Line #118 YMMV/PokemonDetectivePikachu


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2	* AdaptationDisplacement: Not in regards to the main ''Pokémon'' series -- that it started out as a video game series is hardly obscure -- but even among fans of ''Pokémon'', many weren't aware of the fact that this movie is based off of a semi-obscure [[VideoGame/DetectivePikachu spin-off game of the same name]]. This isn't helped by [[Franchise/{{Pokemon}} the franchise]] being [[ArchivePanic so vast]] and the movie's advertising not even mentioning the game.
3	* AlternateCharacterInterpretation:
4	** Was the BigBad [[spoiler:making a [[WellIntentionedExtremist misguided attempt to help people]], without realizing what consequences the [[FusionDance merging of people and Pokémon]] may cause? Or was he just [[AGodAmI trying to play God]]?]]
5	** How sincere is Detective Pikachu with some of the things he says? Some theorize that everything he says to humans is [[DeadpanSnarker tinted with sarcasm]], while others believe he's being goofy, but ultimately [[SincerityMode sincere]]. Him returning the compliment of the lady is a common source of debate for this.
6	** Harry Goodman:
7	*** [[spoiler:Did he really [[AlternateIdentityAmnesia not remember anything from the time he spent in his Pikachu's body]]? Or was he [[DeadpanSnarker just joking]]?]]
8	*** [[spoiler:Was the person we hear Tim talk to through Pikachu throughout the movie really Pikachu but with Harry's voice, or was it Harry all along and he can't remember after the unmerging? Was he a mixture of the two, with Pikachu's personality and mind and Harry's sarcasm seeping through? Can Harry's Pikachu/Detective Pikachu remember anything after the un-merge?]]
9	** Roger Clifford. The scene where he tells off Lucy was meant to establish him as a jerkass, but she caught him at the worst possible time: immediately after he got into a heated argument with his father when he clearly wasn't in the mood to deal with an unscheduled interview about unsubstantiated claims. Is Roger a jerk, or is Lucy bad at reading the room? [[spoiler: Especially since we don't see the real him again until the end of the movie, at which point he comes across as a ReasonableAuthorityFigure]].
10	* AmericansHateTingle: Dub example: The French Canadian dub uses the European names in spite of their contentious (at best) reputation in Quebec. This is especially egregious, considering the dub's very existence (It's the first ''Pokémon'' media to get a dedicated Canadian translation in many years) could have been used as an AuthorsSavingThrow to differentiate itself from the European French dub. Presumably, the success of ''Pokémon Go'' making the European names mainstream among the province's younger fans (unaware that English names used to be the norm before) prompted Warner Bros. to cater to them, even if it meant forsaking the older fans' grievances.
11	* AndYouThoughtItWouldFail: Video game movies already have [[VideoGameMoviesSuck a terrible reputation]], and the one other time Americans tried adapting a Nintendo game the result was the reviled ''Film/SuperMarioBros1993''. Picking an obscure spinoff from ''Pokémon'', which might've had [[Videogame/PokemonGo a resurgence]] but was still far from its mainstream peak and hadn't had one of its movies in Western theaters in a decade, was also a bad sign. So what a surprise in that reviews were positive and ''Detective Pikachu'' easily made its budget nearly three times over in spite of stiff competition headed by ''Film/AvengersEndgame''.
12	* AngstWhatAngst:
13	** [[spoiler:Harry]] is pretty chipper in the end when making wisecracks about craving coffee, for a guy that [[spoiler:nearly died in a car crash and was assimilated with his Pokémon. Not to mention the whole being estranged from his son and knowing that it was his fault]]. Despite that, he's snarking and smiling. [[spoiler:It's unclear if separating his consciousness from Pikachu's body helped with this, since Detective Pikachu was anguished on thinking he betrayed Harry to Mewtwo]].
14	** Most people recover fast from [[spoiler:being forcibly assimilated with their Pokémon. Lucy just tells Psyduck that they should never do it again, while Detective Yoshida just needs a minute to lie down]].
