Video game adaptation films have notoriously been less than stellar throughout history. Because of that, Detective Pikachu as a concept is something that shouldn’t have worked on paper. Basing the first live-action Pokèmon movie around a spin-off game where Pikachu talks with a human instead of a traditional story around battling with other trainers is a huge creative dare. Despite this, Detective Pikachu makes the idea work more than well and proves to be an absolute delight for Pokèmon fans.
Detective Pikachu is the perfect representation of real-world Pokèmon society. There are so many instances of Pokèmon interacting with the world in unique ways and the CG of the movie really helps sell the realistic versions of Pokèmon while staying true to each creature’s original design. The VFX doesn’t always hit the mark with the set pieces, with one scene, in particular, being noticeably lackluster but the Pokèmon themselves always look fantastic. Unlike many video game movies which often feel as if they’re ashamed of their source material by diverging from it, sometimes in bizarre ways (I’m looking at you Mario Bros. Goomba), Detective Pikachu wholeheartedly embraces it and you can tell that genuine Pokèmon fans who knew the franchise well-poured so much effort into the film. You can see this in so many ways from the extensive amount of background details to the references and nods to the series within the script itself. The biggest example of the filmmakers’ passion for me personally is the selection of Pokèmon from across the whole series. Many Pokèmon projects that are marketed towards the general public place a huge emphasis on the original 151 Pokèmon however, this isn’t the case with Detective Pikachu at all and it’s all the better for it. While there are classic Gen 1 Pokèmon that do get a big spotlight, many other generations of Pokèmon are represented heavily as well which is great to see because Pokèmon as a series is so much more than just the first two games. Even if it was just a small cameo in the background it was always exciting to see a favorite Pokèmon of mine represented in the movie.
There’s more to the movie than just the world though as Ryan Reynold’s Pikachu and Justice Smith’s Tim Goodman do a great job as the stars of the film. The two are a great comedic duo that is not only able to bring laughs but also nail the emotional moments in the movie as well. It’s really interesting to have the protagonist of the film be someone who isn’t in love with Pokèmon and that helps make the relationship that he and Pikachu build over the film even more believable.
Not all of the characters and their interactions are able to hit the mark as well as Tim and Pikachu though. While I liked Kathryn Newton’s character Lucy Stevens, the interactions between her and Tim weren’t great with their friendship feeling a little forced at times. The villain does have an interesting motive but they feel pretty flat and don’t do a lot in terms of emotional impact. The plot as a whole is simplistic but entertaining as an action/comedy/mystery mix. It isn’t complex but the twists are enjoyable and the mystery of Tim’s father is fun to put together.
It’s evident within the writing and the script that this is a film mainly targeted towards children. There are a couple of more adult jokes that go in surprisingly dark directions that are fantastic but most of the humor is directed toward a younger audience. The writing also tends to over-explain the plot which feel unnecessary for older viewers but will help the younger crowd understand the movie. Because of this while, Detective Pikachu can be enjoyed by all ages, older viewers who aren’t Pokèmon fans may not enjoy the film as much.
Detective Pikachu is everything a Pokèmon fan could have wanted out of a live-action film. It showcases the Pokèmon world in a way that people have dreamed of for years and it’s the first video-game adaptation movie that feels like it cares about the property it’s attached to. While the film does feel focused towards a younger crowd, there’s still plenty to enjoy whether it be Pikachu and Tim’s relationship or the stunning world that the movie presents. It may not be the perfect movie, but it’s the perfect Pokèmon movie.
Comments
Post a Comment