For many of us, Pokemon was a big part of our childhood and while there have been some animated films that have made their way to both big and small screens, it was probably hard for many of us to picture a live-action Pokemon film. However, in 2019 we finally have the chance to bear witness to it and I’ll be entirely honest when I say that I enjoyed every moment of Detective Pikachu.

The film begins with Harry Goodman (one of the best detectives in Ryme City) going missing. Seemingly dead, with his Pokemon partner suffering the same fate, Detective Yoshida (Ken Watanabe) contacts Goodman’s son, former Pokemon trainer, Tim (Justice Smith) and tries to offer insight on what may have happened. Feeling defeated, Tim heads to his father’s apartment, only to be confronted with a young reporter named, Lucy (Kathryn Newton). An up-and-comer on the news scene, Lucy is tired of her intern life and is looking for the story that could lead to her big break. Lucy believes that she’s onto something that involves the disappearance of Tim’s father and while she wants to talk to him about it, Tim is far from interested in giving Lucy any interviews.

When searching his father’s place, Tim runs into something quite unexpected – a Pikachu (voiced by Ryan Reynolds), who was his father’s partner in the Ryme City Police Department. Oddly, Tim is able to understand what the cute yellow creature is saying beyond just the usual, “Pika, pika!” and both Tim and Pikachu want to know how they can understand one another so well. Pikachu convinces Tim that if he is still alive, that perhaps Harry is as well, and the dynamic duo head out on a mystery-filled adventure with the help of Lucy and her Psyduck. Along the way, we meet many familiar and new Pokemon and discover something that is dangerous to Pokemon and the world.

I’ll be completely transparent, I didn’t know what to expect when the film was first announced. However, the Rob Letterman directed film surprised me. Detective Pikachu is the kind of film that is enjoyable for people of all ages, and while it is geared toward fans of the Pokemon realm, it is still a movie that will appeal to those who aren’t die-hards of the fandom. As I said in my social media reaction on Twitter, Detective Pikachu is definitely cuteness overload. It truly has something that will appeal to everyone – there’s mystery, fun, action, comedy and a huge amount of heart. Reynolds and Smith make a great team, and the audience will certainly be rooting for them throughout the film. Joined by Newton’s Lucy and her Psyduck sidekick, the quartet make for a great team.

In addition, the film certainly has a great grasp on a plethora of Pokemon throughout the universe. Not only are viewers treated to some of the older Pokemon who were there from the beginning of the phenomenon, but the movie also showcases some of the newer creatures as well, and they all have their parts to play in Ryme City. Whether they are out in the wild, being detective partners, or just following around their human best friends, all of the Pokemon in the film are fun to watch. All of it made me excited to see more Pokemon brought to life on the big screen.

Detective Pikachu is definitely a movie you should add to your watchlist. Here’s hoping this film is the beginning of Pokemon-inspired movie universe, because I can’t wait to see what’s next in store for the yellow, electricity-filled detective!

Detective Pikachu makes its way into theaters on May 10.