15	* AwardSnub: Many fans were not happy when the movie wasn't even in the running for Best Visual Effects at the Oscars.
16	* SugarWiki/AwesomeArt: The end credits features art that depicts the main characters in the style of the Trainers from the video games. And they all look ''amazing''.
17	* SugarWiki/AwesomeMusic:
18	** The first trailer makes fantastic use of Music/TheTurtles' "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pSw8an1u3rc Happy Together]]" -- which doubles as a MythologyGag [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K783SDTBKmg if you know]] your Creator/{{Nintendo}}.
19	** The second adds "Music/{{Holding Out\|ForAHero}} [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bWcASV2sey0 for a Hero]]", ''the'' memetic heroic theme song for this sort of material after its uses in ''Film/ShortCircuit 2'' and ''WesternAnimation/Shrek2''.
20	** The second trailer also opens with a fantastic arrangement of "[[Anime/PokemonTheOriginalSeries Pokémon Theme]]".
21	** The official music video "Carry On" by Music/RitaOra is not only catchy. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BxaR42Vy2LI But it features the singer searching for Detective Pikachu throughout the video.]]
22	** An arrangement of the games' title theme plays during the first half of the credits and it sounds ''phenomenal''.
23	** A lot of the soundtrack sounds amazing thanks to the fact that Henry Jackman clearly understands the way music in Pokémon works, and includes several musical homages to it. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FBdWKaq_gj4 Ryme City]] sounds like something straight out of the games, and sets the stage for Tim's entrance into the bustling Pokémetropolis, and borrows the soundscapes from several games-- ''VideoGame/PokemonBlackAndWhite'''s more synth soundtrack is emulated during the opening bars, and is joined by ''VideoGame/PokemonRubyAndSapphire''-esque brass, and towards the end, we even have MIDI-like sounds taken straight from ''VideoGame/PokemonGoldAndSilver''.
24	** The central motif of Ryme City is used again in [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PTzeNH6yI2E Game On]], which several people have noted sounds exactly like a battle theme from the ''Pokémon'' games, and it's used [[spoiler:during the only time Detective Pikachu really does battle-- with a Mewtwo controlled by Clifford.]]
25	* BaseBreakingCharacter: Lucy Stevens. One half of the viewers found her endearing, citing her {{Adorkable}}-ness, [[ShipTease chemistry with Tim]] and cute interactions with her Psyduck, and felt she [[TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodCharacter deserved more screen time and development]]. The other half complains that her character felt poorly acted and way too over-the-top compared to the rest of the movie, and that her romance with Tim was largely unnecessary and didn’t need to exist.
26	* BigLippedAlligatorMoment: The scene with the Lickitung on the train. It shows up, does its thing, and then disappears from the movie with no further effect on the plot.
27	* CaptainObviousReveal:
28	** Plenty of people predicted that [[spoiler:Howard Clifford is the BigBad, considering how he's set up as an [[VisionaryVillain important person with vague goals]]. Then, [[AntagonisticOffspring his son, Roger]] is introduced, who generally acts like a {{Jerkass}} and is stated to have an estranged relationship with his father, [[ShadowArchetype similar to Tim]]. He's seemingly confirmed as the villain as Howard explains that his son is slowly taking over as the CEO of his father's corporation, the same corporation that runs morally questionable experiments on Pokémon. And then he kidnaps Mewtwo, which forces Tim to go back to Howard. Who reveals himself to be the real Big Bad, as he [[RedHerring framed his own son for his crimes]].]] Not to mention, those who played the game version of ''Detective Pikachu'' will be immediately suspicious, given that [[spoiler:Howard is a completely new character, unlike most of the other cast members who either have direct counterparts or are {{Composite Character}}s. There's no way they'd introduce an entirely original character unless he was someone important]].
29	** It's also pretty obvious that Pikachu [[spoiler:is actually Tim's father, Harry Goodman, even before the "merging human minds with Pokémon bodies" plot point gets introduced, seeing as how deliberate they are in avoiding showing Harry's face, and how Pikachu has lost his memories.]]
