Sonic The Hedgehog — Movie Review
by KJ Proulx
Aside from maybe 2018’s version of Tomb Raider or Pokemon: Detective Pikachu, most films based on video games either terribly miss the mark or bomb at the box office. Although the video game industry is booming and probably always will be, the need for game-to-film adaptations doesn’t seem to have any benefit for movie studios. That’s a pretty sad truth because movies like Sonic The Hedgehog deserve some recognition. Now, this film is far from great, but in terms of adapting a video game, this may just be the best one yet.
Having to flee from his homeworld via a teleportation ring, a fast, blue hedgehog by the name of Sonic ends up on Earth at a very young age. Having to fend for himself for many years, he eventually is hunted by a mad scientist and befriended by a man named Tom (James Marsden). Their bond has them eventually working together against the evil Dr. Robotnik (Jim Carrey). This movie is less like the video game and more of a “What If?” scenario for the character of Sonic. Personally, I found myself attached to the story and many of the elements made it an even more enjoyable experience.
Where this movie shines the most is the fact that they made such a likable feature film version of Sonic. Ben Schwartz does a great job voicing him and James Marsden did such a great job playing off a character that wasn't even there. Normally, scenarios like this seem cheap and laughable, but the bond between the two felt pretty real, even if Sonic didn’t feel all that real. On top of their bond, the threat of Jim Carrey’s Dr. Robotnik was a blast to witness. Although he is tamed down for kids, which is who this whole movie is really aimed at, he delivers a fun performance that felt like he was channelling his 1990’s roots.
if you stick around to catch a scene in the mid-credits at the end, you’ll see that they’re planning on expanding this world in future installments and I really hope they do. This film was a nice little story, that also nicely set up a sequel I would gladly see. Yes, this movie was missing all the other classic Sonic characters, but this was also a nice move, saving the fan service stuff for later. For kids, adults, and fans of the video games, there’s a lot to enjoy here, but it’s also nothing you haven't already seen, so keep that in mind.
In the end, Sonic The Hedgehog delivers a fun experience for all ages. The story is something you’ve already seen in nearly every movie that involves a character coming to Earth from another world, but that doesn’t mean it still can’t be effective. This is a heartwarming story of the bond between a human and an alien essentially, but it’s different enough. I’m normally not someone who champions for a sequel to be immediately made for a film, but I believe this one was good enough to deserve another go around. If you’re looking for a harmless good time, Sonic The Hedgehog may just fit that description for you.
Rating: 3.5/5
Check out the trailer below:
