Warning. Your face will hurt from all the smiling you’ll do whenever Pikachu is on screen. The world of Pokémon is open for business. Expect to see a lot more of these cute creatures in the future.
In a world where people collect Pokémon to do battle, a boy comes across an intelligent talking Pikachu who seeks to be a detective
I feel it in my jellies. That this movie is all sorts of adorable and fun. If you would have sat me down and told me when I turned 30 years old I would be in a theatre gearing up to watch a live-action Pokémon movie starring Ryan Reynolds, I would have most likely laughed in your face. Here we are though, living in a world where Pikachu is making cocaine jokes in a live-action movie of everyone’s favourite Pokémon. I’m here to say that Detective Pikachu does an incredible job building an interesting and immersive universe, with a bunch of adorable Pokémon on the screen. Much like Who Framed Roger Rabbit, this is a classic whodunit, with a noir mystery sense of style. I was really blown away with just how perfect all the Pokémon looked. This is going to be a treat for new and old friends alike and reminds us all why Pikachu is the best Pokémon hands down.
Directed and written by Rob Letterman, he kicks off this Pokémon universe in a big way. Introducing us to all types of Pokémon and really set the stage for what’s potentially coming. All the nostalgia drops, the Easter eggs are enough to keep any hardcore fan busy. But for the most part, everyone came to see the caffeine-addicted Detective Pikachu. Couldn’t think of a better fit then Ryan Reynolds to voice this little guy. It’s the selling point of the movie, and it should please just about everyone. He’s not alone on this adventure though, he’s joined by Tim (Justice Smith) and Lucy (Kathryn Newton) who is joined by her hilarious headache induced Psyduck. Obviously, you’re heading to the theatre for the all the cuteness that is the Pokémon, but the story needs a human element to drive it forward, and keep things moving. I think the two leads are great, I even thought they had terrific chemistry. I’m not going to sit here and name every single Pokémon that pops up on the screen, but I don’t want to spoil it. Trust me, there are a ton and it’s a lot of fun to watch them interact with humans and just go about their days like we aren’t even there.
Growing up playing the card game, I was the best player in the city and playing the games, worlds best trainer. I went into this movie hoping to see some Pokémon battles and people hunting and trying to catch Pokémon. Sadly that isn’t what this movie is about, but they show us a little glimpse of both aspects, which when we do peak behind those curtains, it’s entertaining as hell. That’s where I want this universe to go, we need an all-out tournament with spectacular battles. Hunting and catching Pokémon would also be an interesting direction to take this thing. There’s so much potential with this universe and that’s what I’ve been thinking about the most since I left the theatre.
As for the visuals, simply mind-blowing really. The Pokémon are so lifelike and colourful, they did such a great job bringing them to life. They don’t talk, so using their design and body language to essentially communicate with the audience worked well. The film flows really well, you’re immediately thrust into the world of Pokémon and there are very few scenes that don’t have a single Pokémon in it. The ending takes a little bit of a weird turn, but I figured they would try to do something along those lines. This was the first trial, the feeler movie. Warner Bros made this and wanted to see how the audience would react. Future sequels will depend heavily on box office numbers, but I will be shocked if this doesn’t make close to a billion dollars. As for the final scene of the movie, I’m not sure what they are trying to do, but I’m super curious to see how others react and where they would take that element.
In order to get more of these movies, they need our help. Go out and support little Pikachu, because he’s just so damn cute. If someone wants to get me a Pikachu stuffed animal that would also be pretty sweet.
One final note. Ash Ketchum needs to be in the sequel. Misty and Brock too.
Nate’s Movie Tour Reviews – Detective Pikachu = 84/100
