Pokémon: Detective Pikachu

Grade: C-

Pokémon: Detective Pikachu plays like a forgettable straight-to-video sequel. The production values are terrific, but the plot, characters, situations, and absolutely everything else are not up to the same level. It is very easy to mentally check out. Because of the easily digestible running time, and the fact that I laughed two or three times (the always welcome Ryan Reynolds as the title character had a few one-liners that I enjoyed), I did like this a little better than the Fantastic Beasts movies. I wonder if that’ll turn up in a blurb somewhere.

I went to see a Pokémon movie in the summer of 2000. I think it was the second one. I gave it an F. The following year, I saw the next one, and remember nothing else other than giving it a D-. I saw at least a little something in there that made it not completely worthless. Pokémon: Detective Pikachu gets yet a higher rating from me, so – little by little – they are improving. Maybe in a couple of years, they will have it all figured out, and we’ll have the next Shawshank Redemption equivalent.

On my way to the theater, I ran into an old therapist of mine, who I had seen sporadically from 2007-2014. He was coming out of the restroom, and seemed in a hurry. He said “Hey, man. I’m seeing Avengers: Endgame over there. I gotta get back. Sorry. Good to see you.” I regret not responding with “Oh, I understand. I’m about to see Pokémon: Detective Pikachu. I’d better get in there.”

I share these anecdotes because it’s more fun than reviewing the movie, and what does it matter? Kids will see it if they want to, and as usual with these specific niche films, if you’re not already a fan, this won’t convert you, so you need not apply. The lead actor, Justice Smith, is an appealing young man who will have a future in cinematic fare better than this one. A female character roughly Smith’s age is introduced, and we immediately know they will be romantically involved by the end. In one of the lazier storytelling techniques I’ve seen, characters have the convenience of being shown flashbacks via hologram, so they and we can be brought up to speed. That’s how we find out a twist at the end, that a) would have been helpful to have been displayed and relayed much earlier, and b) makes you wonder how somebody couldn’t recognize their own father’s voice the whole time.

Pokémon Detective Pikachu is short, but still too long. It visually looks great, but lacks substance. It’s all dressed up with no place to go.

Grade: C-