30	* ClicheStorm: The main criticism the film receives is that while they successfully managed to translate the ''Pokémon'' universe to the big screen, the main plot plays like your average children's film, with the usual plot beats and unsurprising twists that older viewers will predict by the end of the first act. [[spoiler: The film also falls into the cliché of making the protagonists and antagonists mirror images of each other. Tim and Roger's estranged fathers both turned into Pokémon and had a big fight in the film's climax.]]
31	* CriticalDissonance: While it still received good reviews on the whole, its audience reception was a bit more positive than its SoOkayItsAverage critical reception. This is largely because a lot of the movie's jokes and plot points [[ContinuityLockout would best be understood by those with experience]] with the ''Pokémon'' franchise, and most critics probably don't have such experience. That said, it became the best-reviewed ''Pokémon'' film of all time, having a Website/RottenTomatoes score slightly higher than ''Anime/PokemonThePowerOfUs'' (which had far fewer reviews), and the first video game movie to break the 60% Fresh rating.
32	* CrossesTheLineTwice:
33	** In the "Casting Detective Pikachu" video, the whole joke about Psyduck's head exploding and killing everyone making them forced to listen to a muzak version of Music/WhitneyHouston's "I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)" is quite morbid, but will end up making you laugh because of it being morbid.
34	** How does Tim get Mr. Mime to talk? [[spoiler:He mimes ''[[BlackComedyBurst pouring gasoline on Mr. Mime and trying to light him on fire]]''. Even better, the scene ends with Tim accidentally dropping his mime match.]]
35	** Pikachu casually remarking that they have to listen to calming music to keep Psyduck pacified so it doesn't get a psychic headache and kill someone, on its own, is mildly funny. Psyduck blackmailing Pikachu into giving it a footrub by reminding him it has to stay calm to avoid getting a headache, [[ShameIfSomethingHappened and it doesn't want to accidentally hurt Tim]], is hilarious.
36	* EnsembleDarkhorse:
37	** Those who don't see him as a MemeticMolester (and even some who do) see the Mr. Mime scene as the best part of the trailer.
38	** [[spoiler:Ditto/Ms. Norman]] has fans, due to being AscendedFridgeHorror, as well as for how much they stand out from the rest of the cast.
39	** Sebastian's Charizard. Despite being a minor character in the context of the movie and the Charizard species itself being too major for this trope, many fans were stoked to see a realistic CGI take on the fiery lizard-mon akin to ''Series/GameOfThrones'' and ''Film/JurassicWorld'', and its [[OneSceneWonder one scene in the movie]] is considered a great showcase of its intimidation and power. Many more cynical fans have also praised this Charizard for not suffering from WolverinePublicity as the species tends to do in other ''Pokémon'' media, since it appears only in a single scene.
40	* FanNickname: Naturally, a lot of fans refer to Pikachu as "[[Film/Deadpool2016 Pikapool]]".
41	* FandomRivalry:
42	** With fans of Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse. This movie is not only a kid-friendly adaptation of a nostalgic property, but is also released around the same time as the Marvel movies, thereby making it by proxy a competitor to both ''Film/AvengersEndgame'' and ''Film/SpiderManFarFromHome''. In fact, some MCU fans blame this movie for blunting ''Endgame'''s post-opening weekend run, while some ''Pokémon'' fans blame ''Endgame'' for hampering ''Detective Pikachu''[='=]s release. [[TakeAThirdOption However, there are also the people who want to enjoy both franchises]].
