Starring: Ryan Reynolds, Justice Smith, Kathryn Newton, Ken Watanabe, Rita Ora, Paul Kitson, Karan Soni, Bill Nighy, Suki Waterhouse, Chris Geere, Omar Chaparro
OUR RATING: ★★★½
Story:
Family fantasy directed and co-written by Rob Letterman based on the video game of the same name. Pokémon Detective Pikachu is set in a world where people collect pocket-size monsters (Pokémon) to do battle. A boy, Tim Goodman (Justice Smith) comes across an intelligent monster, Pikachu (Ryan Reynolds), who seeks to be a detective.
Best Quotes
Arrival Video Narrator: This is what inspired Howard Clifford to build Rhyme City. A place where humans and Pokémon can live side by side. Unlike other regions, where Pokémon live in the wild, here we live and work together. No battles. No trainers. No Pokéballs. A stronger, more harmonious world.
Lieutenant Hide Yoshida: Hi, Tim.
Tim Goodman: Lieutenant Yoshida.
Lieutenant Hide Yoshida: Your dad was the best of the best. He was a legend in this precinct.
Tim Goodman: Thank you. Thank you, for saying that.
Lieutenant Hide Yoshida: It was a terrible tragedy losing him and his partner.
Tim Goodman: His partner?
Lieutenant Hide Yoshida: His Pokémon.
Lieutenant Hide Yoshida: If you don’t mind me asking, how come you don’t have a Pokémon? I thought I remember Harry saying you wanted to be a Pokémon trainer when you were young.
Tim Goodman: Yeah, that didn’t really work out. I work in insurance now.
Lieutenant Hide Yoshida: I understand. But, Tim, please don’t put this all on yourself. No one should go through this type of thing alone. If you are anything like your dad…
Tim Goodman: I’m not. I was just really raised by my grandmother.
Tim Goodman: [referring to the stapler] Whoever you are, I know how to use this.
Tim Goodman: [sees Pikachu] It’s a Pikachu?
Detective Pikachu: Oh, jeez.
Tim Goodman: Hey, little guy, how did you get in here?
Detective Pikachu: I know you can’t understand me, but put down the stapler, or I will electrocute you.
Tim Goodman: Did you just talk?
Detective Pikachu: Woh, did you just understand me? Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait. That is heavy eye contact right there. You heard me.
Tim Goodman: No, no, no, no.
Detective Pikachu: Yes, you did! Oh, my God! This is amazing.
Tim Goodman: Stop, stop, stop it!
Detective Pikachu: You can understand me! I’ve been so lonely.
Tim Goodman: I’m going to throw up.
Detective Pikachu: No, kid, I need your help.
Tim Goodman: I’m going to throw up.
Detective Pikachu: I’m in serious trouble. I need you to listen.
Tim Goodman: I’m going to throw up.
Tim Goodman: Stop talking! You’re a hallucination!
Detective Pikachu: You’re a hallucination.
Tim Goodman: [to the female passer by] Excuse me, excuse me. Hi, sorry. You can hear him, right? You can hear him talking?
Detective Pikachu: Pika, pika.
Passer By: Aw. Yeah. Pika, pika, pika. He’s adorable.
Detective Pikachu: You’re adorable. They can’t understand me, kid.
Tim Goodman: [to the other humans around] No one else can hear him?
Detective Pikachu: This is a first for me too, kid.
Tim Goodman: He’s saying words.
Detective Pikachu: They try to talk to me all the time. All they hear is, “Pika, pika.” They pay me, or kiss me, or they stick a finger in me. It’s really gross.
Tim Goodman: Anyone? No one else can hear him? Can you hear him talking? Can you hear him saying words?
Detective Pikachu: What are you not getting here, kid? You’re the only one who can hear me. It’s like destiny.
Tim Goodman: It’s not destiny.
