Detective Pikachu Review

The first time I ever encountered Pokemon were the video games on the handheld gaming console the Nintendo 3DS. It's been a dream to see a major Hollywood studio bring the world of Pokemon to life. Detective Pikachu is adapted from a 3DS game of the same name, however they made a few changes to adapt the story to the big screen.

The story follows Tim Goodman who travels to Ryme City when his detective father, Harry, is killed in a car accident while on a case. When he arrives at his father’s apartment, so he can collect his father’s assets, he runs into a Pokemon called Pikachu who can can communicate with him in English (something normal Pokemon cannot do). This premise launches a story that revolves around Tim and Pikachu trying to figure out what really happened to Tim's father.

The film takes place in Ryme City which is a special region where humans and Pokemon live in harmony. The film does an effective job of world building and explaining to old and new fans the dynamics of the Pokemon world. They took care of how they incorporate pokemon into the daily lives of the people. Pokemon from all different generations make it into the film to appeal to fans of all ages. The filmmakers do an excellent job of reinventing Pokemon in new ways and imagining how they would fit into the real world.

The CGI in the movie in convincing and believable and the most professional job yet in any media. The elements of what makes them Pokemon aren’t changed from the source material unlike another trailer that came out recently....*cough* Sonic *cough*.

Ryan Reynolds brings his own unique twist to Pikachu, as expected. Before this, Pikachu has never had dialogue but rather would communicate like all other Pokemon: by repeating his name with different tone inflections. Reynolds brings his brand of humor to the role, similar to that of Deadpool, but for all audiences. Justice Smith, Tim, is a relatable character who audiences can identify with and does a good job as the film's protagonist.

Overall, the fun movie was very fun to watch. The success of this movie has paved the way to a sequel and I can't wait to see more stories in the world of Pokemon. In a genre of films (video game movie adaptation) that tend to be terrible, Detective Pikachu stood out. This film is possibly to the best "video game" movie ever made.

8.5/10