Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Mild
- witty
- whimsical
- warm
- family movie night
- franchise nostalgia
What critics said
Critics broadly appreciated the film’s colorful Pokémon world, visual effects, and Ryan Reynolds’s comic performance while finding the mystery story and dialogue uneven.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Ryme City is built around humans and Pokémon living side by side in a modern urban environment.
Tim and the wise-cracking Detective Pikachu combine their abilities to investigate Harry Goodman's disappearance.
The film places photorealistically rendered Pokémon alongside live-action performers and environments.
The Pokémon universe is reframed through a missing-person investigation, neon-lit streets, and detective conventions.
Films like Pokémon Detective Pikachu, and why
Sonic the Hedgehog
shared family-friendly mystery adventure, urban fantasy setting, and human-animal buddy comedy
The Smurfs
shared live-action fantasy world, detective quest, comedic tone, and visually elaborate creature effects
The Spiderwick Chronicles
shared missing-parent mystery, youthful protagonist, fantastical creatures, and uplifting adventure
The Mask
shared noir-influenced mystery, eccentric supernatural companion, and playful genre comedy
Movie Details
- Director
- Rob Letterman
- Release Date
- 2019-05-03
- Runtime
- 105 min
- Rating
- 6.9 / 10 (7377)
Cast
- Ryan Reynolds
- Justice Smith
- Kathryn Newton
- Bill Nighy
- Ken Watanabe
- Chris Geere
- Suki Waterhouse
- Josette Simon
- Alejandro De Mesa
- Rita Ora
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Plex
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Pokémon Detective Pikachu about?
- A grieving young man and a wisecracking Pokémon detective navigate a neon metropolis to solve the disappearance of his father.
- What is Pokémon Detective Pikachu like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Pokémon Detective Pikachu as brisk, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Pokémon Detective Pikachu violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in Pokémon Detective Pikachu as mild.
- What did critics think of Pokémon Detective Pikachu?
- Critics broadly appreciated the film’s colorful Pokémon world, visual effects, and Ryan Reynolds’s comic performance while finding the mystery story and dialogue uneven.
- Which films are like Pokémon Detective Pikachu?
- Films with a similar feel include Sonic the Hedgehog, The Smurfs, The Spiderwick Chronicles, and The Mask.
- How long is Pokémon Detective Pikachu?
- Pokémon Detective Pikachu runs 105 minutes.
- Where can I watch Pokémon Detective Pikachu?
- In United States, Pokémon Detective Pikachu is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Plex.
