'Pokémon: Detective Pikachu' Review

Synopsis: Ace detective Harry Goodman goes mysteriously missing, prompting his 21-year-old son Tim to find out what happened. Aiding in the investigation is Harry's former Pokémon partner, the wise-cracking, adorable super-sleuth Detective Pikachu. Finding that they are uniquely equipped to communicate with each other, Tim and Pikachu join forces to unravel the tangled mystery. Chasing clues together through the neon-lit streets of Rhyme City, they uncover a shocking plot that threatens to destroy the peaceful co-existence between humans and Pokémon.

Runtime: 104 minutes

MPAA Rating: PG (for action/peril, some rude and suggestive humor, and thematic elements)

Who should see it? Pokémon fans of all ages.

Directed by Rob Letterman with a script by Dan Hernandez, Benji Samit, Derek Connolly, Nicole Perlman, and Rob Letterman, Pokémon: Detective Pikachu carries the distinction of being the first live-action Pokémon movie. The pop-culture phenomenon began in 1996 with the Japanese release of Pokémon Red, Blue, and Green, and the franchise has since spawned countless video games, anime television series, animated feature films, manga, and trading cards. However, Detective Pikachu adapts neither the anime or main series video games which are already familiar to Pokémon fans. Instead, Detective Pikachu takes its inspiration from a spin-off Pokémon game of the same title. 

The decision to adapt Detective Pikachu as the first live-action Pokémon film stemmed from The Pokémon Company and Rob Letterman's desire to center the story around a new character rather than Ash, Red, or another familiar series protagonist. The change-up proved to be refreshing for the sake of differentiating from what came before, but it simultaneously enabled the substitution of a more generic narrative. The plot's quite predictable because Detective Pikachu observes genre tropes to a tee. The story's simple, but let's be honest, nobody's going to see Detective Pikachu for the plot. Fans are excited to finally see their favorite Pokémon fully realized with digital effects. 

And what a wonderful job the visual effects artists have done! There's a degree of photo-realism in the CG-rendering, but the animators have remained incredibly faithful to the cartoonish designs of these creatures. Though you can distinguish the Pokémon as digital, they are believable inhabitants of their real-world surroundings. Growing up, I played the games, watched the anime, and accumulated quite a bit of merchandise, so I often found myself scanning the frame in an effort to catch them all. There's somewhere around fifty Pokémon featured in the film (though there could be more), whether they be prominent characters or background set dressing. After a certain point, I noticed that there weren't any new Pokémon and the animators were mostly reusing the same models. This was likely to conserve the vfx budget, which is totally understandable because I'd rather see top-notch Pokémon than subpar renderings, but I was admittedly disappointed not to see many Pokémon beyond those prominently featured in the marketing material.

I also would have liked to see more battles beyond the brief teases shown (audience never see a complete battle), but I recognize the story didn't call for that and future sequels/spin-offs could fulfill that desire. Concerning casual fans and those unfamiliar with the world of Pokémon, Detective Pikachu doesn't require a compressive understanding of the franchise's lore. You really just need to know the basics to follow the story. Pokémon are creatures of varying types that have specific powers and abilities who co-exist with humanity. Got that and you should be good to go!

In the titular role of Detective Pikachu, Ryan Reynolds provides plenty of star voltage and a charged vocal performance. Reynolds' wry wit and silly self-awareness surprisingly pair well with the yellow fellow, generating plenty of laugh-out-loud moments and some endearing beats as well. Reynolds' personality not only sparks the super sleuth to life but jolts the film and supporting cast surrounding him. Opposite Reynolds, Justice Smith embodies Tim as an everyman and grounds the character in a tender vulnerability due to his distrust of Pokémon. He's the straight man to Reynolds' eccentric, caffeine-addicted Detective Pikachu, and their back-and-forth dynamic is an undeniable highlight. 

All the while, Kathryn Newton is a likable addition to the cast as enthusiastic, aspiring journalist Lucy Stevens. Distinguished actors Ken Watanabe and Bill Nighy also lend the flick some gravitas, respectively portraying Lieutenant Yoshida of the Rhyme City Police Department and the city's primary philanthropic billionaire Howard Clifford.

Though not quite a game-changer, Pokémon: Detective Pikachu effectively translates the franchise's expansive world and characters, proving they've been suited for the big screen all along! It may not be "the very best," but Pokémon: Detective Pikachu is still an electrifying blockbuster that Pokémon trainers ought to catch in theaters!

Film Assessment: B