43	** With ''Film/SonicTheHedgehog2020''. Once that’s film [[TaintedByThePreview disastrous first trailer]] came out revealing a just as equally disastrous version of the [[Franchise/SonicTheHedgehog titular character]] as apposed to ''Detective Pikachu''’s more perfected take on Pokémon in live action, Pokémon fans constantly bashed the film claiming that ''DP'' would be superior, even though the Sonic fan base themselves aren’t looking forward to the film as well. One redesign by [[ComicBook/SonicTheHedgehogArchieComics Sonic]] [[ComicBook/SonicTheHedgehogIDW comic]] [[WebAnimation/SonicManiaAdventures artist]] Creator/TysonHesse later and public opinion on ''Sonic'' has changed for the better [[WinBackTheCrowd on not just Sonic fans but also the general audience]], ''Sonic''’s opening box office has overtaken ''Detective Pikachu'' box office. Once the film came out and it became better than it was expected, both ''Pokémon'' fans and ''Sonic '' fans constantly debate on which film averted VideoGameMoviesSuck better.[[note]] Ironically, ''WesternAnimation/TheAngryBirdsMovie2'' has the highest rating for a video game movie on Website/RottenTomatoes at 73% compared to ''Detective Pikachu'' at 69% and ''Sonic'' at 63%. However it gets rarely brought up due the film [[AcclaimedFlop flying under the radar]] ([[AccidentalPun no pun intended]]) and being released at a time where the ''VideoGame/AngryBirds'' series wasn’t the CashCowFranchise it was back in the early 10s.[[/note]]
44	* FanficFuel:
45	** Due to critic and fan reactions being mostly positive, some fans started speculating about the idea of a "Creator/{{Nintendo}} [[Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse Cinematic Universe]]" or "NCU", making movies about Nintendo's other {{Cash Cow Franchise}}s and potentially tying them together in a SharedUniverse. The most common punchline of this is ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBros'' becoming the equivalent to ''Film/{{The Avengers\|2012}}''.
46	** On similar note, some like to focus on potential future Pokémon movies, adapting some other, more obscure stories. ''VideoGame/PokemonStadium'', ''VideoGame/PokemonMysteryDungeon'' and ''Anime/PokemonOrigins'' are the most common.
47	** [[spoiler:The credits show the characters in the signature Trainer artstyle]], fanartists are going to have a field day, redrawing scenes of the movie with it, or coming up with new scenarios.
48	** Some concepts in the movie are commonly stated to not get enough attention as they should've, the [[spoiler:merging of humans and Pokémon]] deserving special mention.
49	** Some like to speculate how the movie would've went if Pikachu didn't lose his memory. [[spoiler:Especially the idea of Harry!Pikachu finding Tim, with Tim [[HilarityEnsues dealing with the fact that his dad is a Pokémon now]]]].
50	* FanMyopia: RJ "Arvalis" Palmer was merely one of twelve concept artists for the film, yet his fans seem convinced he was the ''only'' concept artist. Some go as far as to believe he's an actual animator or even the film's lead art director. Which is incredibly weird when one notices his artwork looks absolutely ''nothing'' like the movie.
51	* FriendlyFandoms:
52	** With ''Film/GodzillaKingOfTheMonsters2019''. Despite being released within close proximity, you’ll see both fandoms getting along splendidly simply because both are Legendary Pictures productions based off popular Japanese franchises, and both have Ken Watanabe. Numerous Pokemon fans have voiced eagerness to see ''King of the Monsters'', christening it a SpiritualAdaptation of what they'd imagine a movie involving Legendary Pokémon would be like. Likewise, many G-fans are more than happy to voice support for the follow-up Legendary movie, considering the two as teammates in the box office context. Toho being the one to release the Pokémon anime films theatrically, as well as being behind the Japanese release for ''King of the Monsters'', ensures any site talking about one film is bound to include the other.
53	** Also with ''Film/{{Deadpool\|2016}}'' [[Film/{{Deadpool 2}} movies]], thanks to Ryan Reynolds once again playing a snarky fourth wall-breaking hero. In fact, some fans have considered ''Detective Pikachu'' to be the closest thing to a kid-friendly, furry Deadpool spin-off.
