My very first video game was Pokémon Fire Red.
I remember waking up on Christmas morning when I was about nine or ten years old. Following in the footsteps of my older cousins, I had asked Santa for a Pokémon video game of my own and the big man in red certainly delivered. That Christmas morning one could find me tapping away on my brand new Gameboy Advance, naming my very first Pokémon and going on my very first video game journey. Pokémon has been a part of my life and now here I sit twenty years or so later still with my Pikachu printed wallet. Is it a little nerdy? Maybe, but Pokémon always has a soft spot in my heart for being my introduction into video games and just for providing me with hours and hours of fun and entertainment. It has followed me through several game systems and video game cartridges; just as some will always let certain sports teams or tv shows hold a piece of their nostalgia, Pokémon will always be a major part of my childhood.
Now we are coming up on the latest trend and excitement when it comes to the Pokémon world: The "Detective Pikachu" movie. Sure, there have been Pokémon movies and shows made in the past; after all, Ash Ketchum is an iconic cartoon face and his adventures with his Pikachu have practically become an official aspect of the overall Pokémon brand. However, this movie is not only coming out through a major film company, but it is also coming out directly on the big screen. People from all walks of life, fans or not, are going to be able to watch a Pokémon film on the big screen.
Honestly, it's kind of an odd concept to think about.
When it comes to this movie, fans are split directly down the middle with some wiggle room in between. After all, the trailer opened up a whole new world for fans to explore. I can't help but see both sides of the argument. On one hand, this movie is going to be a mixture of live action and animation. Now, a good chunk of movies use some form of computer graphics, but this film is operating on the idea that the animation and live action should interact. This film could have been fully animated based on its original source material, but they decided to go for this interaction. This kind of movie, for me, seems a little risky. Oh sure, it can and has been done in the past with successes like "Who Framed Roger Rabbit," but I find there is always some level of awkwardness in the mixture of two film mediums as if there was some artificial tendency ingrained in the film itself.
On another note, others are concerned for the acting choices in this film, specifically in choosing Ryan Reynolds for the voice of Pikachu. At first, I will admit, I was dumbfounded as well. When I think of small electric rodent, my first instinct isn't to think of the amazing actor who flawlessly depicted Deadpool on the big screen. However, I think this is part of the overall point of the joke and I think it will work fine within the movie for the most part. Despite initial misgivings and worries about this film and its potential to create over an hour of embarrassing entertainment, I will say that I am looking forward to more things in this movie than just Reynolds' depiction of Pikachu. Personally, as an overall animation fan, I really like how this movie is animated. I know others will disagree, but I find the designs and choices at the very least interesting to look at. Do I think they will do every Pokémon complete justice? No. However, it is always interesting, at least to me, to see how others choose to bring life to their creations.
When it comes to this movie, a lot is left currently up in the air. It's hard to say whether "Detective Pikachu" will be a success or a flop. However, here's hoping for a movie that will live up to the great legacy of the original franchise and all the bright memories that come with it.