Pokemon: Detective Pikachu

Pokemon: Detective Pikachu Review – Gotta See It to Believe It

Pokemon: Detective Pikachu

Movie Rating:

3

Pokémon: Detective Pikachu has an utterly absurd premise that makes me think we might finally be running out of ideas for original films. That being said, it’s far better than it has any right being, even to a Pokéignorant person like myself.

A lot of that credit goes to the fact that Pokémon: Detective Pikachu is more than just fan-service. While it has nods to the theme song and there must be heaps of other references to the games and cartoons that went gracefully whizzing over my head, the fact that my experience with the film was not interrupted or hampered from a lack of Pokéknowledge says a lot about the fact that this is a pretty decent movie, Pokémon or not. Along with all the pop culture references (the obvious hat-tips to both Home Alone and Seinfeld were my personal favorites) are also sympathetic characters and an interesting little mystery plot.

Early in Detective Pikachu, we’re thrust into the world of humans that coexist with Pokémon. Tim (Justice Smith) is a young insurance adjuster somewhere outside the city, and he has no personal Pokémon. In this world, people pair with a Pokémon, which is a companion who may or may not offer some form of support and lend a hand with their special Poképowers. Pokémon fighting has been outlawed, but that hasn’t changed the nature of Pokémon and their connection to humans.

Soon after Tim fails in catching another Pokémon (at his friend’s insistence), he’s called to Ryme City to tend to his father’s estate. His dad, a detective, died in the line of duty, and someone needs to clean up his apartment. Just downstairs from the apartment, Tim meets Lucy (Kathryn Newton), a wannabe reporter who thinks the death of Tim’s dad was no accident. After temporarily brushing her off, Tim meets an amnesiac Pikachu (voiced by Ryan Reynolds) who’s anything but normal. This little furry cutie can somehow talk to Tim, and only Tim, and Tim can talk back. After assessing their situation, the unlikely pair head out to get to the bottom of where the Pikachu came from, and how it relates to Tim’s father’s death.

While it’s worth noting that the animation in Detective Pikachu is quite impressive, it’s also of note that these Pokémon are impossibly adorable. Even the citizens of Ryme City discuss how gosh darn cute the little critters are. There’s no hint of trying to make them gritty or threatening unless necessary.

Though the detective story propelling Detective Pikachu forward is nothing we haven’t seen before, complete with major conspiracies and red herrings, the fact that it’s interesting enough to care about the outcome certainly speaks to the fact that this is not just another throwaway novelty movie. Some care and development were put into the gimmick of Pokémon. Tim and Pikachu also have a great rapport and well-established character arcs. They have personal growth in addition to relationship nurturing, if you can believe it.

Somehow, this all comes together into a confoundingly competent detective story. The Pokémon within Pokémon: Detective Pikachu are not the focus of the film, and the film is better for it.

4 comments

  1. I read some reviews from friends of mine (lucky enough to be invited to the free premiere) that it’s 2/3 of a great movie, and it all falls apart in the last 1/3. Which is better than anyone could have expected, I guess. Apparently, it’s also the best video game movie EVER (not a high bar). I’m cautiously curious (was never a big Pokémon fan, did play the Nintendo64 game ‘Stadium’).

    • Clark

      My opinion is that people are amazed this didn’t outright suck. However, it is still a pretty unoriginal movie, and most of the jokes fall flat (the auditorium was packed, and I never heard a single laugh). Even Pikachu is not that cute and Ryan Reynolds is not that amusing.

  2. I recently had the pleasure of watching Pokemon: Detective Pikachu and I have to say, it’s a must-see movie for any Pokemon fan. The live-action film does an excellent job of bringing the world of Pokemon to life, with vibrant visuals and stunning CGI effects. As a collector of Pokemon TCG ETB, I couldn’t help but appreciate the attention to detail in the design of the Pokemon characters. And when it comes to finding the latest and greatest Pokemon merchandise, Maximus Collectibles is always my first choice. I’m thrilled to see how the Pokemon franchise continues to expand and evolve, and I can’t wait to see what exciting products Maximus Collectibles will have in store for us in the future!

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