Pokémon Detective Pikachu (2019)

Review

104min

Genre:      Action, Adventure, Comedy, Family, Mystery

Director:   Rob Letterman

Cast:        Justice Smith, Ryan Reynolds, Kathryn Newton…and more

Writers:    Dan Hernandez, Benji Samit, Rob Letterman…and more

-Synopsis-

When his estranged private detective father disappears and is presumed dead, a young man’s trip to the modern metropolis of ‘Ryme City’ turns into a mystery when he meets his dad’s irrepressible former ‘Pokémon’ partner, and discovers he’s the only human who can understand the furry creatures, plunging them into a high level conspiracy which threatens the peaceful co-existence between man and pocket monster—as the Japanese media phenomenon gets the hybrid live-action Hollywood treatment.

From 90s video games to an anime TV series, trading cards to manga comics, it will be no surprise to ardent fans of the franchise, but perhaps news to the rest of us, that the Nintendo-led Pokémon brand has become the most lucrative media franchise of all time. Now nearly twenty-five years after its launch, the Pokémon universe expands to the big screen, as Warner Bros., director Rob Letterman (Shark Tale) and a slew of writers focus on narrative and adapt the 2016 Nintendo game of the same name—delivering a tale of loneliness, friendship and family in the form of a fantastical mystery family adventure with comedic tones . . . and with a deliberately inclusive underbelly.

Justice Smith stars as young small-town loner ‘Tim Goodman’, dragged into the urban jungle of Ryme City when his estranged private eye dad is declared dead, only to become the only human who can understand the town’s furry monsters when he meets his father’s electric and quick-tongued Pokémon partner ‘Pikachu’ (Ryan Reynolds), who’s suffering from a case of amnesia. Reluctantly teaming up and joining forces with intrepid young reporter ‘Lucy Stevens’ (Kathryn Newton), the unlikely duo unravel the mystery surrounding the disappearance of Tim’s dad, only to stumble upon a conspiracy which threatens Ryme City, and its enigmatic founder ‘Howard Clifford’ (Bill Nighy).

For fans of the franchise in any of its many forms, ‘Pokémon Detective Pikachu’ offers plenty to feast your eyes and ears on, featuring plenty of charm, humour, and references which will go over everyone else’s head, plus of course many of your favourite Pokémon in at least some of their glory, many of whom you might have captured yourself. But Warner Bros. are casting their nets wide here, looking to capture new fans and potentially launch yet another cinematic universe, and as such this is an inclusive story about a vibrant, multi-cultural, engineered society where humans live and work alongside Pokémon, rather than collecting them to do battle—all taking place in a modern metropolis which might look particularly familiar to residents of London, Tokyo and a number of major cities.

Part multi-coloured neo-noir sleuth mystery, part family fantasy adventure creature-feature, and all modern big studio blockbuster, ‘Pokémon Detective Pikachu’ is a big, flashy and unlikely showcase for the legendary Ryan Reynolds sharp wit and delivery. Yet despite the title, this is hardly just a family-friendly vehicle for the ‘Deadpool’ star—if anything it’s the Justice Smith show, and the breakout lead role for the rising young star. The two leads, along with the director and the many writers, try to blend adorable creatures and safe situational comedy with over-the-top spectacle, and a broad inclusive tale of family, friendship and living in harmony . . . although there may be too many cooks in this kitchen, and a few too many ingredients for a plot which ultimately proves thin.

This is also a video game adaptation of course, and is not only already breaking box office records for this type of film, but is one of the better video game movies in recent memory . . . although that’s not exactly a particularly high bar. This is big broad entertainment and feels like filmmaking by committee, with a fun but silly plot that’s full of holes and requires suspension of disbelief beyond your average family fantasy, while geared towards those already invested in the Pokémon universe—although what hardcore fans of the franchise really think of this first live-action foray remains to be seen.

Yet ‘Pokémon Detective Pikachu’ was never going to be sold on the strength of the story, or an intricately woven narrative, but rather the scale and madness of the spectacle, plus its qualities as a fantastical cinematic world-building adventure. So if you can dial your brain down and embrace the epic silliness, this launch of Pokémon’s own cinematic universe can offer near two hours of enjoyable and wholesome CGI-fuelled family escapism with a final twist, but not much more—that is apart from a lavish advert for an entertainment goliath, which hardly needs more promotion.

The Bottom Line…

A big, bold family adventure and fantastical visual smorgasbord, ‘Pokémon Detective Pikachu’ just about manages to overcome its thin yet overwritten plot and an underwhelming narrative to keep us entertained throughout, relying on the sterilised yet still considerable comedic talents of Ryan Reynolds, and the intricacies of a beloved global media franchise to feed the fans and entice newcomers—without truly leaving a mark or getting us hyped up for yet another inevitable cinematic universe.

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