Sonic The Hedgehog 2 Movie Review
Sonic The Hedgehog 2 proves that video games can be successfully adapted into movies. We are back following Sonic who is trying to be a true hero after sending his nemesis, Dr. Robotnik, to his fate on the mushroom planet. Unfortunately, Dr. Robotnik returns with a new ally, the deadly warrior Knuckles. This movie had all the ingredients to make the perfect “video game movie sandwich” and it will leave fans wanting more peanut butter with that jelly.
A big reason why this movie works is because it respects the source material. Fans will be able to watch this and rejoice because nearly everything they loved about the Sonic video games is included, such as iconic characters like Knuckles and Tails, storylines involving the Chaos and Master Emeralds, and surprising end credits that won’t be spoiled in this review. By allowing itself to be accurate to the games, this movie shows a wider audience the true side of what makes this franchise so beloved in the first place.
This movie even feels like the games when it gets into its fast paced action sequences. My favorite scene is when Sonic is running through an ancient temple that’s rigged with booby traps; and much like a player would do while playing the games, Sonic miraculously avoids all the traps. He ricochets off walls and spins past every flying spear while chaos erupts around him. It’s moments like this that not only create a sense of nostalgia for fans of the games, but also heart pumping fun for the average movie goer.
The performances of the cast were another big part of this movie’s success. Ben Schwartz returns as Sonic and he does a great job showing both the good natured yet naive side of Sonic. Colleen O’Shaughnessey reprises her role in this movie to voice Tails, as she does in the video games and TV shows. She does fantastic work making Tails the adorable, yet highly intelligent sidekick who wants nothing more than to help Sonic on his quest. Idris Elba makes his debut as Knuckles and his performance was similar to that of Drax from the Guardians of the Galaxy movies. Elba made the character strong, yet extremely gullible which led to some funny interactions with the other characters. Finally, Jim Carrey returns as Dr. Robotnik and this was a role he was born to play. He brings his “90s Carrey Energy” to the character which makes him hilarious to watch, but he also shows the intelligence of Robotnik. This makes him a goofy yet legitimate threat that the audience has to take seriously.
While mostly targeting children, Sonic The Hedgehog 2 is an enjoyable experience for the entire family and one could argue that it is the best video game movie of all time. Movie goers “gotta go fast” and watch this movie.