54	** With ''WesternAnimation/TheSuperMarioBrosMovie'', given that both are based on Nintendo properties that appeal more to fans than critics, as well as staying true to the source material. Though, there is bit of a FandomRivalry due to some people believing that Ryan Reynolds’ casting as Pikachu [[FollowTheLeader served as the catalyst]] of the then-controversial casting of Creator/ChrisPratt as Mario, since both actors are [[Creator/MarvelComics Marvel]] movie alumni (Though Deadpool had yet to officially join the Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse at the time of ''Detective Pikachu''’s release). Ironically, ''Mario'' ended up becoming the highest grossing video game movie of all time, something many expected ''Pikachu'' to do due to the ''Pokémon'' brand outperforming the former in franchise sales.
55	* GeniusBonus: [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sMyIzrnhgM4 This video reveals]] an interesting connection between the song "Happy Together" and ''Pokémon'' that go beyond the aforementioned ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBros64'' mythology gag.
56	* HilariousInHindsight: TheReveal that the Torterra Garden [[spoiler:is actually a group of Torterra experimentally grown to the size of '''{{kaiju}}''']] becomes much more amusing with the announcement of the Dynamax phenomena in ''VideoGame/PokemonSwordAndShield'' just a month later, which coincidentally involves the exact same concept.
57	* IKnewIt: Even as far back as [[VideoGame/DetectivePikachu the 3DS game]] in 2016, most fans suspected that [[spoiler:Harry Goodman was somehow in Detective Pikachu's body]]. The movie finally confirmed it.
58	* ItsShortSoItSucks: One of the film's major criticisms is that the final act rushes through every plot detail in order to get under the two hour mark.
59	* JustHereForGodzilla: The movie itself is considered to have an average story and the human characters don't stand out. Most people who come to watch the film know that the visual effects, including the "realistic" Pokémon themselves, and especially a talking Pikachu voiced by Ryan Reynolds is the main draw.
60	* MemeticMolester: Mr. Mime already had this reputation in the games, but appearing in live action ''and'' his appearance consisting of him being interrogated by the detectives just made it worse. There have already been ''many'' jokes made about the real reason he's being interrogated by the detectives is as a suspect for [[BlackComedyRape sex offender crimes.]]
61	* MemeticMutation: [[Memes/PokemonDetectivePikachu Now has its own page]].
62	* {{Moe}}:
63	** Pikachu is so ''fluffy!''
64	** Snubbull is disgustingly adorable.
65	** The Pancham also deserves a place here, especially the scene where one slides down a bamboo stick and the group of Pancham annoy a Pangoro only for one to fall and the Pangoro catches it.
66	** The second trailer features a close up of a Bulbasaur and it's adorable. It helps that it doesn't have the bright red eyes that Bulbasaur is commonly depicted with (instead it has a combination of amber and fuchsia). Many people have compared it to [[WesternAnimation/HowToTrainYourDragon Toothless]].
67	** The "Casting Detective Pikachu Trailer" includes a shot of an adorable Squirtle chasing after a bubble it burped up like a young child.
68	** Snorlax, as seen in the second trailer. It looks so cute, even if it is sleeping in the middle of the road.
69	** Eevee, Audino (and especially Emolga) look very cute in live-action form, especially in the video "Casting Detective Pikachu" posted by Ryan Reynolds, where Eevee and Emolga (Audino is not featured in this trailer) both look so precious and cuddly.
70	** Even Psyduck has its fair share of fans, due to its quirky behavior and small, but chubby build which makes it very endearing to watch.
71	* MoralEventHorizon: While it's debatable how evil [[spoiler:merging humans and Pokémon]] actually is, [[spoiler:Howard Clifford]] crossed it when he [[spoiler:kidnapped ''his own son'' and framed him for his crimes]].
72	* MorePopularSpinoff: {{Downplayed\|trope}}. The movie wasn't as much of a breakout success as ''VideoGame/PokemonGo'', and didn't do as much to increase brand awareness as that game did (unlike, say, the Film/TransformersFilmSeries). However, as far as ''Pokémon'' products released in 2019 are concerned, ''Detective Pikachu'' has been much more well-received by the fandom than that year's mainline ''Pokémon'' game releases, ''VideoGame/PokemonSwordAndShield''. While those games ''technically'' have a higher critic score than the movie,[[note]]although they aren't really comparable as completely different media,[[/note]] they have been met with much more polarized reactions from the fandom compared to ''Detective Pikachu'', to the point that some fans claim that ''DP'' has had much more heart and imagination poured into it than the [[ItsTheSameNowItSucks formulaic]] ''Sword'' and ''Shield''.
