Is the first live-action Pokemon movie worth your ticket? Hopefully my Pokemon Detective Pikachu review would be able to help you decide. If not me, then maybe Ryan Reynolds could do it for you?

The film stars Justice Smith, Ryan Reynolds, Ken Watanabe and more and is directed by Rob Letterman. Distributed in the PH by Warner Bros. Pictures Philippines and opens today!

So what’s to like about the film.

• We have a live action Pokemon movie that looks awesome. The visuals here are outstanding. If you ever truly wanted to see what a world where humans and Pokemon looks like, then you have to see this film. This is as close as we’ll ever get to see our world with the world of Pokemon.
• I like how they made it a point in the story to tell viewers that Ryme City is the first of its kind, a city where Pokemon and people integrate properly. This also limits the scope of the world where Tim would interact. Other parts of the world still cling to the notion that Pokemon are in the wild while humans live in actual communities.
• The movie perfectly balances connecting the film with another US released Hollywood Pokemon movie with this one while at the same time limiting the references so as not to confuse other viewers. *wink wink* Pokemon the first movie *wink wink*

• As a character, I gotta hand it to Ryan Reynolds for making a quirky Pikachu that’s snappy and interesting. I feel like even if Reynolds did a different attack on the character, it would still be endearing. Hell, even if he made Pikachu an asshole, he’d still be adorable.
• All the Pokemon here are awesome to look at. You’d probably buy another ticket just to oogle at the gloriously rendered pocket monsters on the big screen. It’s that good; from fearsome Charizard to cute Jigglypuff and Bulbasaur, everything is satisfying.
• Justice Smith’s character, Tim, was nice too. He’s our guide in this wonderful and weird world. And he’s written as this everyman/jaded guy who just wants to be normal. Or at least he wanted to be normal until his adventures with Harry’s Pikachu partner triggers his dreams and ambitions even. Also its nice to see Smith not screaming around like a crybaby. So different from his rather annoying role in Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom.

Ryan Reynolds and Pikachu / WB Pictures

• One major negative I have to write down in this Pokemon Detective Pikachu review is how predictable the movie becomes towards the third act. Without spoiling anything crucial, the two friends saves the day after a big about-face happens with one of the characters. And by the time something important gets revealed, you’ll easily piece together what happened to Tim’s dad.
• Also a big no for me, is the film’s run time. They could have pushed with 120 minutes and we’d still be clamoring for more. But at one hour and 42 minutes, that’s kinda OK. Wish there was more.

Pokemon Detective Pikachu Review – Verdict

8/10

Pokemon Detective Pikachu was cute and had potential. It raised the bar of what people should expect for Pokemon-related content and it did set it high. The movie still feels like a gloriously extended episode of Pokemon’s animated series and that’s both a bad and a good thing for me. Ryan Reynolds was really the star of this film and you can’t go wrong with that.

Special thanks to Warner Bros. Pictures Philippines. You can also check out the “leaked” Detective Pikachu movie HERE.