'Detective Pikachu' is a weak attempt at adapting the 'Pokémon' franchise.

Adapting well-known franchises is a popular Hollywood trend that is always a hit or miss. It’s hard to figure out a concept and a plot that will be both engaging and respectable. Unfortunately, Pokémon Detective Pikachu fails in both and comes out flat and uninspiring.

In a world in which people can collect Pokémon’s that are meant to fight with each other. After the death of his parents and in a world where people can collect Pokémons to fight against each other, 21-year-old boy Tim gave up on Pokémon training. Until one day, he comes across Pikachu; a Pokémon who turns out to be a detective that speaks with a human voice only understandable for him. After escaping the attack that was organized by a party of Aipom, they seek a journalism intern, Lucy, who later helps them uncover the mystery and the truth behind the different multiple outbreaks.

The main issue with this film was the screenplay - the story itself was very simple and full of clichés. The movie is based on Pokémon franchise, specifically on a 2016 video game titled Detective Pikachu. Essentially there’s no plot at all, as if it is non-existent. Everything about this film is unremarkable and seems weirdly familiar. The tragic sub-story of a loss of parents seems almost identical to the Batman one, but not as good. the main antagonist and his story are very easy to figure out in the mid sequence of the movie.

Pikachu himself is voiced by the always charming Ryan Reynolds, but even that didn’t help. The whole idea of Pikachu speaking is a mistake – it feels bizarre and unnatural; it feels as if Ted was awkwardly put in a Pokémon movie in a Pikachu body. Pikachu is originally the sweetest Pokémon that doesn't speak, besides occasionally saying his own name in a super high-pitched voice. The rest of the cast was pretty bad – Justice Smith and Kathryn Newton, both fail to meet expectations giving boring and uneven performances. Bill Nighy couldn’t save the movie, despite trying as much as the awful script allowed him to.

Special effects, which could have been the strongest point of this film, failed too - technically they were good, but the problem was that they were just as boring, lifeless and uneventful as the rest of the movie. The biggest issue is that special effects lack heart and it shows by the robotic final result.

As a person that grew up in the 90s where Pokémon was the most popular brand ever from toys and TV shows to stamps and ‘tazos’ found in Lays chips, it’s easy to say I expected more from the feature live-action movie. The whole thing feels flat and lacklustre. There is nothing fresh or distinctive about this film. There are zero redeeming qualities, and nothing really justifies its existence other than Hollywood excess wanting to cash out on another well-known brand.

At the end of the day, Pokémon Detective Pikachu should play well among kids, particularly lesser than 12-year-olds, but people from the older demographic could feel bored or even betrayed over the handling of the material.

1.5/5