Detective Pikachu should have said the F-word

This is almost the Ryan Reynolds movie we were promised

Cursing Pikachu.
(Image credit: Illustrated | Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures, AQtaro_neo/iStock)

When I first learned that foul-mouthed Deadpool actor Ryan Reynolds was going to be the voice of Pikachu in a new live-action Pokémon movie, I had only one question: Was Pikachu going to say the F-word?

Parents, relax: He doesn't. Pokémon Detective Pikachu, out Friday, is rated PG rating for nothing more provocative than "action/peril, some rude and suggestive humor, and thematic elements." It's family friendly. Here's the thing, though — Detective Pikachu would have been a much better movie if it was rated R.

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Jeva Lange

Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.