I have very little to say about both Sonic the Hedgehog the character or this movie. I didn’t grow up on Sonic. I had a friend or two with a Sega Genesis growing up, and I would occasionally play a Sonic game for a few minutes. That’s about it. In addition to a lack of nostalgic affection for the character, I’m also pretty checked out of video games in general, and I’m a not a child under 13. In other words, there’s not a lot targeting me for this movie.
It feels too soon for there to be another Sonic the Hedgehog movie. That’s due to a combination of factors. It’s one of my last pre-pandemic memories, and it’s easy to forget that COVID has been a threat/nuisance for over 2 years now. The first Sonic film also had a lengthy post-production to correct the character design. That left a lot of time to prepare for a sequel before the first was even released.
On paper, I’d say Sonic the Hedgehog 2 is everything it needs to be. With Sonic’s place in the “real” world established, this installment can lean more heavily into the video game elements. Enter Tails and Knuckles: the two most famous franchise characters left out of the first movie. As enjoyable as James Marsden, Tika Sumpter, and Natasha Rothwell are, they don’t have as much to do in this movie. It’s all about Sonic and Tails vs. Knuckles and Dr. Robotnik (Jim Carrey). They are all fighting for some kind of all-powerful emerald. You know, something to fight over. That’s all that matters.
Ben Schwartz remains a delight as the voice of Sonic. Idris Elba is appropriate as the voice of Knuckles. I like that they got a professional voice actor in Colleen O’Shaughnessy to voice Tails. I get that having a familiar face to do the interview circuit is nice, but getting O’Shaughnessy at least gives the appearance of search for the best voice and not the most famous face. All the human actors are game for whatever. Whenever Carrey takes a role like this, it feels like he’s unleashing years of stored energy that he’s held in since The Truman Show. It’s nice to see.
I don’t know. It’s a kid’s movie. It’s very targeted to younger audiences. There’s a little humor meant for the adults in the room and it touches on some larger thematic points. But ultimately, I could feel the movie not trying to speak to me. And that’s OK. It’s just why I’m so tepid on the movie overall. Since I don’t have much in terms of nostalgia or franchise knowledge, I couldn’t use that as an in either. Sonic the Hedgehog 2 is a perfectly fine movie. I’m happy they are doing this franchise and doing it pretty well. It’s as good as it needs to be. It’s funny, not hilarious. The action is good but it’s probably not winning the director a Marvel or John Wick movie. The emotion is present but not undeniable. The performances are delightful but no one is raising any eyebrows.
Verdict: Weakly Don’t Recommend
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