The girls and I saw Pokémon Detective Pikachu last night, and we wanted to share our parental movie review with you. First, I’ll talk about the kid’s thoughts and my thoughts as a parent. Then, I’ll let you know my thoughts as someone that grew up with Pokémon.
TL;DR video version
Is Pokémon Detective Pikachu good for kids?
Detective Pikachu is rated PG and has a runtime of 1 hr 44 min. There are some times during the movie that there is profanity. I counted two hells and a damn.
There were a few scenes that the more evolved Pokémon were scary to my youngest. I saw her cover her eyes two or three times. 
Do you have to know anything about Pokémon to understand the movie?
One of the best parts about the Detective Pikachu movie is that you do not have to be a fan to understand or enjoy the film. My kids have never played a Pokémon game or seen the show or movie. The most they have seen are friends from school sharing their Pokémon cards (which make a cameo in the movie, see if you can catch it).
All of the actors even mentioned this as well. Parents that know about Pokémon will enjoy the nostalgia of seeing all the Pokémon for sure. But the kids were just as thrilled to see all the different creatures and their different powers.
“There is something in there for everyone,” Ryan Reynolds says. “Adults are just as excited to see the movie as kids are, so that’s when you know you’ve hit a sweet spot.”
The story itself is good as well. While younger children may not understand, it does have a human element.
“There is a lot to the story that’s relatable,” Justice Smith says. “At the center of the film, there is a very human story about a young man trying to reconcile his relationship with his father.”
Is there an end credit scene?
Short answer, nope. Feel free to head to the bathroom! 
Now on to my honest thoughts about the movie.
The nostalgia is real, fans of the franchise will enjoy seeing all the characters on the screen, and there are a LOT of characters. The only downside to this is that the story is based in a city that doesn’t allow Pokémon battles, which leaves a bunch of Pokémon just wandering the streets. I would have liked to have seen more action from the Pokémon.
There is a lot of hype for the movie, and I think fans may be a little let down because the movie is geared toward children. I read a headline recently that said there were enough adult outtakes to make an R rated movie. That is the movie I want to see, but maybe that’s because I’m a sucker for all things Ryan Reynolds.
There are some slow points that lag as well. As I mentioned, I think more Pokémon in action would have been a great addition.
Should you see Pokémon Detective Pikachu in theaters?
Yes, the cinematography and special effects are fantastic! This is still a great family movie. I just think adults that played it as kids may walk away wanting more.
Pokémon Detective Pikachu is in theaters May 10th! Get your tickets from Fandango or Atom Tickets ($5 off with code SQUAD)
The world of Pokémon comes to life!
The first-ever live-action Pokémon adventure, “POKÉMON Detective Pikachu” stars Ryan Reynolds as Detective Pikachu and is based on the beloved Pokémon brand—one of the world’s most popular, multi-generation entertainment properties and most successful media franchises of all time.
Fans everywhere can now experience a Pikachu on the big screen as never before, as Detective Pikachu, a Pokémon like no other. The film also showcases a wide array of beloved Pokémon, each with its own unique traits and personality.
The story begins when ace detective Harry Goodman goes mysteriously missing, prompting his 21-year-old son Tim to find out what happened. Aiding in the investigation is Harry’s former Pokémon partner, Detective Pikachu: a hilariously wise-cracking, adorable super-sleuth who is a puzzlement even to himself. Finding that they are uniquely equipped to work together, as Tim is the only human who can talk with Detective Pikachu, they join forces on a thrilling adventure to unravel the tangled mystery. Chasing clues together through the neon-lit streets of Ryme City—a sprawling, modern metropolis where humans and Pokémon live side by side in a hyper-realistic live-action world—they encounter a diverse cast of Pokémon and uncover a shocking plot that could destroy this peaceful co-existence and threaten the whole Pokémon universe.
“POKÉMON Detective Pikachu” also stars Justice Smith (“Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom”) as Tim, and Kathryn Newton (“Lady Bird,” TV’s “Big Little Lies”) as Lucy, a junior reporter following her first big story; as well as Suki Waterhouse (“Insurgent”), Omar Chaparro (“Overboard”), Chris Geere (TV’s “Modern Family”), and multi-platinum-selling singer/songwriter Rita Ora, with Oscar nominee Ken Watanabe (“The Last Samurai”) and Bill Nighy (“Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1”).
