Who knew we'd get a live-action Pokemon movie? Who knew we'd actually enjoy it?
When Tim, a coming-of-age insurance salesman searching for his purpose, learns that his detective father died in a car crash, he travels to Ryme City to collect his father's belongings. En route, he meets fluff columnist Lucy, looking for her own big break, and the two begin investigating the detective's death after meeting his father's Pokemon partner, a Pikachu only Tim can understand in English. The amnesiac Pikachu hints that Tim's father was on to some dark dealings in the heart of Ryme City.
It's all fairly standard noir stuff, and the detective story itself tends to fall dramatically flat. What makes up for the forced narrative, though, is the gorgeous detail that went into Ryme City itself. The city breathes with seedy life, glistening with fluorescent reflections and always doused with a grimy dew. Its atmospheric presence provides a striking backdrop to the drama and comedy of the oddball duo launching their investigation. Ryan Reynolds voices the animated Pikachu, and here he tends to offer a PG-version of his Deadpool riffs. Sometimes clever, often silly, it all makes for a solidly diverting 100-ish minutes.
What I found most fascinating ,though, was the beautifully realized Pokemon in live action cinema. The animated beasts look more or less natural in the world of flesh and sunlight. And while it's been many, many years since I've seen those cartoon animals on cards (I lost interest quickly after the first collection of 100), I could recognize some of them instantly due to the artistry and fan service that went into their design. I may never need to see this movie again, but I left the theater satisfied and smiling, and sometimes that's more than enough.
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