Detective Pikachu: So there I was, in the middle of nowhere, with a bad case of the forgetsies. The only clue to my past is Harry’s name and address inside this hat. So, I made my way to the apartment, and that’s when I’ve found you. I don’t know, maybe I’ve got too deep.
Tim Goodman: Deep in what?
Detective Pikachu: You know, mixed up with the wrong crowd, that kind of thing. Happens to the best of us. The debts pile up, the walls close in. Right becomes wrong, wrong becomes wrong.
Detective Pikachu: Wait, I’m confused, are you hearing other voices besides mine?
Tim Goodman: All I want to know is, why can I understand you?
Detective Pikachu: Can’t help you there, kid. Like I said, I have amnesia. I can’t remember a darn thing.
Tim Goodman: Okay, so you are a talking Pikachu, with no memories, who’s addicted to caffeine.
Detective Pikachu: I can stop wherever I want. These are just choices.
Detective Pikachu: [to the Ludicolo bartender] Another round. Extra shot. Black as night. Thank you, sweetie.
Detective Pikachu: Look, I’m a great detective, but I can’t solve my own mystery if I have no memory.
Tim Goodman: Then how do you even know you are a detective?
Detective Pikachu: Well, I can feel it in my jellys.
Tim Goodman: What is that? What is that?
Detective Pikachu: It’s the jellys. It’s that thing. You know, you feel it. When you really believe in something despite everyone telling you you’re wrong. Which is why I need to find Harry. He’s the key to my past.
Tim Goodman: I’ve got some bad news for you, because Harry’s dead.
Detective Pikachu: What? No. No, no, no, no. No, Harry ain’t dead.
Tim Goodman: No, Harry is dead. You’re wrong, sorry. I saw on the police report that he’s dead.
Detective Pikachu: Oh, just because the cops say he’s dead…
Tim Goodman: I mean he’s legally dead.
Detective Pikachu: Really? Did they find a body? Well, I didn’t think so. And by the way, did that report also say that I’m dead? Because if I’m still alive and kicking, that means Harry’s out there too. Case closed. But still open, until I solve it.
Detective Pikachu: Alright, here it is. Harry faked his own death. Or somebody else faked Harry’s death. Or Harry faked somebody else’s death. That last one doesn’t work at all.
Tim Goodman: No. No, it doesn’t.
Detective Pikachu: But the first two, those are real contenders.
Detective Pikachu: Hold up a second, we’re going to need each other.
Tim Goodman: No, we don’t. I don’t need a Pokémon. Period. Got it?
Detective Pikachu: Then what about a world-class detective? Because if you want to find your pops, I’m your best bet.
Detective Pikachu: Look, you could talk to humans, I can talk to Pokémon. We can talk to each other. This doesn’t happen, kid. It has to mean something.
Tim Goodman: [tries to get away from Pikachu] Can you…
Detective Pikachu: There’s magic, it brought us together. And that magic is called hope! Hope that Harry is still alive. Ooh, you feel it. You feel it in your jellys, don’t you?
Tim Goodman: There’s nothing in my jellys.
Detective Pikachu: We are going to do this. You and me.
Detective Pikachu: Is this your room?
Tim Goodman: No.
Detective Pikachu: Does Harry have other children?
Tim Goodman: No. He wanted me to live here when I was a kid, so he made it look like my childhood room.
Detective Pikachu: Should we talking about the fact that your childhood bed is a Pikachu bed?
Tim Goodman: It’s a coincidence.
Detective Pikachu: I’m sorry, can you speak up? I can’t hear you. I’ve never been so flattered and creeped out at the same time. Are you going to make me into a lampshade?
Tim Goodman: Oh, I might.
Roger Clifford: [filming] Hello I’m Roger Clifford, president of CNM and chairman of Clifford Enterprises.
Howard Clifford: And I’m Howard Clifford, the visionary icon behind Rhyme City.
Roger Clifford: Together, in the spirit of harmony, we’re throwing the largest parade that Rhyme City has ever seen. You won’t want to miss it.
