saturday, but it's not going to blow anyone's mind. The themes are good—identity, belonging, environmental protection—but they're handled with the subtlety of a Snorlax. The villain is forgettable, the plot is predictable, and you've basically seen this story before.

If your kid loves Ash and Pikachu, go for it. It's wholesome, it's safe, and it won't make you want to claw your eyes out. But if you're looking for something that'll genuinely engage the whole family or offer real depth, keep scrolling.

Age Fit

Best for kids 6-11 who are already Pokémon fans. Younger kids might enjoy it but won't get the emotional nuances, while tweens will likely find it a bit babyish unless they're die-hard franchise loyalists.

WISE Breakdown

Wholesome

Classic Pokémon themes of friendship, acceptance, and found family. Koko's journey discovering his human identity while maintaining bonds with Zarude models healthy identity exploration. The movie emphasizes cooperation between humans and Pokémon, and Ash's consistent kindness provides positive role modeling. Pacing is typical anime-adventure style—not chaotic but not slow either.

Imaginative

The 'feral child raised by Pokémon' premise offers a fresh Tarzan-meets-Pokémon twist, and the Forest of Okoya setting provides visual variety. However, it's still firmly within the Pokémon formula—familiar characters, predictable villain arc, standard 'protect the magical place' plot. It doesn't push boundaries or invite much creative thinking beyond the franchise's established world.

Safe

Age-appropriate action typical of Pokémon movies—no gore, no scary content beyond mild cartoon peril. Common Sense Media rates it for 8+, which aligns with the franchise's consistent safety profile. The villain (Dr. Zed) is a standard 'crooked scientist' without genuinely frightening elements. No surprise violence, death, or inappropriate content. Loses a few points only because there's likely some environmental destruction/conflict scenes that could be mildly intense for very young viewers.

Enriching

Touches on meaningful themes: identity (nature vs. nurture), environmental protection, and acceptance of differences. Koko's struggle with being human but feeling Pokémon offers some emotional depth. However, the execution is fairly surface-level—these are themes the franchise has explored many times. The villain's motivation and resolution are predictable. It's entertaining for Pokémon fans but doesn't offer deep insight or significant skill-building beyond basic empathy lessons.

Parent Info

✓

Why It Might Be Great

Explores identity and belonging in a kid-friendly way—Koko's journey between human and Pokémon worlds offers genuine emotional moments
Classic Pokémon wholesomeness with positive messaging about friendship, environmental protection, and acceptance
Safe viewing with no scary surprises—just the right amount of action for elementary-aged kids
Zarude is genuinely cool as a protective parent figure, and the found-family dynamic has heart

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What to Watch For

It's pretty formulaic—if your kid isn't already a Pokémon fan, this won't convert them
The 59% Rotten Tomatoes audience score tells the story: it's fine, not great, kind of forgettable
Some mild peril and environmental destruction scenes that could be intense for kids under 6
Runtime isn't specified but Pokémon movies typically run 90-100 minutes, which can be long for younger attention spans

Conversation Starters

"Koko grew up thinking he was a Pokémon—what would it feel like to discover you're actually something different than what you thought?"
"Why do you think Zarude decided to raise a human baby? What does that say about family?"
"Dr. Zed wants to use the Great Tree for science—when is it okay to study nature and when should we just leave it alone?"
"If you could be raised by any Pokémon, which one would you choose and why?"

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