Being just shy of turning 34, I feel like the Pokémon franchise has been around for most of my life. Since the mid 90s, Pokémon has taken the world by storm. The franchise has consisted of video games, trading card games, television shows, and animated movies. Everywhere you looked, you couldn’t escape Pokémon. It truly was a cultural phenomenon among the youth of America.
“Pokémon Detective Pikachu” tells the story of...well...detective Pikachu. Okay, there is a little more to it but I think Pikachu alone would sell the movie to most people. After a detective is in a car accident outside of a top secret Pokémon lab, Tim Goodman is informed his father has died as a result of the crash. Upon going to his father’s apartment in Ryme City (a city where humans and Pokémon live together in peace), he finds a Pikachu there. This Pikachu is unlike any other Pokémon however because Tim can understand him. After forming a bond, the pair set off to find the truth behind the disappearance of Tim’s father.
I am going to start off with a bit of a disclaimer for this review. I am not, nor have I ever been, the biggest fan of Pokémon in the world. I have a passing knowledge of the universe but I have never played a Pokémon game or collected trading cards or anything like that. I have watched a few episodes of the animated series but that is about the extent of my Pokémon experience before this film. I essentially wanted to see this because the trailer looked entertaining.
I have some mixed feelings about this film. On the plus side, this is probably the best video game adaptation to date. While this is the first live action Pokémon movie made, there have been three animated Pokémon movies that have hit theaters (in addition to several movies that were released direct to video). This adaptation lifts several elements from “Pokémon: The First Movie” including the inclusion of Mewtwo. One aspect of the film I felt a little let down by was that much of the humor of the film was highlighted in the trailer. I was expecting a little funnier film even though I did enjoy the finished project. I just wish the film was marketed a bit less humor heavy.
The film stars as Ryan Reynolds as Pikachu. Reynolds provides the voice and facial motion caption for the Pokémon. Justice Smith plays Tim Goodman and has good chemistry with his computer animated co-star. Smith has improved significantly since his critically panned role in “Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom”. Screen veterans Bill Nighy and Ken Watanabe add a level of credibility to the film.
The film was directed by Rob Letterman who previously helmed “Goosebumps”. Like “Goosebumps”, “Pokémon Detective Pikachu” was made for adult fans of the franchise. The production design was a bit neon noir feeling not completely unlike “Blade Runner”. The creature design was also fantastic. The Pokémon felt feel and adorable throughout most of the movie. Pikachu and Psyduck were among the standout creatures in the film.
Overall, “Pokémon Detective Pikachu” is a cute nostalgia trip geared more for fans who grew up with the phenomenon as opposed to young fans just getting into the franchise. While it wasn't exactly the movie I was hoping for, that doesn't make it a bad movie either.
Grade: B-
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