Pokemon Detective Pikachu

Pokemon Detective Pikachu is the first live action film based on the Pokemon video game franchise that first started in 1996. While there is an ongoing anime series with its own series of films, mangas, and a trading card game Detective Pikachu is set in its own continuity that's inspired by an adventure game of the same name. Much like the game, the film is more about solving a mystery than the regular capturing Pokemon and fighting with others. Justice Smith plays a former Pokemon trainer looking for his missing father in a city wherein humans and Pokemon are treated as equal, all with the help of his father's Pikachu that is somehow able to talk to him. I'm not a huge fan of Pokemon, as I stopped being interested when 4Kids Entertainment no longer dubbed the show, and was only interested once I saw the trailer and Ryan Reynold's voice coming out of Pikachu. While Detective Pikachu has a very standard mystery plot, the way it tells it and its writing is very fresh and unique due to adding the variety of Pokemon. The comedy is really good, especially due to Reynold's performance and how odd it is coming from a Pikachu. Due to how many Pokemon there have been since it all started, you expect the movie to be filled to the brim with the over 800 species there are, but it manages to perfectly limit itself to just enough so it won't feel so bloated. As for those that are shown, the effects manage to not only make them realistic but also capture their image from the game and shows very perfectly. There are some fun references and easter eggs to the entire franchise scattered about that hints at what future movies could deal with, and the fact that it never ends with a hint or an idea for a sequel is appreciated to keep it self contained. Though it does a few flaws, such as a lot of expositional dialogue and certain Pokemon related moments that feel shoehorned in to remind you what you're seeing that doesn't affect much of the story. Over all: 96%

2019 top list so far:
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2. Shazam!

3. How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World

4. The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part

5. Us

6. Pokemon Detective Pikachu

7. Captain Marvel

8. Pet Sematary 2019

9. The Upside
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