Detective Pikachu (DP) is an enjoyable step into a world of Pokémon that begs for further exploration.  In the film, we meet Tim, a young man who has turned his back from the world of Pokémon, and the case of his dead detective father. We soon learn that Tim’s father may not be dead and in fact Tim and his dad’s Pokémon partner may be the only ones who can find him.

Thus, we are introduced to the heart and soul of the flick, Ryan Reynolds’ Detective Pikachu. Brought to life with signature Reynold’s charm and wit, the character effortlessly ingratiates itself upon the audience. Unfortunately, none of the human characters can hope to match Pikachu in terms of emotional investment.

The film plays out in a far more child friendly way then the trailers would have you believe. The film tells a simplistic story, until it inexplicably does not in the third act. It is not the story you will remember here, but the world that DP creates. Here, is a world full of Pokémon as imagined by a kid of the 90s. It’s all there, and true fans of the franchise will find Easter eggs throughout that hint at a larger world, that will hopefully be explored in sequels.

The stars of this film are the Pokémon themselves, who live in Rime City. In Rime City Pokémon and humans coexist in harmony. Have you ever wanted to see a Squirtle Squad fight fires? Or a Machamp direct traffic? DP gives you all that and more. While a lot of Pokémon make blink-and-you’ll-miss-it cameos, those given the chance to shine truly stand out. Mr. Mime in particular is a show stealer, and I could have easily watched his antics for hours.

If you ever considered yourself a fan of Pokémon, you owe it to yourself to go out and see this one. While it is not a cinema tour de force, it is a fun romp that shows what a world of Pokémon can look like. It’s a film worth catching. Get it? Cause you catch Pokémon? Alright I’m done.