Once upon a time, the idea of a movie in which Ryan Reynolds voices a tough-talkin’ Pikachu in a cute Sherlock Holmes hat who solves crimes raised considerable eyebrows. After all, Detective Pikachu is a pretty out there concept, and though the Nintendo 3DS game it’s based on picked up some critical acclaim, many wondered whether this was a smart move for the franchise.
But since then, the movie has been gradually picking up steam. Test audiences reportedly went bonkers for it, financial projections were raised and Legendary Pictures has even begun developing a series of spinoffs. Yes, things bode pretty well for the pic and today, its prospects just got even rosier.
A screening was held in Tokyo earlier this week and the first reactions have now surfaced online. Spoilers: the critics love it.
Nerdist’s Dan Casey said:
Detective Pikachu is a pure joy from start to finish. It’s a heartfelt, relentlessly charming story filled with excellent worldbuilding. Plenty of deep cuts for Pokémon fans. There must’ve been a grass-type in the theater because I got surprisingly misty-eyed in parts.
Collider’s Dave Trumbore agreed:
Just saw Detective Pikachu here in Tokyo and, man, I wish Ryme City was a real place because I really want a Pokémon pal.
Terri Schwartz at IGN said:
I just got out of Detective Pikachu and my first thought is OMG HOW DID THEY MAKE PIKACHU SO CUTE!!! It completely nails the world of Pokémon, and just seeing their amazing live action creature designs is worth the price of admission. If you love Pokémon, you’ll love this movie.
Nerds of Color didn’t hold back, either:
Detective Pikachu is adorably funny & takes you deep into the world of Pokemon, which every Pokemon fan will appreciate. The nostalgia is real. Detective Pikachu will have you laughing & tearing up a bit too. Ryan Reynolds & Justice Smith are golden in this.
Now, admittedly, when a film gets test screenings like this the studio carefully picks outlets they’re fairly sure are going to be positive about the movie. That being said, I literally haven’t heard anything bad about Detective Pikachu from anyone who’s seen it at any stage of its development. In fact, at this rate, it looks certain to become not only the highest grossing video game adaptation of all time, but also the most critically acclaimed.
If Detective Pikachu really is the (Pocket) monster hit it looks like it’s going to be, it’ll be fascinating to see how it affects other video game adaptations going forward.