Det känns stundtals nästan som att Pokémon finns på riktigt, och mitt 7-åriga jag, begravd under lager på lager av arthouse-rullar, jublar euforiskt.

Effektfullt, påkostat och välgjort om leksaker med vuxna bekymmer.

...this film introduces a Pokémon-noir element by which the Pikachu’s yellow fur becomes just about the brightest thing in the film’s color palette.

...almost works as a foundation for a franchise. If it’s hit, and it likely will be, I’ll actually look forward to returning to this world.

...as a buddy comedy it is heaps of fun.

Without Reynolds this would be pretty run-of-the-mill; with him it’s a perfectly acceptable family movie.

...from the second he appears, Detective Pikachu is Reynolds’ to command, his every wisecrack, protestation and throwaway aside generating a smile, a chuckle or a guffaw.

As the wisecracking voice of Pikachu, Ryan Reynolds deserves some sort of special citation for doing the best he can without Deadpool’s f-bombs...