73	* SugarWiki/MostWonderfulSound:
74	** Ikue Otani's voice coming from Pikachu.
75	** Bill Nighy describing Mewtwo. If anyone could capture the sheer majesty of the ultimate Pokémon, it would have to be Bill.
76	* {{Narm}}:
77	** Tim is able to [[spoiler:jump over a huge gap and grab onto the cliff without much injury]]. Though because of the resulting earthquake, [[spoiler:Pikachu is hit with the ''tiniest bit of rubble'' and immediately goes down]]. While the aftermath of that scene is entirely PlayedForDrama, the sheer absurdity of it can make it hard to take seriously.
78	** [[spoiler: Mewtwo]]'s line to Pikachu of [[spoiler: "Humanity is evil but you have shown me that not all humans are bad"]] is intended to be heartwarming or an awesome moment... but instead sounds like a BlindIdiotTranslation from [[TheNineties a 90s]] video game. The fact it's recited in such a ''deadpan voice'' makes one wonder how they ''didn't'' break out laughing reading it.
79	* NarmCharm:
80	** The general reaction to the trailers can be summed up as: "This looks ridiculous, and I love it."
81	** The whole idea of the movie is that human actors are interacting with CGI Pokémon, which seems completely ridiculous yet works because the actors actually take it seriously while still injecting plenty of humor.
82	** The villain's main plot is not, as would be expected, [[spoiler:to either make humans give up their Pokémon or harness evolution to prolong his life; no, it's to ''[[FusionDance combine]]'' [[FusionDance humans with their Pokémon.]]]] It's so silly, but it fits the FantasticNoir vibe to a T and would make Creator/FourKidsEntertainment proud.
83	** Ultimately, the BigBad's plan is to [[spoiler:assimilate people with their Pokémon. Which only lasts for a few hours at most onscreen. It would fall into FelonyMisdemeanor, if not for the bigger issue being him using a kidnapped Mewtwo and not giving people or Pokémon the choice in the assimilation, and that he kidnapped and framed his son to cover his tracks]].
84	** Seeing Harry Goodman [[spoiler:being portrayed by the actual Ryan Reynolds, especially as the big ending face reveal of the movie]], can elicit a few giggles, but the emotional payoff of the scene still works very well.
85	** Lucy Stevens is clearly playing up the IntrepidReporter angle, especially when she first meets Tim and tries to convince him he should take her seriously. But even in-universe others think she's a bit silly and trying too hard, so it comes off as endearing instead of a cliché.
86	** Ditto being stuck with BlackBeadEyes when turning into other Pokémon, since even casual viewers will grasp the idea of GlamourFailure. [[spoiler:And when impersonating humans it turns outright creepy.]]
87	* NarrowedItDownToTheGuyIRecognize: It's not hard to figure out that [[spoiler: Bill Nighy]] is going to be the BigBad the second he pops up on screen, if for no other reason that he's one of the most recognizable and established actors in the movie. In contrast, the RedHerring doesn't even have his own page on this Wiki.
88	* NauseaFuel: Lickitung licking Tim during the train scene, complete with saliva dripping off of Tim and him having to ''spit some of it out''. Bleh...
89	* NeverLiveItDown: The [[ImprovisedWeapon stapler]]. For the record, Tim held the stapler ''once'' in the movie (albiet in a scene shown off in the trailer), but it was never used and quickly forgotten. Doesn't stop the fanart from referencing it like it's his preferred weapon. [[spoiler:Heck, even the credits have Tim holding the stapler!]]
