Pros:
1.) When I heard they are going to make photo-realistic Pokémon, I was hesitant to see how. It took me a while to get used to them, but these are the most gorgeous and realistic-looking Pokémon I have ever seen.
The creative team took two years to study how these creatures would move in real life, and their hard work was shown well. They look and move like actual animals, and it is hard to make them distinct from live actors. Now, I wish I can say the same thing about a certain speeding hedgehog.
2.) There are so many references to Pokémon as a whole that it is crazy. While I might not understand all of it (I only followed Pokémon up to the end of Pokémon: Advanced Battle), I am sure fans will spot and be amazed with many of the Easter eggs. Also, while it was mentioned briefly, this movie may take place twenty years after the anime, which surprises me. If this movie is successful, imagine what would happen if Tim managed to meet Ash Ketchum (assuming Ash is still trying to train to be a Pokémon Master…poor Ash). Pokémon fans will enjoy so many references that is going to be seen on-screen.
3.) The world of Pokémon Detective Pikachu is quite interesting. While we do see how the Pokémon work in the games and anime, the movie shows what other areas that the Pokémon can do. Some of the actions are simple like stop guards, others are slightly dark like underground illegal Pokémon fights, and how they used this one certain Pokémon intrigued me so much, I am surprised that the games and anime did not use it that way (unless if they did, then feel free to correct me). Fans familiar with the world of Pokémon will feel right at home with this movie’s world…
Cons:
1.) …However, this could lead to some problems with story and world as a whole. The movie assumes you at least know some things about Pokémon, if you do not, it will fill you in for a bit, but it would be better if you do know. However, in case that you do, you may be puzzled on certain actions that take place in the movie. For example, at one point, a Pokémon got injured, and healing Pokémon had to take care of it. Does the Pokémon Center exist in this movie or not at all? At another point, something terrible happened, and I wondered why they did not use this object to save themselves. I am sure average viewers would be fine with some of these moments, but Pokémon fans will wonder why they did not do this to help themselves.
2.) The chemistry between these characters are weak at best. Tim, Lucy, and Detective Pikachu are fine, but these are characters you have seen before in other movies. Tim is a failed Pokémon Trainer who has a strained relationship with his dad, Lucy is a determined investigative journalist, and Detective Pikachu is a smart family-friendly Deadpool. Together, they create a chemistry that is equal to a less interesting and friendlier version of Team Rocket (not the best analogy, but I think you get the idea). I do not hate them, but I rather be with Ash, Misty, Brock, and Pikachu than these guys.
3.) Honestly, the movie is pretty predictable if you know what to expect. Here is an example: Tim is looking for his dad when everyone assumes he is dead, then he meets an amnesiac Pikachu who talks that only Tim can understand, and they both investigate to find Tim’s dad. When a certain plot point was introduced later into the movie, I knew where his dad is all this time. There was only one moment with a certain Pokémon I mentioned in the pros that surprised me, but other than that, I knew where the movie was going. Children may not see some twists coming, but everyone else likely will.
Overall:
I was a fan of Pokémon when I was young. I mainly followed the anime more than the video games (mainly because I do not have time to collect God knows how many Pokémon there are now) up until Advanced Battle when they suddenly changed voice actors. As for the game the movie is slightly based on, I never played Detective Pikachu, but I heard it was mediocre. If that is true, then I can say the same thing for this movie. This disappoints me, because it looked like it had a potential to be one of the better video game movies (i.e. Mortal Kombat). However, I cannot bring myself into liking this movie. It is just OK to me. I am sure fans will find some enjoyment to the movie (especially Detective Pikachu himself), but this is one Pokémon I am not going to catch.
6/10
Pros:
1.) I love the dialogue, because it feels like these characters belong in the 1910s to 1920s. Thanks to the great acting, they sound like great writers and artists of that time. I buy how genuine these people are with the writing and the acting…
2.) …Which leads to Tolkien’s relationship to his four best friends and his love interest, Edith. How these relationships grow over time from being strangers to enemies to best of friends works so well, because you will see it progress over the course of the film. When Tolkien feels down, his friends and Edith will be there for him to get him back up. I love how much they care for each other, and at a certain point I knew was going to happen between these friends, I still felt heartbroken when it occurred. The film successfully connects with these people to the audience.
3.) Tolkien’s arc is also great, because you get to see how he becomes one of the greatest fantasy novel writers of all time. From his education to language to how he sees the world (especially in World War I), you can see the seeds of how he got his ideas for the Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings. It also helps that thanks to his friends, he gets encouraged to pursue his writing more and more as the film progresses despite the times when he feels down. It nice to see some inspiration.
Cons:
1.) With all that said, this film is slow. Many things take its sweet time, and it can make or break you depending on what you think of the film. I personally think its slow pacing helps it, but I can see why some people do not think so.
2.) It takes a while for the World War I sequence to occur. Up until the third act, the WWI moments are seen through brief flashbacks. That is the disadvantage about films based on true stories: you have to write the events that actually happened as much as possible even if it interferes with the plot as a whole…
3.) …In fact, I can see many people having a problem with the script as whole (except the dialogue). The film goes to place to place without a consistent plot. There is the relationship with Tolkien and his friends, with Edith, and what he wants to do with his writing. I am fine with that, because I like Tolkien’s arc as a whole, but I will admit that the writing needs to at least focus more on Tolkien’s dream to be a writer rather going from different plots at a time.
Overall:
Imagination. That is one thing I always respect from J.R.R. Tolkien with his work like The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. With a film about his life, I think I relate to this film more than I realized. I know that critics did not really love it, but something about this film makes me love it. It is not perfect, but there are many things about the film I just outright enjoy despite the flaws. I can see that you might not see it the same way as I do, but I hope you understand that I love it more than I thought with how I relate to it in some way (I am not going to tell you my life story, but I hope you get the idea). If you have a passion of writing, at least check this film out to see if you enjoy it, but at the very least, it kind of makes me want to watch The Lord of the Rings again because of this.
8/10
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