𝐃𝐄𝐓𝐄𝐂𝐓𝐈𝐕𝐄 𝐏𝐈𝐊𝐀𝐂𝐇𝐔

𝐎𝐅𝐅𝐈𝐂𝐈𝐀𝐋 𝐒𝐔𝐌𝐌𝐀𝐑𝐘

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.

𝐏𝐄𝐑𝐒𝐎𝐍𝐀𝐋 𝐒𝐔𝐌𝐌𝐀𝐑𝐘

Following the presumed death of his father, his estranged son travels from his childhood village to the metropolitan Rhyme City in order to settle his affairs, running into his father's Pokémon partner who enlists his help on uncovering the disappearance of the renowned detective, the two uncovering a sinister plot as they grow closer and learn what it truly means to be a family.

𝐎𝐁𝐉𝐄𝐂𝐓𝐈𝐕𝐄 𝐑𝐄𝐕𝐈𝐄𝐖
( mild plot spoilers )

Like the Pokémon tv show, this isn't anything groundbreaking. This movie is aimed towards young children and those who want to watch their favorite Pokémon interact with human beings just like they wished could happen while watching the TV show as kids, and that's exactly what the film did. Everything about it was very much Pokémon, not just with the setting and CGI—which, as those with a better eye have told me, is incredibly well done and I, an individual who has a hard time discerning between good and great CGI, was already more than happy to give it a gold star for CGI simply because of how many times I squealed at just seeing Pikachu on screen—but also with the writing and overall narrative.

Admittedly, the writing wasn't that good, but I didn't expect much from a mystery movie directed towards children. Already, the Pokémon show wasn't exactly making great bounds in terms of writing, but the movie's dialogue left much to be desired, though there were sweet one liners and overall touching moments that, while incredibly expected, did what they needed to and thusly can't be too heavily criticized, because they needed a heart warming moment and they did just that.

The film had an unfortunate habit of spelling out every single aspect of the film. Nothing was left up to the viewer's interpretation, even the most basic of aspects were explicitly stated by the main characters, most notably Tim, the main character, and Pikachu. Of course, considering this is aimed towards children, it makes sense a mystery movie would spell out everything but, for example, in Disney's Zootopia, not every element was beaten into the viewer's head to make sure everything was understood, some aspects the writers trusted would come across, and they found other ways for things to be explained other than simply giving the characters the bullet points to read to make sure they covered every aspect of the plot.

Speaking of Zootopia, the lesser quality writing goes beyond simply dialogue. Pokémon, to begin with, isn't by any means a pioneer in its plots, they're generally formulaic, as many movies are—to critique this film's use of a formula then conversely sing praises for Pixar, a company that released its own formula, would be hypocritical—but there are ways of taking basic templates and making them interesting and this film did just that, but it is important to acknowledge that, at its base, this film isn't anything special. In fact, while watching this, the person I was watching it with kept leaning over every five minutes to say, "So this is the plot of Zootopia" and, while he wasn't necessarily right, he also wasn't wrong.

This film was, generally, about discovering an issue regarding why Pokémon, who were living in harmony with the other species, humans, were acting strangely, and the characters did infiltrate a secret lab and discovered the answers to their questions, but beyond that the similarities simply had to do with the fact that Pokémon are animals.

But additionally, the film is a mix of cliches and tropes and every formulaic mystery plot that was made interesting by the use of modern-age family dynamic tropes and redemption, as well as the CGI'd Pokémon and subsequent references and Easter Eggs. Not to say that it wasn't its own movie, but the use of special lighting whenever the obvious love interest appeared—her initial lines were painful to listen to, but she redeemed herself afterwards when the lines were changed to seem more theatrical than legitimate—and their subsequent interactions thereafter, as well as the plot points and plot twists of the movie just prove the point that it isn't anything too special.

There are two plot twists in the movie and one I had caught onto immediately, but it is the generic plot twist that is expected in many children's films, so to be heavily critical at this movie for simply capitalizing on the trope is a waste of energy, because it was done with the amount of flair and dramatics that would have a child on the edge of their seat, and this movie wasn't directed towards critical teenagers, so I have no real issue beyond expecting it completely.

However, this movie did have a second plot twist which, while you do expect it by the time it is actually revealed, takes longer to be foreshadowed due to the use of lighting and societal expectations, and unless you had an inclination at the very beginning of the film, it is an exciting twist and I commend the movie for doing it as one of the very prominent tells that hints towards the reveal is very subtly done and isn't caught by most, and I sing high praises for that one particular aspect, because it was very clever.