90	* OlderThanTheyThink:
91	** Many people aren't aware that the film is adapting [[VideoGame/DetectivePikachu a specific game]], believing that it is a PragmaticAdaptation of the [[{{Franchise/Pokemon}} franchise]] as a whole, hence their surprise at a talking Pikachu, with even series fans who were aware of the title (but never played it) being caught off-guard by things such as the appearance of Mewtwo at the end of the second trailer. In their defense, the game in question was only modestly successful compared to other ''Pokémon'' spin-off titles, in addition to being a UsefulNotes/Nintendo3DS game that was released in Western territories in 2018.
92	** The idea of [[spoiler:humans and Pokémon merging]] goes back to the first game, [[spoiler:with Bill's teleporter experiments]]. Furthermore, an amnesiac talking Pokémon finding a partner to search for the mystery of their past [[spoiler:and finding out they were once human]] has been in the series since ''VideoGame/PokemonMysteryDungeon''.
93	*** There was also a manga series, ''Manga/PokemonReBURST'', with [[spoiler:human-Pokémon merging as its premise, though there the humans and Pokémon combined into gijinka-esque hybrids rather than the human-soul-Pokémon-body transformations in this film]].
94	** [[spoiler:A Ditto that is capable of transforming into humans]] is a rare ability among its kind, but there's a sidequest in ''VideoGame/PokemonUltraSunAndUltraMoon'' that features such Pokémon doing just that.
95	* QuestionableCasting: Ryan Reynolds as Pikachu. Many fans were either baffled at the idea of Pikachu speaking at all, or mad that they didn't go with Creator/DannyDeVito. This reaction simmered down with the release of the second trailer. [[spoiler:However, TheReveal that Ryan Reynolds was actually playing Harry Goodman in Pikachu's body, and his human form is the actual Ryan Reynolds, caused this to spring up again since he looks nothing like Tim]].
96	** The casting also falls under NarmCharm for some viewers though, who justify the casting under the grounds that as [[spoiler:Tim is lighter-skinned than his mother, his father would likely have a skin tone closer to white.]]
97	** In the end, the casting of Reynolds instead of someone like [=DeVito=] is justified by [[spoiler:TheReveal. If people had seen Tim's father had a body with a similar frame to [=DeVito=] they would have pieced the twist together instantly]].
98	* RescuedFromTheScrappyHeap: Mr. Mime has always been a memetically unpopular Pokémon for combining the EveryoneHatesMimes trope with creepy UnintentionalUncannyValley qualities. However, the Mr. Mime here not only translates its design to live-action very well while making it more endearing, but its scene is considered a hilarious highlight of the movie.
99	* ShockingMoments:
100	** The Torterra Garden reveal.
101	** [[spoiler:Pikachu being able to able to Volt Tackle '''[[UltimateLifeForm Mewtwo]]''' ''[[DidYouJustPunchOutCthulhu through a building]].'']]
102	* SpecialEffectFailure: Regardless of what one thinks of the designs, the Pokémon seem almost flawlessly integrated into the world of the movie thanks to the use of perspective and shading to make them look closer or further from the viewer. Except for [[https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/ge7-WetWJNuRCFV4c5-7NSKXSRY=/0x0:2878x1158/1200x0/filters:focal(0x0:2878x1158):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/14647099/Screen_Shot_2019_02_26_at_3.34.12_PM.png Machamp]] - whose strangely uniform skin colour makes him resemble more of an early [=PS2=] era PreRenderedCutscene model rather than something that is part of the world like the Snorlax.
103	* SpiritualSuccessor: The film could be seen as a ''Pokémon''-themed ''WesternAnimation/{{Zootopia}}'' due to both films being about a city where sentient species can live together in peace and both cities are menaced by a villain's PsychoSerum that turns residents feral.
104	* TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodPlot:
105	** [[spoiler:Yoshida and Lucy get fused with their Pokémon at the climax, but nothing much comes of this. In fact Snubbull-Yoshida is completely forgotten about following the initial scene]].
106	** For that matter, the film's incredible WorldBuilding, unique take on "Pokémon Partners," and refreshing premise where there is a city where humans and Pokémon live side-by-side without training or battling (except in illegal underground pit fights) is sidelined by the ClicheStorm main story with Tim and Pikachu.
