Detective Pikachu

Rather than following the more traditional Pokémon story path Detective Pikachu takes inspiration from noir style detective films to create something truly unique and compelling for viewers of all ages.

Detective Pikachu follows Tim Goodman (Justice Smith) who is attempting to come to terms with the sudden disappearance of his father. During a visit to his fathers home, Tim finds a wisecracking, caffeine addicted, cute little character known as Pikachu (Ryan Reynolds). This new unlikely pairing then set out to solve the mystery behind the disappearance.

By shying away from the origin story tropes this film is able to explore a much more fleshed out and deep world of Pokémon, where the ‘pocket monsters’ live side by side in perfect harmony with their human companions/counterparts.

Whilst the plot of Detective Pikachu is simple, and at times incredibly predictable, there’s a nostalgic wonder which it imbues upon the audience. Pair this with the wonderful performance from Reynolds, who’s impeccable comedic timing carries over from his performances in Deadpool, and you have the first truly special Pokemon film.

★★★ ½