Sonic the Hedgehog was applauded in 2020 for being as good as it was. Was it the perfect video game movie that fans had been searching for? No, not even close. However, it was a fun movie aimed at kids that treated the property with respect despite some wild leaps. That said, it could have been a lot worse if that original design was kept for Sonic.
Sonic the Hedgehog 2 makes even more bizarre choices with the series’ lore, which is also fine. It is a better movie on some accounts but it also falls close to the original’s scores. Again, this movie, and its predecessor, aren’t going to win any awards anytime soon, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t plenty of things to love about Sonic the Hedgehog 2. To properly highlight the best bits in the movie, there will be spoilers ahead.
8 Idris Elba As Knuckles
When Idris Elba was first announced to be playing Knuckles, some fans of the series may have been baffled. That might be too badass of a voice for Knuckles. Also, Elba is a huge star to be joining a movie for kids. Well, it turns out that this brooding actor was the perfect choice for the role.
Elba brings some very Thor-like energy to Knuckles as he is a fish out of water with poetic language. His constant misunderstandings of Earth customs make up the bulk of the laughs that Sonic the Hedgehog 2 will receive.
7 Super Sonic Appears
One of the best moments of hype for longtime fans of the series should come toward the end of Sonic the Hedgehog 2. Sonic turns into his Super Sonic form when he absorbs the Master Emerald. This was a moment that was easily predicted by fans, but an enjoyable one nonetheless.
As the Master Emerald was known to be in the movie, it always seemed likely that Sonic’s ultimate form would appear. The fight scene that follows is great, but the finale of this transformation involving Sonic summoning chili dogs out of thin air was the metaphorical icing on the cake.
6 Tails Is Adorable
Colleen O'Shaughnessey has been doing the voice of Tails since 2014. She is the only voice actor from the series, be it from the anime or the games, to have a main role in the movie. That’s how iconic her performance is and how adored by the fans she is.
O'Shaughnessey does a great job making this movie’s version of Tails seem both new and classic. Tails is an adorable little inventor that is in awe of Sonic and all of his hijinks even if the audience isn’t as enthused with the rapid-fire jokes all the time.
5 The Pixelated Credits
The first movie had pixelated credits which were a nice homage to the classic games. Sonic the Hedgehog 2 also has pixelated credits which are equally good, if not better.
If fans have not checked out the movie yet, then they can take a sneak peek at some of these credits with Kid Cudi’s music video for “Stars in the Sky.” That’s the theme song of this film. The credits may be better but the song isn’t as great as the original film’s “Speed Me Up” by Wiz Khalifa, though both deserve a listen.
4 The Potential Of Shadow
Sonic transforming into his Super Saiyan-like form was a badass moment even if it was admittedly predictable. However, what might have actually shocked fans the most was the reveal of Shadow the Hedgehog in an underwater base.
Some fans may have thought that the next movie’s villain would be someone like Metal Sonic. Dr. Robotnik could still create a robotic version of Sonic too. Movies can have more than one villain. The bigger question is, will Shadow get twin guns? That would be wild.
3 The Sanic Puppet
Two classic memes involving Sonic get showcased in the movie. The first is a doll that Dr. Robotnik makes during his stay on the mushroom planet. He keeps crushing him for his morning mushroom coffee. This could be a reference to Sanic.
The clearer homage to Sanic is the puppet Sonic creates to fool Tom while he is away fighting crime and eating chili dogs. It is a hilarious puppet accompanied by a litany of fart jokes. Take or leave the flatulence, but the puppet is funny to look at if not somewhat horrifying as well.
2 The Snow Scene
Sonic the Hedgehog 2 may not measure up in every department, but it really ups its game when it comes to creating action set pieces. In that respect, it is a much bigger movie than its predecessor and a lot more exciting to boot.
The snowboarding scene might be the best action scene in the movie, although the robot fight is fun too. This snowboarding chase could be a reference to Sonic’s many sports spinoff titles including Sonic Riders. Whether that is an Easter Egg or not doesn’t matter. It is a thrill ride. Plus it has some decent stunts.
1 The Elaborateness Of GUN’s Sting
Rachel, Tom’s wife’s sister, is getting married in Sonic the Hedgehog 2. This revelation may have been a bit shocking to viewers as Rachel was single in the first movie. Not a lot of time has transpired after the first movie either, so things apparently happened pretty quickly with her fiancé, Randall.
Well, it turns out that Randall was actually an undercover agent working for the newly formed GUN organization. They needed someone to get close to Tom to then get Sonic. This plot point is so elaborate that it’s hard not to laugh at. Poor Rachel.
Sonic the Hedgehog 2 is in theaters now.