In this movie, Nobita and his friends all want to run away from home, so they run away to... the Pleistocene Epoch 70,000 years ago, before humans lived in Japan. The film starts out pretty strong. The premise itself is an intriguing one that provides insight into each of the main characters: it's not rare to see Nobita or Gian getting in trouble with their mothers, but why might spoiled Suneo or responsible Shizuka want to leave home? And what about Doraemon himself, who often takes on the role of a guardian figure for the kids? Connecting this story concept with the dispersal of humans into Japan is also a very creative idea. It's quite fun to watch the protagonists set up their own secret base in the Pleistocene.
Unfortunately, the primary conflict is where the film falters for me. The main characters barely contribute to defeating the villain other than unwittingly leading the time police to his hideout, which felt extremely unsatisfying. They don't even get to successfully escape from the hideout by themselves. So enticing premise aside, I've always found this story disappointing.
Unfortunately, the primary conflict is where the film falters for me. The main characters barely contribute to defeating the villain other than unwittingly leading the time police to his hideout, which felt extremely unsatisfying. They don't even get to successfully escape from the hideout by themselves. So enticing premise aside, I've always found this story disappointing.
