The problem with Ryan Reynolds voicing the titular character in the upcoming “Detective Pikachu” film is that it’s hard to hear anything other than Deadpool when the cute little Pokémon opens its mouth. If you, like myself, can’t possibly stop imagining Deadpool as the voice of Pikachu in the film, then the latest ‘Pokémon’ spin-off has an added layer of weird. And considering all that’s going on in this film, that’s saying something.
From what the first trailer shows viewers, “Detective Pikachu” stars Justice Smith as the son of a hotshot detective that has to find out what happened when his father mysteriously disappears. Sounds fairly straight-forward, right? Well, that’s when you realize the world that Tim (Smith) inhabits is populated by Pokémon, and that includes Detective Pikachu, voiced by Deadpoo…err, Ryan Reynolds. Detective Pikachu is not only a great detective, but also the former partner of Tim’s missing father. Except, here’s the rub — only Tim can understand what Pikachu is saying.
Anyway, Tim and the little yellow pocket monster attempt to solve the mystery of the missing detective, all while meeting all sorts of other Pokémon along the way. It’s weird. But somehow all makes sense. And you thought a foul-mouthed jokester superhero would be the oddest role that Ryan Reynolds ever took.
“Detective Pikachu” hits theaters May 10, 2019.
Here’s the synopsis:
The story begins when ace detective Harry Goodman goes mysteriously missing, prompting his 21-year-old son Tim to find out what happened. Aiding in the investigation is Harry’s former Pokémon partner, Detective Pikachu: a hilariously wise-cracking, adorable super-sleuth who is a puzzlement even to himself. Finding that they are uniquely equipped to communicate with one another, Tim and the Pokemon join forces on a thrilling adventure to unravel the tangled mystery. Chasing clues together through the neon-lit streets of Ryme City—a sprawling, modern metropolis where humans and Pokémon live side by side in a hyper-realistic live-action world—they encounter a diverse cast of Pokémon characters and uncover a shocking plot that could destroy this peaceful co-existence and threaten the whole Pokémon universe.
