Pokémon Detective Pikachu (2019)
★★½ — Pokémon Detective Pikachu (2019)
Pokémon Detective Pikachu was the first live-action theatrical feature built around Nintendo's Pokémon franchise, which had spent over two decades as one of the most lucrative media properties on the planet (video games, animated series, trading cards, the works). The film is loosely adapted from the 2016 Nintendo 3DS game of the same name rather than the mainline Pokémon series, which gave the production a slightly more grounded, noir-tinged premise to work with. Rob Letterman directed, coming off the modest family hit Goosebumps (2015), and the $150 million budget reflected Legendary Pictures' considerable confidence that the IP alone could carry a franchise launch. Ryan Reynolds was cast as the voice of Pikachu following a well-publicised late recasting, with Justice Smith and Kathryn Newton leading the live-action side. It arrived during a particularly active period for video game adaptations trying, with mixed results, to crack the big-screen format.
Detective Pikachu (2019) is the kind of movie that sounds like a dream to a Pokémon-obsessed kid: a live-action world where Pikachu talks, battles are real, and the lore of the games leaps off the screen. Visually, it delivers. Pikachu himself is brilliantly rendered, expressive and fuzzy enough to feel tangible, but I feel like Ryan Reynolds’ snarky-but-sweet voice really doesn't match the Pikachu vibe. The neon-drenched Ryme City is packed with Easter eggs, and the creature designs (from Psyduck to Mr. Mime) are lovingly faithful. But here’s the issue: this isn’t really a Pokémon movie in the way fans might hope. There’s no gym challenge, no Poké Balls catching wild ‘mons, no journey to become a trainer. Instead, we get a convoluted noir-lite mystery about corporate conspiracies and amnesia, centered on a human journalist (Justice Smith) and his caffeine-addicted, coffee-chugging Pikachu. The story feels oddly detached from what makes Pokémon magical, the bond between trainer and partner, the sense of adventure, the joy of discovery. It’s not bad, just baffling in its choices. For all its polish and fan service, it sidelines the heart of the franchise in favor of a generic sci-fi plot that could’ve existed without Pokémon at all. Slick, occasionally fun, and visually impressive, but a missed opportunity. Seven-year-old me would’ve been thrilled by the concept… then confused why Ash wasn’t there, why nobody’s trying to “catch ‘em all,” and why Pikachu solves crimes instead of battling Team Rocket. Sometimes, faithfulness matters more than flash.
Rating: ★★½ | Year: 2019 | Watched: 2026-03-04
Where to watch (UK)
Stream: Sky Go · Now TV Cinema
Rent: Apple TV Store · Rakuten TV · Amazon Video · Google Play Movies
Buy: Apple TV Store · Rakuten TV · Amazon Video · Google Play Movies
Physical: Amazon UK
Affiliate disclosure: Movies With Macca may earn a small commission on purchases or subscriptions started via these links. It costs you nothing extra.
Related on Movies With Macca
More from Rob Letterman: Shark Tale (2004)
More with Ryan Reynolds: Life (2017) · Deadpool & Wolverine (2024)
More from Japan: Mononoke the Movie: The Phantom in the Rain (2024) · Mononoke the Movie: Chapter II - The Ashes of Rage (2025) · Blue (1993) · The Ghost of Yotsuya (1959)
More from the 2010s: Wonder (2017) · Beautiful Boy (2018) · The Witch (2015) · What We Do in the Shadows (2014)
More action: A Better Tomorrow (1986) · The General (1926) · Hand of Death (1976) · Daredevil (2003)
More adventure: Alice in Wonderland (1951) · The Eagle (1925) · Louisiana Story (1948) · The General (1926)
