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As warnings of a pandemic loomed in February 2020, Sonic the Hedgehog surprisingly charmed audiences in a pre-covid box-office, proving that pleasing video game movies can be produced. Director Jeff Fowler returns to find magic in the blue speedster once again with the addition of two famous characters for the second entry, Tails and Knuckles.
Similar to most sequels, Sonic the Hedgehog 2 falls slightly short of achieving its goal, but there are rewards to experience here beyond the addition of iconic characters. This includes some surprises that will have fans of the classic games drooling with nostalgia.
The sequel sees the return of Ben Schwartz as the voice of Sonic, who at the start of the film is trying to be a vigilante under the alias of "Blue Justice." But the wisecracking hedgehog is not as skillful at being a friendly neighborhood protector as Spider-Man. Upon returning home, Tom (James Marsden) confronts Sonic about the incident and urges him to not rush into being a hero, adding that one day his powers will be needed at the right moment. Meanwhile, Dr. Ivo Robotnik (Jim Carrey) remains trapped in the same dimension without a ring to escape before Knuckles the Echidna (Idris Elba) comes along to recruit the mustached villain.
The choice of Idris Elba as the voice of Knuckles is inspired casting. He has the right amount of intimidation and charisma in his voice acting to make this character a show-stealer. And the character design is hilariously appropriate as Knuckles is written as a half-baked brawler, possibly influenced by Rocky Balboa.
Knuckles with the help of Robotnik wait until Sonic is alone in Tom and Maddie's (Tika Sumpter) house. Once they leave for a destination wedding, Sonic is ambushed by the duo and Knuckles demands information on the whereabouts of an Emerald. But what none of them expect, is the arrival of an ally in the form of Tails. From here, the film is basically a race to obtain the Emerald between the heroes and the villains.
The adventure within the sequel remains as infectious as ever due to its two opposing leads. Ben Schwartz is great in everything, but he truly was born to voice the character of Sonic. Placing his banter opposite of Jim Carrey keeps the energy alive much like it did in the first movie. Carrey's role of Robotnik is somehow nuttier in the sequel. But he clearly has a fondness for the role and has even written a comic for the character.
Sonic the Hedgehog 2, however, suffers from the same issues that plagued the Transformers movies. That franchise had a tendency to veer off course and feed the audience unnecessary humorous plots surrounding humans, while the audience keeps waiting for more Optimus Prime. This plot comes to a complete halt in the middle with a subplot involving Rachel's wedding. The sequence has action but serves no purpose to the overall movie and could have been trimmed down mercifully, especially since the film is slightly over two hours in runtime.
Another issue is the film will undoubtedly age poorly due to the visual effects. The character designs are obviously better than the original that was previewed back in 2019. But Sonic the Hedgehog 2 has similar issues to Death on the Nile, where it is abundantly clear the locations are artificial like a weatherman reporting the rain. Still, for a movie in this category, it's a flaw that can be easily forgiven since it revolves around a talking hedgehog.
Beyond the setbacks, it is hard to picture how gamers from the Sega Genesis generation could hate this film. The sequel has more nods and references to the Sega games than the first movie. This includes the music, the playable levels, and even a surprise towards the end that will make the millennial gamer smile uncontrollably. Even the big climactic battle feels truer to the game's big boss battles from the '90s video games. One major issue with video game movies of the past is that the filmmakers directing and writing said films did not seem to understand the properties they were adapting. The sequel continues to exemplify that having a love for the games (or even growing up playing them as a child) is important for the final product.
Sonic the Hedgehog 2 might be a sophomore slump but even so, it remains better than almost all video game movies in existence. This is a franchise that could have easily fallen victim to the atrocities of other animated/live-action movies based on nostalgia, such as Tom & Jerry or Alvin and the Chipmunks. With Sonic the Hedgehog 2, the creative team continues to make films that respect children and cater to the hearts of those who grew up playing Sonic on that Sega console.
Sonic the Hedgehog 2 is now in theaters.
Sonic the Hedgehog 2
The iconic blue hedgehog is back in Sonic the Hedgehog 2, eager to prove himself as a hero. And when Dr. Robotnik escapes his prison, it seems he'll have his chance. This film introduces viewers to beloved characters Tails and Knuckles, in another mad dash for adventure.