Pokemon has been a fundamental part of my childhood. I probably couldn't tell you how much money I have given Nintendo in the form of video games, clothing and Pikachu plushies in my 20 years on Earth.

Maybe to this day, it's still appropriate that I'm still a self-proclaimed "Pokefreak." I still play the games, enjoy the lore and cultural references of each new generation, and love the technical aspects of a good ol' fashioned Pokemon battle.

Then came along the new film "Detective Pikachu," the first live-action rendition of the beloved Pokemon franchise, with Ryan Reynolds as the voice of the titular character.

At first, I thought this idea was one of the lamest things ever. But now, to that I say "Don't knock it til you try it."

"Detective Pikachu" follows the story of Tim Goodman (Justice Smith), who has been recruited by the local police department to collect the belongings of his father who was killed in the line of duty. After befriending his father's Pikachu (Ryan Reynolds), they embark on a quest to find out the real truth behind the circumstances of his father, with the help of a jolly news intern (Kathryn Newton) and her Psyduck. 

To be fair, I'm cutting this film a lot of slack. The acting and scripting are very corny, and the battle scenes & use of CGI is really overdone, but at the same time, you have to realize that this is a movie made for children. You might find some of the other Pokemon (like Charizard and Mr. Mime) to be hideous in real life, but you have to realize once again that this film is meant to take on a whole new meaning to Pokemon.

But perhaps what makes "Detective Pikachu" a good watch besides the nostalgia factor is that its plot really does live up to the suspense that the titular character is good at cracking. The plot above is brief for a reason: the summary is borderline impossible to explain without spoiling the plot.

The verdict on "Detective Pikachu" is that if you were ever into Pokemon in your life, then this movie will give you a satisfying feeling of nostalgia. Indeed, this film is entering unchartered waters by taking the mega-franchise of Pokemon into the real world. While it gets a "D" at best for giving this awful film genre a better name, its plot most certainly makes up for it.

For what it's worth, consider giving "Detective Pikachu" a trip to the box office.