Howard Clifford: So at the weekend, we invite the people…
Roger Clifford: And the Pokémon to be there.
Howard Clifford: A celebration of the harmony between humans and Pokémon.
Director: And, cut!
Howard Clifford: Oh, I think that went rather well.
Roger Clifford: Oh, shut up, dad.
Detective Pikachu: [watching them] He seems nice.
Howard Clifford: Roger, please. This is supposed to be our gift to the citizens.
Roger Clifford: Visionary icon, really? Was “savior of the world” taken?
Howard Clifford: Well, it was your people who wrote the promo, son.
Roger Clifford: Oh, is there an unabridged version where you cure cancer? Oh, that’s right, yeah. Turn your back on me, like you always did.
Ditto: Ditto!
Roger Clifford: By the way, no one likes your Pokémon.
Detective Pikachu: [as Tim accidentally kicks the papers] Ah, my clues!
Tim Goodman: What is all this?
Detective Pikachu: Hard work, that’s what this is.
Tim Goodman: [referring to the vials] Where’d you find these?
Lucy Stevens: Word on the street is that Harry had an informer near the docks. I went there to snoop around. And that’s where I found the vial. But the docks can be dangerous. It’s not the sort of place you want to visit alone at night.
Tim Goodman: I’m actually pretty good at being alone at night.
Detective Pikachu: Nope, that did not land right at all.
Tim Goodman: [awkwardly] It’s not, it’s not what I meant to say.
Lucy Stevens: It’s okay.
Tim Goodman: I’m just going to, we should go soon.
Detective Pikachu: Yeah, yeah, we should go.
Detective Pikachu: Good God, have you ever talked to a women before?
Tim Goodman: Yes, I’ve talked to women before. And, no, I don’t need your help.
Detective Pikachu: Was it during the birth canal, or…?
Tim Goodman: [as Pikachu is on his shoulder and hears a noise] What is that?
Detective Pikachu: Silent, but deadly. Apologies, my tummy’s bad from all the coffee.
Tim Goodman: No. Ew! Get off!
Detective Pikachu: [referring to Mr. Mime] Get him!
Tim Goodman: He’s barely moving.
Detective Pikachu: Don’t tell him that.
Detective Pikachu: Oh, he’s on a bike. Come on, he thinks he’s getting away. Quick, get in front of him. Cut him off, you can make it.
Tim Goodman: Stop.
Detective Pikachu: [as [Mr. Mime mimes falling off his bike] Oh, no. he’s going down hard, Tim. Should have worn a helmet. I hope he makes it.
Tim Goodman: Come on, this is ridiculous.
Detective Pikachu: [to Mr. Mime] Listen up, we got ways to make you talk, or mime.
Tim Goodman: Yeah.
Detective Pikachu: So tell us what we want to know. why was Harry Goodman here, and what did it had to do with the R?
Detective Pikachu: [translates for Mr. Mime] Pipe. Yes, a can. Shoving. Pushing. My problem is that I push people away and then hate them for leaving.
Tim Goodman: He’s saying you can shove it.
Detective Pikachu: What? I can shove it! Okay, that’s it. No, we’re switching roles. I’m bad cop, you’re good cop.
Tim Goodman: No, no, no, we’re not cops!
Detective Pikachu: [as slams into the invisible glass and slides down] Oh! Oh, God. That’s a very hard wall.
Tim Goodman: Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. Mr. Mime has the ability to make invisible walls.
Detective Pikachu: Oh, yes. I know. I happen to be a Pokémon too, remember?
Detective Pikachu: [referring to the Charizard] Now obviously, I’ve dealt with these putz before, so I’ll just do it again.
Detective Pikachu: [as the Charizard starts to roar] Give me my hat back! That thing just chugged a year’s worth of that R stuff.
Tim Goodman: [as Pikachu is about to fight the Charizard] Hey, bud? What are you doing?
