Friends, hello. I was once like you. And proud to be. In fact there’s footage out there of a 12-year-old me seated in front of my parents’ camcorder, presenting a fake newscast in which I warned my fellow classmates about the dangers of becoming addicted to Pokémon cards. Oh how disappointed my pre-teen self would be if she could see me today.
I’m here to confess that the first live-action movie based in the Pokémon universe -- Detective Pikachu – is pretty great and fun experience from top to bottom. The internet is already awash in far better reviews of this film than anything I’m going to write here, so let me instead make the case for Detective Pickachu to the Pokémon skeptics.
Yes it’s a kid’s movie. Yes it’s a noir. And yes it’s has magical animal creatures who humans train to battle each other but somehow it’s not exploitative. It doesn’t seem like those things should go together, and yet in Detective Pikachu, they all harmoniously do.
Some of the credit goes to the special effects team. The rendering of the creatures is a true delight. It doesn’t feel like you’re watching humans interacting with CGI creations. Pikachus and Psyducks and Cuebones interact and live seamlessly next to their human costars. Even if you’re not emotionally connected to or familiar with any of the characters from the Pokémon universe, it’s a real joy to see all of these quirky characters – some cute, some odd, some scary – come together and do their thing.
And the writing is not terrible! There are predictable moments for sure, but there are also some unexpected twists and turns, and sweet moments, and suspenseful ones, and this one scene with a mime that I am absolutely going to watch again on Youtube. The underlining message is nothing profound, but it doesn’t need to be, and that’s part of the fun.
Finally, I’m going to give it up for Justice Smith, who plays Tim (the film’s protagonist) and Ryan Reynolds, who plays Pikachu, also put on great performances. Reynolds packs a lot of cute charisma into that little yellow mousy critter – who manages to be a little edgy, but not a jerk, and gets to deliver the majority of the film’s punchlines (which, also, pretty good). And Smith fully immerses himself in the this Pokémon universe -- so honest, and sincere, and committed to truly learning to understand and care for this little Pikachu, and to get to the bottom of the film’s core mystery. It feels good to root for him.
So if you’re impressed by visuals that are at the top of their game, good writing and engaging performances, treat yourself to some Pikachu. You don’t have to know of or have any interest in the Pokémon backstory to have a good time.
--Kelsey Robinson
I’m here to confess that the first live-action movie based in the Pokémon universe -- Detective Pikachu – is pretty great and fun experience from top to bottom. The internet is already awash in far better reviews of this film than anything I’m going to write here, so let me instead make the case for Detective Pickachu to the Pokémon skeptics.
Yes it’s a kid’s movie. Yes it’s a noir. And yes it’s has magical animal creatures who humans train to battle each other but somehow it’s not exploitative. It doesn’t seem like those things should go together, and yet in Detective Pikachu, they all harmoniously do.
Some of the credit goes to the special effects team. The rendering of the creatures is a true delight. It doesn’t feel like you’re watching humans interacting with CGI creations. Pikachus and Psyducks and Cuebones interact and live seamlessly next to their human costars. Even if you’re not emotionally connected to or familiar with any of the characters from the Pokémon universe, it’s a real joy to see all of these quirky characters – some cute, some odd, some scary – come together and do their thing.
And the writing is not terrible! There are predictable moments for sure, but there are also some unexpected twists and turns, and sweet moments, and suspenseful ones, and this one scene with a mime that I am absolutely going to watch again on Youtube. The underlining message is nothing profound, but it doesn’t need to be, and that’s part of the fun.
Finally, I’m going to give it up for Justice Smith, who plays Tim (the film’s protagonist) and Ryan Reynolds, who plays Pikachu, also put on great performances. Reynolds packs a lot of cute charisma into that little yellow mousy critter – who manages to be a little edgy, but not a jerk, and gets to deliver the majority of the film’s punchlines (which, also, pretty good). And Smith fully immerses himself in the this Pokémon universe -- so honest, and sincere, and committed to truly learning to understand and care for this little Pikachu, and to get to the bottom of the film’s core mystery. It feels good to root for him.
So if you’re impressed by visuals that are at the top of their game, good writing and engaging performances, treat yourself to some Pikachu. You don’t have to know of or have any interest in the Pokémon backstory to have a good time.
--Kelsey Robinson
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