This will be a text about Detective Pikachu. At the same time it will be a text written by me. A person who does not have any history with Pokemon. I did not catch on Pokemon as a small child. I got into them as an older sister and cousin. I watched episodes, went to the cinema for full-length movies, and learned the names of all Pokémon of the first generation during playing with my little cousin and my brother. I have always been a little too old for Pokemon, but it had a plus. At about that time, I discovered that people tend to take superficial treatment of cultural products. Pocket monsters that fight each other in bloody matches - this is what Pokemon told me when I was over a dozen years old. And yet it was not true. Pokemon was a series about friendship, caring, exploring the world and curiosity surrounding the heroes of the world.
At the same time, I never played Pokemon in my childhood. Somehow I did not play at all, but the idea to associate Pokemon with the game was secondary to me. I was definitely more interested in what the cinema movie will look like. I remember today how the whole thread of genetic experiments was - just like today - a good commentary on the relationship between animals and people. People who always want from nature more than they can give and under the pretense of coexistence often decide on exploitation. Another thing, usually in those movies, the bad man turned out to be somebody other than Pokemon. Because Pokemon is rarely bad (in the series, because in total I do not know the game world as I have already determined).
Then my brother and cousin grew up and I added Pokemon to what will be forever a closed part of my childhood. And I have become a parent so know I run to the cinema for all films. Going to the cinema for ”Detective Pikachu”, I did not really care about a thrilling action or some incredibly funny story. First of all, I was interested in how the world will be presented. In my mind the idea to film a rather specific game from the world of Pokemon was made as part of the prelude and preparation for making a more canonical story. It is impossible to hide that in this movie, few elements, very characteristic for the world of Pokemon, have been abandoned. First of all, we do not follow the Pokemon trainer (although the main character once dreamed about doing it), actually we do not have league games, nor, for example, any Pokemon Center. There are also no characteristic opponents (Team R does not appear) and Pokeball only flashes in one scene. You can see that this is a movie with Pokemon, who is trying to create a narrative for those for whom some elements of the world may be alien or mate. As a prelude to a different production, the film would first of all check - firstly, how people will react to the film about Pokemon (ie whether they go to the cinema somewhere outside Japan) and more importantly - are we now able to make an acting movie with Pokémon, which will be properly look.
I must say that the most in the film I was interested in creating the world. What does the place for Pokemon look like in it, how it will be possible to combine the very distant from reality as we know the element with everyday life. In this aspect, ”Pokemon: Detective Pikachu” is doing quite well. The most interesting scenes can be found at the beginning of the film where the creators show us a lot of scenes where we can watch the coexistence of people and Pokemon. Unfortunately, I have the impression that this topic - which I was most hoping for - could have been used more. For example, the hero works in insurance - would not it be possible to add a scene showing what insurance in the world where you can have a home dragon? Or the fish which can change into sea dragon? However, this does not change the fact that the elements that are shown are really encouraging - that is, the presence of Pokemon in the ranks of the police, supporting employees on the construction or traffic management - these are things that made me happy.
The second thing is the appearance of Pokemon itself. Here you can see that the creators had a difficult task. Some Pokemons are charming by nature, while others made too realistically could really create mixed feelings. In the end, it's very well seen that what's cute in the movie perfectly (PIKACHU IS BEAUTIFUL) but what is a bit too humanoid - well, let's say, Mewtwo does not seem to be a great genius here, it seems to be much more drawn than other Pokemon. At the same time there is a problem with humainodal Pokemon. A man can freely play with the appearance of Psyduck but already on Mr. Mime must be very careful not to make a character very similar to Joker. However, this does not change the fact that the film absolutely confirms that we already have the full potential to shoot believable-looking Pokémon movies, and that the technique has come to the point where I dreamed if I could ever see the adventures of Ash in the acting version. That's what makes me the most happy, because the world of Pokemon is so big and wide that you can tell a lot of big and small stories here.
The film itself has a simple storyline that draws a little from the game (which in my opinion can be seen in its linearity), though not in every aspect. The main character is looking for a missing father, and the talking, addicted to coffee Pikachu would like to know why he lost his memory. The film is based on such a fellow relationship between the hero and Pokemon, possible only because they can talk to each other. Emotional scenes fall out differently - your heart is broken looking at Pikachu with leave ears and big eyelets. Ultimately, the action is quite fast and again the same thread known for years appears - the relationships of people with Pokemon must be honest and you can not use Pokemon against their will. Films repeat this message, always showing the greed of people, for years now and it seems to be an important moral, especially since it is easy to transfer to a general attitude to nature even not inhabited by conscious magical monsters. At the same time, as is often the case in the stories of the Pokémon world - magic is less dangerous than human ambitions and even the most powerful Pokemon is less dangerous than the man who wants to use it. At the same time I have no problem with the rather shallow relations between human figures, because in total for people I go to other movies, for this I went for Pokemon.
I do not see this movie as a candidate for the best film of the year, but you can not hide that you are looking at a very nice picture. Especially if you know the world well enough to fully enjoy all the references, blinks to the viewer, or elements in the background. In this aspect, production maintains a perfect balance between leading the main thread for absolutely all viewers, while giving a sense of satisfaction to those who have spent more than twenty years in the world of Pokémon. At the same time, what is worth noting - despite the presence of Ryan Reynolds in the story, the film is directed to a wide audience - including the viewer, potentially the most interested, who is around ten years old. And it treats seriously enough to offer him a story that fits in with what usually consists of stories about Pokemon. I found somewhere that it is strange that genetic experiments are in such a film. Really, genetic experiments on Pokemon are from the moment Mewtwo appeared!
In the end, I can say that I, definitely not the standard viewer, sitting next to my husband and child, the viewer completely fixed one, I did not play badly. On the contrary, I played quite well, according to the principle of such productions, being more interested in Pokemon than in people (I have people on a daily basis, Pokemon not too much). Of course, I would prefer that there was more building of the presented world and a little less such a schematic transition from point to point of the plot, but in the end, one look into the eyes of Pikachu rewards me for the film's shortcomings. I know that this production of some may get boring, but it may be a matter of attitude, requirements or involvement in the world. Maybe it's a bit like this, it's a movie for people who have found Pokemon statues under the pillow. In that case, I hope there are more of us because I want more Pokémon on the big screen.
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