Who would have thought a live-action Pokemon film would be made. Perhaps more surprising is actually how well it works. Based upon the 3DS game, this movie is set in a world where Pokemon forms the wildlife, and each person generally is paired with a Pokemon as a partner. That is, until the main character Tim is introduced, being 21 and having had his childhood of becoming a Pokemon trainer shattered. Now working in insurance, he ends up being informed with the unfortunate news of his father being in an accident. While sorting out his father's apartment, he chances upon a Pikachu, and one that he can understand in fact, something that is never heard of. Thus begins the mystery part of the movie in which Tim tries to uncover what his dad was doing before he died, and Pikachu finding out how he was involved being that he has amnesia. The movie's renditions of each Pokemon is interesting, with its own spin and how it could work as a live-action. While sometimes it is hard to take in given that the Pokemon's colorful designs don't quite gel with the live-action nature, the movie surprisingly works extremely well. Every scene is enjoyable as you try to seek out another Pokemon that you recognize. While the plot is nothing to write home about, you can feel that each piece of the movie is crafted with care, and it oozes with charm. The performances are solid and the climax at the end was well worth the build up. Pokemon Detective Pikachu is a fun movie in its own right, but even more so if you have knowledge of the Pokemon.
