Pokemon Detective Pikachu – a movie review by Roz Tarszisz
I quite like a fantasy adventure and know little about the craze for Pokemon that engulfed the world a few years back. It is a plus because I came to it with fresh eyes. It’s a minus because I didn’t like this offering very much.
One of my gang (8 years) liked it a bit and my adult liked it more. The 5year old spent a fair amount of time with her head tucked into the seat – it is scary. I found the semi-dystopian world, combined with hideous looking creatures, strange and not in an attractive way.
Tim Goodman (Justin Smith) is summoned to Ryme City to pick up his late father’s stuff. Detective Harry Goodman died while working on a case involving a research laboratory. Tim was estranged from his father but his boss, Lieutenant Yoshida (Ken Watanbe) assures Tim that his father loved him.
In Harry’s apartment Tim meets a cute and funny Pokeman called Pikachu (voiced by Ryan Reynolds) who has lost his memory and is searching for clues as to his identity. He and Tim can converse, something other humans and their Pokeman cannot do.
Humans and their furry or webbed companions do everything together and people finds it strange that Tim doesn’t have his own Pokeman, nor has he ever wanted one. Resigned to their collaboration, Tim and Pikachu go off on a quest to find out the reasons Harry died and what he was investigating.
They meet aspiring tv journalist Lucy Stevens (Kathryn Newton) who helps them work out what happened to Harry and uncover a plot that could destroy the whole Pokemon universe.
There are bad guys and good guys and some wild special effects as the trio get close to the heart of the mystery. I was unmoved by this hyper-realistic live-action world even though Pikachu turns out to be a plucky little bugger who finds his way into Tim’s heart.
2.5/5 Fantasy Mystery 104mins Rated PG (Mild themes and fantasy violence, some scenes may scare younger children)
Stars Ryan Reyolds, Justin Smith, Kathryn Newton
Director Rob Letterman
