Created by Satoshi Tajiri in 1995 as a videogame franchise for Nintendo, Pokemon (which stands for Pocket Monsters) went on to spawn a whole network of videogames, a trading card game, animated shows, toys and everything under the merchandising sun. The Pokemon Go mobile game revolutionized the property yet again, this time not just for kids, but for soccer moms, construction workers and anyone that carried a cell phone. Entire generations have grown up with Pokemon in one form or another, so it was inevitable that the franchise would eventually make the leap to the big screen in the form of a live-action feature (there have already been numerous animated films). Strangely enough, rather than start with a simple Pokemon origin film, Warner Bros. opted to kick things off with…a detective story? Based on the Nintendo 3DS game of the same name (released in 2016), the story takes the most popular of the Pokemon characters, Pikachu, and makes him an actual talking detective who teams up with a young trainer to solve mysteries. The film version carries much of that premise over, but injects a lot of deviations and creative differences that surely serve a live-action movie much more than a gameplay scenario.
Having missed my window for the games, my exposure to Pokemon came in the form of my own son's interest, who collected the cards, watched the cartoon and, oh yes, is excited as hell to see this movie. And, of course, I got caught up in the Pokemon Go! app for a good while and have a nice appreciation for the fun characters and setting it has to offer. But, is POKEMON: DETECTIVE PIKACHU made for me or is this strictly kid-friendly fare? Well, the good news is that this is a film truly made for everyone. It really doesn't matter if you grew up with Pokemon or collected anything Pokemon related or whether you're an expert who knows every Pokemon name or someone who has never heard of them and is being dragged to the theater against your will. With a solid cast of actors, a playful, self-aware script and CGI animation that perfectly brings to life these wild, creative and sometimes wacky characters, POKEMON: DETECTIVE PIKACHU has all the ingredients for a kid-sized hit that can be enjoyed by anyone at any age.
The ace in the hole for this film, of course, is Ryan Reynolds. Lending his Merc-With-A-Mouth voice to the lead character, Detective Pikachu, it may seem like an odd choice at first. After all, this is the guy who famously brought F-bombs to the X-Men franchise. But, for whatever reason, it just works. Reynolds is perfect as Pikachu, lending his usual quick wit and sharp humor to the proceedings, giving the usual cute flurry of "Pika Pika" a whole new life and a voice that's as much a wink to the audience as it is lovable. While I'm sure there are plenty of actors who could've voiced this yellow ball of electric fur, Reynolds, as he did with Deadpool, makes it undeniably his own, leaving you with his presence as the only acceptable one for this character. Just, y'know, with less F-bombs.
The story follows young Tim Goodman (JURASSIC WORLD: FALLEN KINGDOM's Justice Smith), a once would-be Pokemon trainer who has since become disillusioned with the little monsters, finding out something has happened to his police officer father in Ryme City, a metropolis where humans and Pokemon co-exist together. Upon heading to the city, Tim finds himself in a Pokemon utopia, immersed with creatures in every nook and cranny, bringing to mind the combined human/animated world from WHO FRAMED ROGER RABBIT? albeit with CGI. It's a beautiful setting and literally floods Pokemon fans with a "Where's Waldo?" smorgasbord of various characters that are lurking on screen, in the shadows, rooftops, alleyways, etc. In a film that may be about a Detective Pikachu, this is definitely a showcase for a world of possibility with the other characters.
Tim eventually runs into Pikachu, who he discovers was his father's Pokemon. Oh, and he can hear Pikachu talk, which is not common for Pokemon. This sets off an adventure that finds the two attempting to track down what happened to Tim's father, while navigating the immense world of Ryme City, where they encounter all manner of creatures along the way, while dropping numerous Pokemon breadcrumbs as they go, including references from the games, animated shows and more. Even casual Pokemon GO! users will find little nods here and there, which makes the film incredibly accessible. Justice Smith has a goofy, awkward charm to his Tim Goodman and when he meets a local up-and-coming reporter named Lucy (BLOCKERS Kathryn Newton) there's an innocent playfulness that exudes the often silly antics you see in the Pokemon animated films and shows. However, that's not a knock, as it works well given the material and both actors have plenty of charisma, especially given that much of the time they were acting opposite a puppet or tennis ball when on set.
There's an entire plot that involves a synthetic drug, which makes Pokemon go temporarily evil and a large part of that is played out with Bill Nighy's Howard Clifford, the man who created Ryme City, and a mysterious "henchwoman" played by Suki Waterhouse (both of whom wade in the waters of being excessively cartoony). Of course, this plays into Pikachu and Tim's journey, which finds them constantly running into danger and adventure as they attempt to unravel the mystery of what happened to Tim's father and maybe save Ryme City at the same time. As mysterious as it may be, it's really just an excuse to keep things moving along and that's just fine. This isn't THE USUAL SUSPECTS and you're likely not walking into this looking to have your mind blown in that regard. This movie knows why you're here and it delivers on all those aspects and gives the added respect of making it a total blast for the older crowd as well.
Of course, there are mysteries and surprises abound, so don't think it's all cuddly creatures and videogame adventure. There's a big slab of heart beating underneath it all and that makes a hell of a difference in a film like this. And, for those hoping to see some cool Pokemon action, don't worry, there's plenty of that peppered throughout. Ultimately, POKEMON DETECTIVE PIKACHU is just a fun, cute, silly and imaginative adventure that brings to life a host of lovable (and sometimes dangerous) characters to the realm of live-action, while doing some great world-building in what is sure to be the next evolution of the Pokemon franchise. With Reynolds making the ride smooth and comfy for both grown-ups and kids alike and a young cast that keeps things relatable, this is a worthwhile adventure for all ages that is sure to spin off multiple movies for decades to come.