Pokémon Detective Pikachu

Reynolds is in his element when allowed to be goofy, and this stuff is nothing if not surreal, especially in the second act.

For a while, the first live-action Pokemon movie's achievements are enough.

Fortunately, the ever-likeable Reynolds is equal to the task, channelling the savvy exuberance (but not the rude bits) of his Deadpool persona.

Detective Pikachu is unrelentingly weird.

Oil and water. Toothpaste and orange juice. Good decisions and Florida. Some things just don't go together, and you can add Ryan Reynolds' voice and Pikachu to that list.

There's something admirable about a film that isn't afraid to have some fun with a property so established - and beloved - by its core audience.

It's just these little touches of maximum effort (oops, wrong Ryan Reynolds movie!) that make Detective Pikachu as strong as it is-that, and, of course, Ryan Reynolds' energetic, generous voice acting.

The filmmakers leave a lot on the table, failing to use its genre to its fullest potential.

DETECTIVE PIKACHU has some fun moments and good elements, but mostly it's a messy movie that is never really engaging or as fun as it should be.

This is basically a buddy film. Buddies in which one is human and the other is an animated character.