Pokémon: Detective Pikachu follows Tim Goodman (Justice Smith) as attempts to mystery of his disappeared dad. He teams up with a smart-mouthed Pikachu (Ryan Reynolds) with whom he has an odd connection since they are the only human-Pokémon pair that can understand each other.
Along the way, journalist Lucy Stevens (Kathryn Newton) and her Poké-partner, a jittery Psyduck join their investigation and help them solve the case. They search for clues all around the Ryme City and eventually uncover a bigger conspiracy.
The movie riffs off on the detective aspect by referencing classic sleuthing tropes. Ryme City has film noir written all over with its dark alleyways illuminated by neon signs and surrounded by a smoky atmosphere.
The Pokémon are the highlight of the film! A live-action render of popular 2D/3D characters can go from adorable to abomination real quick! The visual effects team did a great job fleshing out hyper realistic Pokémon while retaining the original aesthetic that made it appealing to fans. The fur movement and/or life-like skin texture were spot on for each Pokémon portrayal—familiar yet distinct enough.
Witty banter is interspersed among the action, the world building and exposition, and emotionally charged moments that help make the scene breathe. The adult humor will make you laugh out loud and wonder if it’s Pikachu or Deadpool speaking at the moment.
There are pure fanservice moments for Pokémon anime fans and gamers. The CG-filled brawl fest sequences are worth the hype and will keep you glued to the screen.
There were “defective Pikachu” moments in the narrative with predictable points in the film. An hour and thirty minutes wasn’t enough time to unpack the conspiracy that was set up and its consequences. You get a hastily wrapped explanation and conclusion for everything before the movie ends. This could be an opportunity to explore certain plot points in the sequels.
The feels are super effective in Pokémon: Detective Pikachu as it deals with companionship, family, belonging, and learning how to ask for help. The film entertains both Poké-fans and non-fans alike without alienating newcomers by injecting heavy-handed references. However, it’s still able to please the fanbase by serving enough wink-wink-nudge-nudge easter eggs, a balanced mix of classic and new generation Pokémon, and side comments that will make you excitedly glance at your fellow fan and point at the screen.
We’re also thankful to have a rare adult protagonist who acts as the audience proxy. In a franchise lead by ageless free-range children, we’ve finally got a relatable main man with working knowledge of Pokémon and holds the same amount of enthusiasm for office work (read: none). Tim’s journey from being an emo kid to warming up to Pikachu reflects our own as we start embracing that part of our childhood again.
A lesson to future video game-to-live-action adaptations: if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it but add something to make it even better. You can tell that there was a genuine love and respect for the Pokémon series and they did right by it.