A kid had to face the world in his own animated version and conquer life's biggest monster. ANI (The Harvest) It's as if a child's imagination is a safe haven, a place where the world is a playground for all the possibilities the mind could think of. And even the tight and humble space called home, situated on a busy Metro could not hinder the inquisitive headspace of a young Mithi (played by Zyren Dela Cruz), a boy who accomplishes the day by playing with his colorful toy robots that perform a vital role in his imaginary narrative. With a loving father and a mother that sings him a self-assuring lullaby, Mithi is blissfully unaware of the harsh reality. But life decided to toy with his fate, and Mithi's perfect little world is now showing its cracks, putting his vulnerability to the test and slowly depriving him of his happiness he thought would last forever. And through his eyes, the world suddenly transforms itself into a menacing monster. Set in a lush
"Detective Pikachu" Movie Review - It's Super Effective
An accident made Tim somehow understand a talking Pikachu. Together, they solve the mysteries of the disappearance of Tim's father while establishing a budding friendship along the way.
The franchise that started the monster-catching craze, Pokemon, created by Ken Sugimori and Satoshi Tajiri back in 1996, now found its way to the Hollywood cinema. With the continuous support from both long time fans and the newcomers, the Pokemon popularity continues to expand as large as its monster roster.
In fact, the popularity is so large that up to this day, Pokemon is still the biggest media franchise, beating the likes of Star Wars and all the Disney franchises.
A Charizard vs Pikachu during a roundhouse match - Photo from Game Informer
Of course, there's no doubt that Rob Letterman's movie adaptation of a Nintendo 3DS game, Detective Pikachu, will be an instant hit as well largely due to the hype that was built around it on top of an already powerful brand.
But does it live up to the hype?
Well for one, it sure was as effective as a water type versus the fire type. While it doesn't generally represent the whole adventure aspect of the its game counterpart, it does capture the heart and the spirit of Pokemon: a strong connection and familial bond.
Ryan Reynolds - Detective Pikachu - Photo from Collider
Ryan Reynolds as the voice of Pikachu seems a little iffy as a concept largely because Reynolds is just too Deadpool-ish at this point and it's hard to imagine him as another mainstream character.
But to my surprise, it works.
There's no denying that Reynolds is a true comedian. Even if you don't see him, his personality oozes especially with the help of great motion capture, giving our favorite electric mouse a variety of emotions, making it less robotic as I initially thought it would.
The transition from 2D cartoon to the more realistic-looking models for our beloved pocket monsters were a bit jarring at first and as a Pokemon gamer myself, I found it just completely silly in general.
But as I am watching the film, these designs grew in me and I really appreciate that the movie gave justice to even the smallest nuances that you will only notice if you've been a fan for a long time.
I also liked the fact that it doesn't pander to just generation 1 fans, seeing the variety of Pokemon that was shown, from the ever adorable Kanto starters to the recent Alolan natives.
Aside from the false information that Psyduck explodes which was never the case in any of the games, I thought that the movie got these characters right, as accurate as they can be.
Justice Smith - Detective Pikachu - Photo from Forbes
Justice Smith as Tim Goodman on the other hand is quite charming and I thought his youthful vibe is as close as you can get in representing a young 10-year old kid starting his/her journey as a Pokemon trainer. Acting wise, it's a hit-or-miss for Smith and at times came off as flat during emotional scenes. While he had huge potential as an actor, it's clear by now that he's no Reynolds.
To be honest, Detective Pikachu's narrative isn't some top level detective thriller/mystery story. In fact, it's as campy and overly absurd as its cartridge roots but the overwhelming sense of awe was translated to the big screen very well, making up for its rather mediocre plot.
Let's Be Reel
Rob Letterman's interpretation of Pokemon is a remarkable achievement in videogame movie history. And while it does feel like an instant cash grab, Letterman knows what to make of this lovely creatures and was successful at invoking a joyful and pleasant feeling, regardless of the occasional dumb moments that the movie has. Somehow, it revives the 10-year old in me and I appreciate the efforts in making this film.
It may not be your vision of an epic journey to being a Pokemon master but Detective Pikachu is not only super effective but does land a critical hit.
Comments
Post a Comment