Detective Pikachu Catches the Spark but Needs More Charge

I was about six years old when I joined the Pokemon phenomenon. I begged my parents to take me to Pokemon: The First Movie (I decision I now regret) and frequently watched the anime up until the Hoenn League in Season Eight: Advanced Battle. I occasionally came back to the show: a few episodes of the Sinnoh Region with Diamond & Pearl, watched the entire Unova series with Black & White, and the first half of the Kalos adventure in X&Y where I stopped watching the anime again (Sorry Sun & Moon fans).

Never collected the cards unless they were Yu-Gi-Oh but as for the video games, those I did play. Got as far as the seventh badge in Pokemon Red on the Gameboy Color (my starter Pokemon was Squirtle and Haunter was my second powerful), same with Pokemon Silver also for the Gameboy Color (Cyndaquil being my starter and Girafarig my second strongest) and completed Pokemon Emerald (My team was Blaziken, Breloom, Menetric, Flygon, Glalie, and Sableye). Other games I played were Pokemon Snap, Pokemon Stadium, Pokemon XD: Gale of Darkness, Pokken Tournament and who can forget their appearances in the Super Smash Bros lineup (I tried Pokemon Go but lost interest and phone capacity).

What are my favorite Pokemon? Emolga, Snivy, Houndoom, Scyther, Aron, Deoxys, Meloetta and Flygon, to name a few.

The Pokemon franchise has had twenty-two movies based on the anime (and still counting) with the first five receiving a theatrical release in North America and three of its later installments getting a limited run in theaters. Detective Pikachu marks as the first live-action Pokemon movie.

When Tim Goodman (Justice Smith), learns of his father's death, he travels to Rhyme City only to find his father's talking Pikachu (Ryan Reynolds). The second character based on an anime suffering from amnesia (see Alita: Battle Angel), Detective Pika can only remember that A).Tim's father is alive, B). was hot on a mystery that involved Mewtwo (the most powerful Pokemon) and C). a conspiracy that jeopardizes humans and Pokemon alike. With the help of a Lucy Stevens (Kathryn Newton) an intern reporter with a Psyduck, the game is afoot as Tim and Pikachu follow the clues in solving this perplexing Pokemon puzzle.

Mewtwo

My biggest concern was that Rob Letterman (whose previous work include Shark Tale, Monsters vs Aliens, and the atrocious Gulliver's Travels starring Jack Black) was placed as director. He's also the same man who gave us the Goosebumps feature film (also starring Jack Black), in which Detective Pikachu shares a lot in common with. Both are based on a popular 90's franchise that are still going strong, spawned an enjoyable TV show, continues producing new content, and do an excellent job on bringing its popular characters to life. With Goosebumps being the monsters from R.L. Stine's books and Detective Pikachu with Pikachu himself and the rest of the featured Pokemon.

Cubone, Mr. Mime, Charzard.
Greninja, Jigglypuff, Lickitung

As for adaptation, both go for adapting the concept of what made the property popular instead of a certain story found in the franchise. Goosebumps follows this through, whereas Detective Pikachu sticks more closely if not loosely to the video game of the same name its based on. They suffer the same problem of not taking its premise to its full potential and takes a backseat to bland human characters and some sob story that's been done better in its other mediums whether the show or game. With Goosebumps, the problem was focusing on the comedy than on the horror element; Detective Pikachu does the same focusing on comedic wise-cracks and weak story than the clashing battles that made Pokemon fun. What's the point of having Pokemon if all they're going to do is stand and walk around and never use their signature attacks? Otherwise it feels like a video game where its 90% cutscenes and 10% of experiencing the exhilaration action. Adding to the similarities is a mind-altering plot twist that I'll give Detective Pikachu credit on handling it better than Goosebumps.

Meeting with Howard Clifford (Bill Nighy). 

Reynolds does an amiable job as Pikachu but its distracting when all I hear is PG Deadpool. (Is it a coincidence Karan Soni who played the cab driver in the Deadpool movies with Reynolds has a cameo at the the beginning of this film? Is it more coincidental that he also had a cameo in the Goosebumps movie?) The human characters are rather useless for most of the movie. In a world where Pokemon and humans are partners why is it that that the bad guys know more movesets than our heroes who are proven to know sufficient Pokemon knowledge and strategy? They aren't bad to fall on the Transformers-spectrum; definitely more likable but being incompetent doesn't help either. This would have resulted in a movie's feeble attempt at being a Saturday morning cartoon if it weren't for the Pokemon who look amazing with their realistic designs and Pikachu retaining his cuteness in live-action form. Fans will find plenty to enjoy from spotting the many Pokemon onscreen and other familiar references. Like Alita, you can tell that effort and care went into crafting the look and feel of the source martial. For that I applaud them and won't deny that it was enjoyable for a good amount. Now if only they could work on the writing and characterization and not reminding me why I could be watching the anime or playing the game instead.

A colony of Bulbasaur and Morelull leading Tim and Pikachu to safety. 

Final Verdict: C+