Captain Broshi Reviews
Pokemon: Detective Pikachu
Grade: 6.9/10
Recommendation: High-Matinee
Director: Rob Letterman
Distributed by: Warner Bros.
Cast: Ryan Reynolds, Justice Smith, Kathryn Newton, Ken Watanabe, Bill Nighy, Chris Geere Writers: Dan Hernandez, Benji Samit, Rob Letterman, Derek Connolly
D.P.: John Mathieson
Plot Synopsis: After discovering that his father, Harry, has been murdered, young Tim Goodman travels from his small hometown to the busy metropolis that is Ryme City, where Harry served as a detective. Upon arrival, Tim meets Harry’s Pokemon partner, a Pikachu. However, this Pikachu has the unusual ability to communicate with Tim. Together, they team up to solve the mystery surrounding the death of Tim’s father and Pikachu’s partner. Along the way, the meet several fan-favorite Pokemon and uncover a dastardly plot involving the enigmatic Mewtwo.
The Review
As anyone who experienced their childhood during the early 2000's can attest, Pokemon was an unavoidable staple of the afternoon block on the televisions of millions.
The Japanese anime is simply a spoke in the larger, lucrative wheel that is the Pokemon franchise. It has expanded from a humble black and white (or more like black and green) GameBoy video game to become the multi-media spanning conglomerate that includes, but is not limited to comic books, toys, trading cards, animated movies, and other interactive games on many different platforms.
In 2016, only in Japan, “Great Detective Pikachu: Birth of a New Duo” was released as a downloadable game for the Nintendo 3DS, receiving a full game with a worldwide release two years later. The basis of the story is translated to live-action film with 2019's “Pokemon: Detective Pikachu”. I am apart of this generation that grew up with these properties and I understand what makes them so fun and relatable for kids.
In the end, this is meant for children, so some of my usual criticisms may come off as a harsh way to judge something intended for underdeveloped minds. That being said, I don’t believe moral lessons should always be sugar-coated with sweet lies. The pains of loss and fear are something that every child experiences and should be handled with care when portrayed in a kids’ movie.
Does “Detective Pikachu” play it safe by only showing flashy images to shut your offspring up for an hour and a half? Or does it use its insane premise to challenge its young viewers to think critically? Do not expect a heads-or-tails answer, as both sides of the coin turn up.
Pokemon has been around for over two decades now, with only the first three animated features getting theatrical releases. A live-action adaptation was inevitable, but due to the outlandish world these characters occupy, a faithful conversion was always going to be difficult.
Also, motion pictures based upon video games have not had the best of results with fans or box office, dating back to 1992's “Super Mario Bros”. So, when director Rob Letterman signed on to helm “Detective Pikachu”, he agreed to shoulder that burden as well. However, studios have come a long way since the early days of video games being adapted into film, having learned that the fans want to see their favorite heroes, villains, and stories brought to life on the big screen, but with the due respect and attention each deserves.
Once the trailer was released and audiences became aware of how true to the original the Pokemon, particularly the title character of Pikachu, were going to look, expectations grew even more. All that being said, what Letterman manages to produce is probably the best film adaptation of a video game to date. It is far from a perfect film, but due to the style and humor, “Detective Pikachu” works.
While most of everything that is filmed in real life is quite underwhelming and boring, it is the perfect representation of the franchise’s namesake, created through computer generated images (CGI), and how well the animation is integrated into the real world that save this movie.
However, the CGI was not the only saving grace provided in post production. So, too, is the wonderful talent behind the voice and motion capture for Pikachu himself: Ryan Reynolds.
Many were hesitant in accepting the “Deadpool” and “Van Wilder” actor, who is known for his foul language and adult jokes, as the choice of one of their beloved childhood memories. From within the framework of this film, it makes total sense why this particular Pikachu sounds and acts so much like a human. Reynolds puts all those fears to rest as he delivers a vocal performance that will have fans smiling from ear to ear from the well-timed humor and the nostalgic kick to the emotions.
That being said, the bulk of the acting praise should only be reserved for Reynolds. Justice Smith, who plays Tim, the young human lead searching for his father, does turn in a solid performance in key moments. Unfortunately, other than that, he is relegated to the same sub- par acting designation as every other actor in the movie.
Both ends of the bad-acting spectrum are present here, as the lead actress, Kathryn Newton is such a cliche-ridden journalist that she gives the original cartoons competition for being over- the-top. On the other end, the usually superb Ken Watanabe, sleep walks through his performance, boring the audience as much as he appears to be bored himself.
The highest caliber execution an actor gives (outside of Reynolds) is Bill Nighy, portraying the visionary leader of Ryme City, who is only serviceable at best.
When it comes down to it, “Detective Pikachu” will please the fans of the source material, but it may have a harder time winning over newcomers and film critics. The direction is passable, but there seems to have been little quality control. It appeared as if the first take was good enough all too many times throughout the runtime. Perhaps, for this reason, director Rob Letterman is also to blame for the less than stellar performance the actors turned in.
The lazy writing and simple dialogue also play a factor. The best thing to be said of the writing is how brilliant of a choice it was to start with a side game instead of the whole gambit of weirdness the main games offer. For all its flaws, it is a movie intended for a young demographic, so why take a risk of alienating your target audience with convoluted plot points and heavy dialogue.
So, all can be forgiven when the children’s intelligence is considered? Well, children do not need to be talked down to, in order to get a message across. “Pokemon: Detective Pikachu” does dumb down its message a little too much, but it is an overall positive message to push. Forgiveness and acceptance are at the heart of this bizarre kids’ movie, but its a lesson even the adults in the theater could stand to re-familiarize themselves with.
At the end of the day, that’s what Pokemon always has been and hopefully always will be: a platform for positivity wrapped up in an action anime with incredibly cute and creative creatures. None more than Pikachu, who instantly became the face of the franchise back in the 90's. Now, more than 20 years later, he has entered into the collective consciousness of an entirely new generation with “Detective Pikachu”. If he continues to entertain us, then may he never return to a Pokeball!
