'Pokémon Detective Pikachu' A Review

Pokémon Detective Pikachu is an urban fantasy mystery movie set in the "Pokémon universe" ie a world where Pokémon co-exist with humans. The story opens on an ominous lab with a Pokémon being experimented on who escapes and appears to attack a car on its way out of town. Tim Goodman(Justice Smith)is a young insurance salesman who is called to Ryme City after the mysterious death(presumably in the previously mentioned attack) of his estranged father. There he connects with the titular Detective Pikachu(voiced by Ryan Reynolds) who was the partner of his father. The two investigate the crime and what they discover is corruption in Ryme City!

Smith as the lead gives a valiant effort but is simply overcome by not acting opposite of an actual human and a poor, meaninglessly convoluted script. He has talent, there's no question, but the ask is to big for him to overcome. Reynolds voice work is fine enough but taking his actual body the equation hamstrings one of his biggest assets as an actor- his affable contagious charm. Although the animation is excellent the Pikachu performance just comes across as underwhelming. The supporting cast has two real bright spots- Bill Nighy and Ken Watanabe- but neither are given more screen time or much to do when in the scenes they have.

The production design is sharp, exciting, and meticulously rendered by the story falls short it the visual pleasure of the movie is rendered almost meaningless. The script is the real culprit. In an attempt to name check a long list of Pokémon, provide a viable father-son arc, and a complicated twisting who-done-it the story ultimately becomes a boring confused mess. Too much is attempted and nearly none of it is achieved.

Fans, families, and the regular movie goer alike will find it difficult to find much enjoyable in this first attempt at a mainstream Pokémon flick.

Don't See It.