Detective Pikachu is a really enjoyable Pokémon movie. Well, not perfect. Because there are some issues like the movie can sometimes get predictable and the characters are kinda generic. But it really makes up those issues thanks to an enjoyable story that's about Tim Goodman solving the mystery to find out what happened to his father. It does have heart into it. The action moments make the movie exciting. Ryan Reynolds plays a great and funny performance as Picachu. And the visuals are absolutely incredible that brings Pokémon to life. Because of it, of course Pokémon fans are going to enjoy it. This also is worth a watch for those that want to see a good movie based on a video game. It may not be perfect, but I would definitely say this is one of the better movies based on a video game.

It's very rare that I ever watch kid's movies any more. I couldn't even tell you what the last one I saw before this was. But 'Pokémon Detective Pikachu' just really interested me for some reason. I'm not even much of a 'Pokémon' fan (I watched it briefly as a kid, but that was about it). I think it was the casting choice of Ryan Reynolds as 'Pikachu' that took my fancy. A really enlightened choice. He has the comedic skills to make anything funny, and ultimately that is the strongest thing this movie has going for it.

I also loved the concept of the story being based around a mystery. I'm a sucker for mysteries in films. Unfortunately the one they chose for this movie didn't really work for me. It just never hooked me in. I didn't absolutely need to know the answer, and that is always the key to a mystery element working in a story.

The other thing that impressed me was how good the animation was. The 'Pokémon' looked absolutely fantastic. I think this is a great movie in the sense that kids are going to have a great time with it, but also the adults that take them along are going to enjoy it more than they might other children's movies. A worthy effort.

If you took the dark, neon-lit streets of Blade Runner, filled them with Pokemon, then littered a dramatic mystery plot with Roger Rabbit humor, you'd have Pokemon Detective Pikachu. And before you get excited, those insanely disparate elements awkwardly battle each other like a Magikarp / Jynx match-up. And if you don't understand any of that, then stay far away. This is a supremely weird but uninspired children's film that's references are so niche even a passing fan of the franchise won't be able to "catch 'em all". Anime has a history of playing in multiple genres at once, but Detective Pikachu takes the cake. The story (an orphan boy joins forces with a fast-talking Pikachu to solve the death of his father and uncover a deep-state conspiracy) is crushingly unfun, and even Reynolds's spattering of out-of-place jokes land flatter than a Stunfisk. I can't remember the last time I cared less about a group of characters, especially the lead wet-blanket of a human played by the usually charming Justice Smith. His arc is so forced I left the movie questioning why any of the story even happened. Die-hard Pokemon fans seem to be finding enjoyment here, and I'd never deny them that. They've not only committed to the world, but this movie certainly does its due diligence to capture these unique monsters with technical care. Pikachu, Mr. Mime, Psyduck and Ditto are at the center of the story, and they are each used to fun, funny and cute effect at different times. Unfortunately the story they're given is such a soulless jumble of subpar noise, it does these impressive CG characters no favors. Pokemon Don't Go.