107	** While "You can talk to humans, and I can talk to Pokémon" was a major story and gameplay element in the game (and Detective Pikachu even ''outright'' references the concept while persuading Tim), there's very little of it in the movie. When they actually get around to interrogating a Pokémon (a [[TheSpeechless Mr. Mime]] no less), ''Tim'' does most of the work.
108	** Even the most positive of reviews found the lack of a SequelHook or [[TheStinger Stinger]] disappointing.
109	* UglyCute:
110	** Some find the CGI Pokémon to be this, ''especially'' the new fluffier design of Pikachu.
111	** Special mention goes to the hilariously scruffy-looking Ludicolo barista.
112	** As well as Mr. Mime, who--while rather creepy-looking--is also strangely endearing.
113	** Charizard's more explicitly reptilian features make it look terrifying, but it's hard not to feel sorry for the poor guy when it makes the most frightened puppy-dog face when faced with a Gyarados.
114	** Snubbull is this by default, since it's basically a pink pug in a polka-dot dress.
115	* UnexpectedCharacter: Ditto was a shock to a lot of people, especially as [[spoiler:the BigBad's right-hand 'mon]]. Helps that it was the only Pokémon who ''didn't'' show up in any of the advertisements.
116	* ValuesDissonance: Part of the reason audiences were surprised to hear Pikachu say curse words even as light as "hell" and "damn" is because no Western localization of ''Pokémon'' media had featured profanity before. In Japan, the [[Anime/PokemonTheSeries anime]] has occasional moments of characters using similar levels of obscenity while the various manga have also been prone to VulgarHumor.
117	* SugarWiki/VisualEffectsOfAwesome:
118	** While the designs themselves fall somewhat under UnintentionalUncannyValley, the integration of the Pokémon into live action itself works pretty damn well, often to the point where [[UnusuallyUninterestingSight you might not notice them in some shots]].
119	** Special mention goes to the shot of Charizard using Flamethrower and the herd of Bulbasaur walking along with Morelull floating around them.
120	** The FantasticNoir aesthetic for Ryme City that blends a family friendly FilmNoir look crossed with Pokémon was well received as well.
121	** The surprise Mewtwo bursting out of the flames looks amazing.
122	** [[https://i.imgur.com/3344mJj.jpg The Torterra]] in the 'Casting Detective Pikachu' video has lots of detail such as scales and marks over its body. [[spoiler: Seeing a bunch of them artificially enlarged to the size of islands is like something out of ''Film/JurassicPark''.]]
123	* WhatDoYouMeanItsForKids: While it's a family-friendly movie as is the norm for ''Pokémon'', it seems to be DarkerAndEdgier than what it adapts. There are quite a few questionable jokes ("I don't wear pants. I'm not modest." / "I was huffing gas - accidentally!" / "I don't usually invite people to my apartment, I'm not that kind of Pokémon." / "You can shove it" / "I can't do it while people are watching.") Then there's the scene where a Mon is set on fire (it's mimed, but still), the villain's plan to [[spoiler:hijack Mewtwo's body]], and of course, Pikachu cursing on-screen.
124	* WhatDoYouMeanItsNotPolitical:
125	** The CNM network is stated to have a very large influence (going as far as having some control over the government) and is run by a father and son who - judging by their British accents - are implied to be dual citizens. Comparisons to UsefulNotes/RupertMurdoch aren't hard to draw from this.
126	** During the cataclysm in the wilderness, Pikachu cries out ''"How can you not believe in climate change after this?!"''. Probably just played for laughs, but linking earthquakes (mostly natural shifts in the Earth's lithosphere[[note]]Some human activities are [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Induced_seismicity known]] to [[http://inducedearthquakes.org/about-induced-seismicity/ induce earthquakes]].[[/note]]) to climate change (shifts in temperatures and weather, the latest of which is attributed to human activity) sounds pretty bizarre nonetheless.

Context YMMV / PokemonDetectivePikachu