Pokémon: Detective Pikachu is the first live-action adaptation of the worldwide videogame phenomenon starring Justice Smith (Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom), Kathryn Newton (Blockers) and as the voice and motion capture of Pikachu himself, Ryan Reynolds (Deadpool). The film also stars Ken Watanabe, Suki Waterhouse and Bill Nighy. The story takes place in Ryme City, a metropolis where humans and Pokémon cohabitate and coexist. Tim Goodman (Smith) finds himself in Ryme City after his father, a police detective, is presumed dead when a case goes horribly wrong. His father’s Pokémon partner, the titular character, finds Tim and encourages him to solve the case in the hopes of finding his missing father.
First off, let me just say that the world building in Detective Pikachu is outstanding. The film is a visual love letter to the world of Pokémon, jam-packed with characters, Easter eggs and sight gags. The most attention is definitely given to Pikachu, who has served as the series’ main mascot since it first became popular in Japan decades ago. Thanks to Ryan Reynolds, his version of Detective Pikachu manages to be a note-perfect blend of cuddly cuteness and acerbic wit. I thought the joke of having Deadpool coming out of Pikachu’s mouth would wear thin, but Reynolds does his due diligence in making this iteration a singular character in his own right.
The rest of the cast is game, too, particularly Justice Smith who manages to out-act the entire movie he’s in. Goodman is someone dealing with a lot of emotions, chiefly among them parental grief. The straightforward plot and basic level of dialogue never earn the nuanced emotionality that Smith brings to the role, but one can tell why he was cast once the film goes deeper into Goodman’s pain. To be fair, Pokémon animated films and television shows have always strived for high emotion only to stumble on the way there (unless you’re a huge fan, of course). So in that regard, Detective Pikachu is no different. Any adventure is only as good as how much you care for the adventurers, but unfortunately, this movie overestimates our investment in Goodman and in the citizens of Ryme City.
The history of video-game to movie adaptations is a sad, torturous one, ranging from mis-conceptualized misfires like Street Fighter and Super Mario Bros. to cult classics like Mortal Kombat and… well, nothing else really. So, it speaks volumes that director Rob Letterman (an animator who got his start in features like Shark Tale and Monsters vs. Aliens) and The Pokémon Company finally got a video game adaptation right. In a sense, it had to be Pokémon as its franchise includes several anime films, TV shows, various games and game types (trading cards, handheld games, Pokémon Go), as well as generations of fans that have grown up with the property and these characters. Arguably, no other video game has the amount of goodwill and joy invested from its fans as Pokémon does.
If they wanted to, the filmmakers could have just put a CG Pikachu dancing in a loop for two hours and made money (as of the time of this writing, a viral link posted by Reynolds did just that and it has 16 million views). The script for Detective Pikachu could have just been a barebones clothesline for jokes and callbacks to the franchise as a whole. Thankfully, the filmmakers do try to ground the film in emotion in an attempt to tug at our collective heartstrings and I commend them for that. Some audience members may be more affected than others depending on their level of fandom, but for the most part, families and the young at heart will enjoy Detective Pikachu. And as a long time gamer, saying that about a video-game film adaptation feels equal parts strange and refreshing.
Rating: 3.5/5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️½
ABOUT POKÉMON: DETECTIVE PIKACHU
The world of Pokémon comes to life!
The first-ever live-action Pokémon adventure, “POKÉMON Detective Pikachu” stars Ryan Reynolds as Pikachu, the iconic face of the global Pokémon phenomenon—one of the world’s most popular, multi-generation entertainment properties and the most successful media franchise of all time. Fans everywhere can now experience Pikachu on the big screen as never before, as Detective Pikachu, a Pokémon like no other. The film also showcases a wide array of beloved Pokémon characters, each with its own unique abilities and personality.
The story begins when 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, Detective Pikachu: a hilariously wise-cracking, adorable super-sleuth who is a puzzlement even to himself. Finding that they are uniquely equipped to communicate with one another, Tim and Pikachu join forces on a thrilling adventure to unravel the tangled mystery. Chasing clues together through the neon-lit streets of Ryme City—a sprawling, modern metropolis where humans and Pokémon live side by side in a hyper-realistic live-action world—they encounter a diverse cast of Pokémon characters and uncover a shocking plot that could destroy this peaceful co-existence and threaten the whole Pokémon universe.
“POKÉMON Detective Pikachu” also stars Justice Smith (“Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom”) as Tim; Kathryn Newton (“Lady Bird,” TV’s “Big Little Lies”) as Lucy, a junior reporter following her first big story; and Oscar nominee Ken Watanabe (“Godzilla,” “The Last Samurai”) as Lt. Yoshida.
Directed by Rob Letterman (“Goosebumps,” “Monsters Vs. Aliens”), the “POKÉMON Detective Pikachu” creative filmmaking team includes two-time Oscar nominated director of photography John Mathieson (“The Phantom of the Opera,” “Gladiator”), production designer Nigel Phelps (“Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Lies”) and Oscar-winning editor Mark Sanger (“Gravity”). Visual effects are by Moving Picture Company (“Wonder Woman”) and Framestore (“Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2”).
Launched in 1996 to overwhelming response, the Pokémon brand is a global sensation that now encompasses a robust video gaming fandom with over 300 million units sold worldwide; trading card games available in 11 languages with more than 23.6 billion cards purchased; an anime television series in its 21st season that is available more than 160 countries; and over 20 animated films; as well as books, manga comics, music, toys, merchandise, and apps, including the wildly popular Pokémon GO, that has been downloaded over 850 million times and is enjoyed across the globe by fans of all ages.
“POKÉMON Detective Pikachu” is set for release on Friday, May 10, 2019. The film will be distributed outside of Japan and China by Warner Bros. Pictures, in Japan by Toho Company, Ltd. and by Legendary East in China.
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