Detective Pikachu: I can’t do it when people are watching. Can everyone just look away please? It’s not working. I forgot how to use my powers.
[the Charizard breaks down the arena barriers and breaths fire]
Detective Pikachu: But he didn’t.
Tim Goodman: Pikachu, run!
Detective Pikachu: [as the Charizard is about to breath fire on him] You don’t want to do this. I’m adorable. Pika, pika!
Detective Pikachu: Magikarp can evolve into Gyarados, all he needs it’s just a little kick.
[he picks up Magikarp and throws it]
Detective Pikachu: Water in the hole!
[the Magikarp does nothing but just land on the floor]
Detective Pikachu: In my head, I saw that differently.
Detective Pikachu: Listen, kid. Look, I may not have memories, but I know this much. It wasn’t your fault. It wasn’t anybody’s fault. And I’m sure that if your dad was here, he would hug you so hard, your bones would pop, and he’d tell you he’s sorry for everything. And he’d be damn proud of you, kid.
Tim Goodman: I haven’t been really nice to you.
Detective Pikachu: No, you really haven’t.
Detective Pikachu: That’s a twist. That’s very twisty.
Detective Pikachu: [to Psyduck who gets explosive headaches] So let me get this right. We’re forced to listen to this spa music so your head doesn’t explode and kill us all.
Psyduck: Psyduck.
Tim Goodman: [referring to the newspaper photo] I was actually wondering who this was?
Lucy Stevens: It’s PCL’s chief scientist, Dr. Ann Laurent.
Detective Pikachu: I bet this is the doctor shirtless was talking about.
Lucy Stevens: She lost her university grant over a experimentation of Pokémon because she was trying to
control their minds.
Tim Goodman: Oh, wow.
Lucy Stevens: She’s essentially a neurologist for Pokémon.
Detective Pikachu: Maybe this doctor could weigh in on the long term psychological effects of being strapped into a baby seat, next to a bomb.
[looks over at Psyduck in the seat next to him]
Detective Pikachu: [as they are being chased by several Greninja] This is no time for your stupid headache. No, wait, wait. This is the perfect time to get a headache.
Psyduck: Psyduck.
Detective Pikachu: I hated rubbing your feet!
Psyduck: Psyduck, Psyduck!
Detective Pikachu: I’ll never forget my hands for what they did. Get a splitting headache now, you neurotic duck! Do it! Do it!
Psyduck: Psyduck! Psyduck!
Detective Pikachu: Do it!
[just then Psyduck releases his brain waves getting rid of the Greninja]
Detective Pikachu: [as they are trying to escape a field of colossal Torterra] At this point, how can you not believe in climate change?
Detective Pikachu: [to Tim] I can’t believe we did it.
Psyduck: Psyduck!
Detective Pikachu: Great work. Hey, calm down. Stay calm.
Detective Pikachu: [as [Psyduck hugs him] Okay. Oh, I hope we never get to see each other again.
Mewtwo: [to Pikachu] You’ve done well. Humanity is evil! But you have shown me that not all humans are bad. Harry Goodman, your Pikachu offers its body to save your mind. There is a son. With the son’s return, I can repair the father. Your memory will be gone, but your heart will know who you are. I take this body so that you might live. Return with the son!
Tim Goodman: [after Mewtwo has unfused Harry from Pikachu’s body] Hey, dad.
Harry Goodman: Yeah?
Tim Goodman: You think I can stay with you for a while?
Harry Goodman: I’d like that, kid. Yeah, I’d like that very much.
Tim Goodman: Me too. You want to get a coffee?
Harry Goodman: It’s the weirdest thing. It’s all I’ve been thinking about was having a coffee right now.
Tim Goodman: I think I’ll have to find a new job.
Harry Goodman: Oh, yeah? What are you thinking?
Tim Goodman: Maybe I could give detective work a try?
Detective Pikachu: Pika, pika!
Harry Goodman: I think he likes that idea.
Trailer: