Hey everyone! I took two weeks off as I have been pretty sick. I joked that some weeks I don’t love seeing a new movie but I truly missed it in the last two weeks.
The good news is I’m on the mend and we are BACK. We have another sequel this week. Surprise…Surprise…but it has a bit of a twist on it. This isn’t a superhero film, or action film (for the most part) but it is based on a beloved video game series called Sonic the Hedgehog.
The first film was released in 2020 and it was fun. Sonic is a CGI character but it is peppered with live-action cast members and has Jim Carrey as the evil Dr. Robotnik. He is zany and fun in the first film and kicks it up a notch this time around. This game series holds fond memories for me.
I remember being a child and playing all of them on the Sega Genesis. My brother Aaron would come in and would ask to play so I would give him a controller. He didn’t realize his character wasn’t actually controlled by him and would fly on and off the screen. He still helped in spirit though! Years later after this realization came out he was not happy. Sorry Aaron! Ok so would these be another cookie-cutter sequel…a cash grab hinging on nostalgia? Onto the film.
We open with the infamous rings that Sonic would collect during the games as the opening credits roll. I immediately was taken back to 8-year-old me trying to take down Robotnik. We then cut to a different world and see how the world is alive. We see it is Dr. Robotnik (Carrey) drinking some type of fungi drink and realize he is in the world Sonic sent him to with his defeat in the last film.
Jim Carrey is zany and wild and THAT MUSTACHE. He’s trying to get off this world and get back to world domination. Spoiler alert he does. However, by accident, it seems. A portal opens after a failed attempt to start a spaceship and goons come through to attack him. Dr. Robotnik (Carrey) makes quick work and heads off to the portal but out steps….KNUCKLES (Elba.) Fans of the game will remember this character as a nemesis and then partner for Sonic. He’s the big bad this time around with Dr. Robotnik. They are off to find Sonic.
We then cut to Seattle and see a police chase in progress. Sonic (Schwartz) is ready to leap into action (literally) to help save the day. The wisecracks are aplenty. HOWEVER….Sonic does not save the day. In throwing out bombs one getting into the waterlines and destroys EVERYTHING.
The robber yells at him and lets him know he’s a “TERRIBLE HERO.” Sonic is clueless. We then see him head back to Green Hills with his family Tom (Marsden) and Maddie (Sumpter) and when news comes that he actually wasn’t the hero he thought he was Sonic is devastated. I won’t give more of the plot away but you can see where this is headed. We have our hero (with the help of his friends) try to find their purpose and to “fill” the shoes they have and also combat the big bads.
The movie is cute. Obviously, this is aimed toward kids, but there is adult humor for the parents and also if you’re just a fan of the games. In comparison to the last film, I feel it is an improvement with the new characters (Knuckles, Tails, etc.) even if the story does feel slightly like a retread of the last film.
The CGI works and thankfully the creators of the last film reworked how Sonic looks (it was a disaster before the first film was released.) If you’re a fan of the video game series or the last film go see this. Jim Carrey is Jim Carrey…slightly unhinged and a touch annoying but he is pandering to the kids in the audience and they will love him.
You can do much worse for a film and although it isn’t Sing 2…yes that’s still our best film so far of 2022 it is a lot of fun. If the story were fleshed out a little more I could see a higher score but we have a solid 3 ½ stars out of 5…Next week we will be back into Hogwarts with another film in the Harry Potter Universe.
