Pokémon: Detective Pikachu 3D Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		5.0
Audio		4.5
Extras		3.5
Overall		4.0

Pokémon: Detective Pikachu 3D Blu-ray Movie Review

An entertaining adaptation with a stunning 3D presentation

Growing up a massive Poké fan, I was obsessed with all things Pokemon and was heavily invested with the trading cards, video games, manga, and anime series. Trading Pokemon cards was a regular part of life. Going to trading card game events at Toys R Us was a weekend event. I even went to see all three Warner Bros released anime films as they were released into cinemas. I wondered what a live-action Pokemon film would resemble should one ever be produced. I finally got my answer with Detective Pikachu. The results? Decidedly mixed.

The thing about Detective Pikachu is that it has an enormous amount of references and throwbacks to both the anime series and video-games. These moments make the film much more fun to experience. However, the filmmaking itself is uneven and the concept sounds better on paper than it plays out to some degree. (Having Ryan Reynolds voice Pikachu is truly bizarre even if the actor has clear fun playing the part.) The resulting film feels like a nostalgia-laden big-budget Pokemon adaptation primarily aimed at the casual fans (die-hard enthusiasts will find things to nitpick more).

Even if the film feels uneven there's plenty to enjoy about the feature and even big Pokemon fans will have a good time watching it unfold. The CGI effects are superb and are far more impressive than I expected. Though the production has some strange shifting styles utilized for the Pokemon (Pikachu, Jigglypuff, and others were animated in a style inspired by the anime while Pokemon like Charizard, Machamp, and others were designed to look more realistic than the “softer” Pokemon counter-parts) and this shift in design concepts took me out of the illusion of the filmmaking, the overall style of the production leaves an impressive mark. Heavily inspired by Blade Runner, the cyberpunk tone of the direction is engaging and memorable.

"Is it just me or am I insanely adorable?"

To read more on the film and release please refer to the review published by my fellow Blu-ray.com colleague, Randy Miller III. Please note my rating on the film itself is my own opinion on the film.

Pokémon: Detective Pikachu 3D Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

This one is a stunner in 3D. Pokemon: Detective Pikachu arrives on Blu-ray with a 1080p MPEG-4 MVC high definition presentation in the original theatrical aspect ratio of 2.39:1 widescreen. After seeing the film with the added benefits of the third-dimension it's hard even imaging the film in 2D. There are so many creative uses of the 3D medium in this presentation and during the second-half of the feature (during the climatic battle scenes in particular) the 3D amps up considerably for a hugely immersive presentation that has a great amount of pop-out depth and style.

The 3D effect creates edge-of-your-seat entertainment and the final battle looks truly awe-inspiring. The first half of the film is a little less consistent looking than the second half (and I noticed minor crosstalk during a few scenes). Yet the overall effect of the 3D is one which greatly enhanced my appreciation of the filmmaking. The color palette is dark and noir infused yet the 3D never feels too dark or dim (resulting in a loss of clarity). Detail in the image is impressive and the film has a strong visual presence. While this transfer is not a non-stop pop-out 3D presentation, the added depth brings one closer to the story.

Pokémon: Detective Pikachu 3D Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Unlike either the Blu-ray or 4K release of Detective Pikachu (both of which feature a Dolby Atmos surround sound mix), the 3D Blu-ray edition contains something different: a 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio presentation. The lossless track might not be an identical mix to other presentations but the quality of the audio is certainly superb. This surround mix is no slouch. Don't underestimate DTS surround sound and it's power.

This is an impressive sound design which has great bass reproduction and overall sonic clarity. Dialogue reproduction is exceptional and is crystal clear throughout. The surround sound design is immersive and engaging with great use of every speaker for a dynamic and pulse-pounding aural experience. While there is a little less sound heard over-head that would be found on the more atmospheric Atmos sound mix 3D fans shouldn't feel dissuaded by the exceptional quality DTS-HD MA sound mix. There is plenty of great LFE and dynamics to stun one.

Pokémon: Detective Pikachu 3D Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

For more information regarding the supplements included on the release please refer to the review published by my fellow Blu-ray.com colleague, Randy Miller III.

Pokémon: Detective Pikachu 3D Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Detective Pikachu is an entertaining action-adventure that has enough charm to make it worth the time of Pokémon fans of all ages. Though the filmmaking isn't ever as impressive as its core concept, the action and call-backs to the franchise roots makes it a fun diversion. The film is even more entertaining with the added depth of 3D and any fans equipped for seeing it in 3D should consider this a must-own disc with its immersive presentation. Recommended.