I’ll be the first to admit that I’m a hound for nostalgia. I’m a First-Gen gal through and through. My first console was my atomic purple Gameboy Color, my first two games were Pokémon Red and Super Mario Bros. Like most 90’s kids, I was a diehard Pokémon fanatic. So when Detective Pikachu was first announced, and I heard that Ryan Reynolds was attached to star as our titular Pikachu, my initial reaction was a snort of indignation, which was quickly replaced by morbid curiosity at the possibilities, particularly due to Ryan Reynolds’ Deadpool triumph. It wasn’t until I saw the initial teaser trailer that all those bad juju vibes dissipated, and was replaced with wholesome excitement.
Ace detective Harry Goodman goes mysteriously missing, prompting his 21-year-old son, Tim, to find out what happened. Aiding in the investigation is Harry’s former Pokémon partner, wise-cracking, adorable super-sleuth Detective Pikachu. Finding that they are uniquely equipped to work together, as Tim is the only human who can talk with Pikachu, they join forces to unravel the tangled mystery.
POKÉMON Detective Pikachu (Warner Bros. Pictures) / Official Synopsis
Detective Pikachu is a really interesting take on the classic gumshoe/whodunnit genre, with it’s PG-friendly neo-noir aesthetic, hallmark detective film tropes merged beautifully with the vibrant Pokémon realm. It clearly takes a lot of inspiration from Zemeckis’ masterpiece Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988). It’s bold, hilarious and so absurd that it’s borderline believable. Unlike the former, it is super feel-good. Even though there’s something for everyone to enjoy, this film is definitely crafted by fans, for the fans. There are so many subtle nods and nuances of homage to its source material (shoutout to the Machamp redirecting traffic around the sleeping Snorlax – you the real MVP!). Detective Pikachu isn’t groundbreaking by any stretch, but that doesn’t take away from its immense amount of heart. It doesn’t have be a creative, thought-provoking tour-de-force. It’s an incredibly entertaining, joyful watch, brimming with weird and wonderful visuals, boasting Pokémon galore.
Detective Pikachu follows Tim (Justice Smith) as he teams up with a witty, amnesiac, caffeine-addicted Pikachu (voiced by Ryan Reynolds) to investigate his father’s disappearance, and the events leading Pikachu’s memory loss. Their investigation leads them to link up with budding reporter Lucy Stevens (Kathryn Newton), her stressed-out, unstable Psyduck, and they realise that things are not what they seem. Aside from the Pokémon themselves being the stars of the show, Ryan Reynolds’ turn as Pikachu is definitely backbone of the film. He tackles the role head-on, throwing caution to the wind. He’s having a blast, and it shows in the best way. His performance and chemistry with his cast mates crackles in every scene. Smith and Newton are great in their respective roles, but it’s very hard to go toe-to-toe with Ryan Reynolds and come out on top – the dude is charisma incarnate, even if he’s encased within the anatomical confines of an adorable yellow electric mouse.
POKÉMON Detective Pikachu (Warner Bros. Pictures)
From start to finish, I was absorbed with the warmth of nostalgia and wonder. Seeing the Pokémon on the big screen, semi-‘IRL’ was magical. Their character design danced the line of realism and , and the way they were integrated into the film’s universe and narrative was so natural and sensical. Detective Pikachu is the movie that we didn’t necessarily want or need, but I am so glad that it exists.
POKÉMON Detective Pikachu is in cinemas now.
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