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Johnson Thomas
This 2016 Nintendo inspired live action animation franchise opener Detective Pikachu follows nerdy Tim Goodman’s (Justice Smith) attempts at redemption following his father, Ryme City Police Detective Harry Goodman’s death in a mysterious car accident. Tim, who never visited his father following his mother’s death, travels to Ryme City in order to close out his father's affects, gets acquainted with Harry's Pikachu (voice of Ryan Reynolds) and eventually unravels the mystery of what actually happened to his father. He has able help from aspiring reporter Lucy Stevens (Kathryn Newton) and her Psyduck.
A lot of work appears to have gone in making this unique world look real with a variety of Pokemon references that may not sound familiar to those who haven’t had the good fortune of playing the game or watching the TV re-runs. The portrayal of a universe where Pokemon co-exist with their human peers is quite convincing. Jigglypuff, Charizard Machamps, Charmanders etc add value to the fan service resplendent in this charming toon-town like Pokemon metropolis. Production designer Nigel Phelps’ Ryme City looks like a futuristic cross between London and Tokyo with a flurry of Pokemon running around humans. Though splendid, it lacks the visual pizzazz of futuristic films we are acquainted with. Cinematographer John Mathieson’s gloomy approach kills the colour and pop expected from a kiddie franchise opener. The attempted ‘noir’ approach is not exactly becoming for a target audience of under 10 years – but the adults accompanying them will certainly appreciate the depth of vision and the bizarre blend of shadowy framing with neon lit thriller elements.
The jokes don’t hit the funny button, the action seems piecemeal and the so-called mystery seems rather obvious. Ryan Reynolds’ voicing enhances the CG appearance of Pikachu - making it a lovable, adorable and extremely cute Pokemon companion. Justice Smith’s Tim doesn’t have as much fun but he leaves a distinct impression as the largely unwilling protagonist whilst Kathryn Newton's blogger goes all-out perky in this moody mystery. This may not be a smooth rendition of a resplendent entertainer but it certainly looks fairly impressive and deep!
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