Pokémon Detective Pikachu[c] (commonly known as Detective Pikachu) is a 2019 mystery fantasy comedy film directed by Rob Letterman. Based on the Pokémon franchise, the film is a loose adaptation of the 2016 video game of the same name.[5] It was written by Letterman, Dan Hernandez, Benji Samit, and Derek Connolly, from a story by Hernandez, Samit, and Nicole Perlman, and produced by Legendary Pictures and Toho. It was the first live-action Pokémon film[6] and the first live-action film based on a Nintendo game property since Super Mario Bros. (1993).
The film stars Ryan Reynolds as the voice and facial motion capture of Pikachu, with Justice Smith, Kathryn Newton, Suki Waterhouse, Omar Chaparro, Chris Geere, Ken Watanabe, and Bill Nighy in live-action roles. The plot follows former Pokémon trainer Tim Goodman and the titular Pokémon as they attempt to solve the mysterious disappearance of Tim's father, Harry.
Henry Jackman, who previously worked with Letterman on Monsters vs. Aliens (2009) and Gulliver's Travels (2010), provided the score for the film[41][42] and arranged Junichi Masuda's "Red & Blue Theme" for the film's end credits. Kygo and Rita Ora released a standalone single for the film, titled "Carry On". The song and the music video were released on April 19, 2019.[43] Honest Boyz also collaborated with Lil Uzi Vert to make another song for the film, titled "Electricity" and produced by Pharrell Williams,[44] which also plays over the end credits.
Scott Mendelson of Forbes called the film "the best video game movie ever" and wrote, "Detective Pikachu works because it's a good movie first and a promising franchise-starter or a brand cash-in second. It's a real film, rooted in character arcs and narrative twists with just enough raw emotion and personal stakes to make the significant special effects moments matter beyond spectacle."[102] CNET's Sean Keane called it the best film ever based on a video game, saying it achieves the balance of appealing to existing fans as well as potential new audiences. Keane praised Reynolds performance and called the film "an entertaining romp with plenty of heart".[97] Clarisse Loughrey of The Independent gave the film 3/5 stars, noting the film's similarities to Who Framed Roger Rabbit and that it did not attempt to familiarize viewers with the franchise, but stated that it "feels more intriguing than it does derivative, and it's a delight for fans to see how immersive this world actually feels."[103] Simran Hans of The Observer gave the film 4/5 stars, writing: "What's clever is the way this live-action spinoff exploits nostalgia for the family-friendly blockbusters of the late 1980s and the 1990s... rather than the Japanese "Pocket Monsters" themselves."[104]
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