In short, it objectively wasn't a brilliant movie by any means, it was rather formulaic and often rather frustrating due to the writing, but if looking at it from the lens of its intended audience, it did exactly what it promised and what it had to, and it did it well, so to say it was bad is being overly critical without much basis, but to call it a masterpiece is its inverse relation.

It deserves it's 66% on Rotten Tomatoes, it wasn't bad by any means, but it wasn't amazing, though I would give it some credit with the use of its source material and intended audience and goal, it deserves anywhere from a 72% to an 80%, it wasn't that bad.

𝐒𝐔𝐁𝐉𝐄𝐂𝐓𝐈𝐕𝐄 𝐑𝐄𝐕𝐈𝐄𝐖
( major spoilers )

Subjectively, I want to be like Ty Simpkins and watch this movie two more times, because it was the most fun I'd had in the theaters in a long time. I know I was critical of the movie, but honestly? It was so fun and it was so cute and I don't care what Rotten Tomatoes said, it deserves to have 100% because of Pikachu's fuzzy face alone, I mean, are you kidding me, I was sobbing the entire time because of how cute he was, it was ridiculous, him and his little hat and coffee addiction, I love him so much.

Like, was it really similar to Zootopia? Yes. Was it formulaic? Yes. Did I expect the bad guy the minute he appeared on screen? Yes. Did I roll my eyes every single time they would try to shove t down our throats that the girl Tim met is the love interest, complete with varied lighting and also Tim even outright saying it in the middle of battle? More times than I could even count.

But did I have fun? Absolutely.

Did I not expect Ryan Reynolds to be the dad because Tim wasn't white and I bought into the expectations that parents are supposed to look just like their kids because interracial couples are still taboo in society and this movie played me by using that to their advantage? Yes, and I'm so glad they played me because you don't know how happy it made me that they did that, it was nice.

The movie wasn't amazing. But the TV show wasn't either. If the dialogue had been better, I wouldn't have minded the plot at all; not any more than I would've generally minded it, anyways, because it's a kid's movie. It's a kid's movie about family and connection and a son reuniting with his estranged father who loved him, but didn't know how to show it well, and it's about forgiveness and love, and I can't hate on that, I can't. I can be critical of the dialogue and the writing, but to hold it to the same standards of an artistic social and political commentary or the fifth movie in a Blockbuster, critically acclaimed film series is ridiculous, because that's not what it set out to do. It didn't set out to get people talking about its plot, it didn't set out to revolutionize the way people tell stories, it didn't even set out to change the way CGI is done in movies.

It set out to be a feel good movie about family and Pokémon based around a video game to make fans and children happy to see their favorite Pokémon on the big screen and smile at the Easter Eggs and ending. It was a simple goal and they achieved it. It could've been better, but they didn't want to be the very best (like no one every was), they set out to make sure that people could say they had fun, and we did. It was fun.

So, subjectively, I give it a 93% because it was a really cute film, it was fun, it did what it set out to, it didn't take itself too seriously (fortunately, or else I would've had major issue) and Pikachu was the cutest thing in the entire world, and I would have no issue watching it two more times, because it was really nice.

𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐂𝐋𝐔𝐃𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐔𝐆𝐇𝐓𝐒

All in all, it was a fun movie with its strengths and weaknesses and while it could've been better, it also could've been much worse, and since I had fun, I have no issue with singing it praises (as long as I'm allowed to establish that I also have critiques.) Because that's one of the most important parts about watching movies: appreciating the experience. If you had fun in a movie that, objectively, really sucks, you're allowed to say you enjoyed it, because that's you and that's your experience and it's not negated because the writing was bad and the effects were horrible. If you had fun, you had fun, and you're more than valid.

𝐃𝐎 𝐈 𝐑𝐄𝐂𝐎𝐌𝐌𝐄𝐍𝐃 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐌𝐎𝐕𝐈𝐄?

Yes, I do.

If you're in the mood for something lighthearted and fun that doesn't require too much emotional strength or deposited energy, this is a perfect movie for you. If you want to laugh and maybe almost cry and just feel things with good actors, then you should watch it. I can't promise that you won't roll your eyes at parts, but it's worth a watch, because a good time is always worth it.

𝐅𝐈𝐍𝐀𝐋 𝐑𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐆

83% | 4.2/5

★★★★⅕