Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (2022) - SPOILER-FREE Review
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© 2021 Par. Pics. & SEGA
Directed by: Jeff Fowler
Written by: Pat Casey, Josh Miller, John Whittington
Starring: James Marsden, Ben Schwartz, Tika Sumpter, Natasha Rothwell, Adam Pally, Shemar Moore, Colleen O'Shaughnessey, Idris Elba, Jim Carrey
Runtime: 122 min
Synopsis: After settling in Green Hills, Sonic (Ben Schwartz) is eager to prove he has what it takes to be a true hero. His test comes when Dr. Robotnik (Jim Carrey) returns, this time with a new partner, Knuckles (Idris Elba), in search for an emerald that has the power to destroy civilizations. Sonic teams up with his own sidekick, Tails (Colleen O'Shaughnessey), and together they embark on a globe-trotting journey to find the emerald before it falls into the wrong hands.
© 2021 Par. Pics. & SEGA
The famous curse of videogame adaptations has gradually been battled more efficiently. Although an awe-inspiring work almost unanimously acclaimed by critics and audiences alike is still missing, some movies have already managed to stand out as pleasant viewing experiences. The inconsistency in the quality of these adaptations remains, but fortunately, Sonic the Hedgehog 2 is one of the most positive examples. Not only does Jeff Fowler (Sonic the Hedgehog) delivers a sequel superior to its predecessor, but it also guarantees a third film to complete a trilogy that could become quite (re)visited.
Many of the 2020 adaptation problems are successfully tackled in this second installment. One of them was related to the most entertaining moments, i.e., the action-adventure sequences. In the first film, since Sonic (Ben Schwartz) is the sole hedgehog, the fighting, chasing, or other action scenes involved human characters, ending up with a mix of real and animated elements that didn't always work out in the best way - it's noteworthy to recall that the studio delayed the movie due to the hideous animation of the first version of the hedgehog. This time, these sequences are drastically improved, with Tails (Colleen O'Shaughnessey) as the blue protagonist's sidekick and Knuckles (Idris Elba) as a worthy enemy.
From the clearly enhanced visual effects to the colorful surroundings and stunning locations, Sonic the Hedgehog 2 has action and adventure in more than enough quantity and quality to leave kids and adults alike mesmerized. All the set pieces involving the hedgehogs are superbly animated, and even throwing Dr. Robotnik (Jim Carrey) in the middle of everything came out well. The next problem with the original was related to how it reeked of a "corporate flick". The irritating focus on free advertising to franchise partners distracted viewers from the story and characters. The sequel eliminates these more "industrial" elements and even takes advantage of this general criticism of the first film to provide some good jokes.
© 2021 Par. Pics. & SEGA
Finally, another tricky situation was the presence of humans and how they affected the main narrative. Sonic the Hedgehog 2 still hasn't come up with the perfect idea of what to do with the characters of James Marsden (Westworld), Tika Sumpter (The Nomads) and other irrelevant characters. Screenwriters Pat Casey & Josh Miller (Shotgun Wedding) and John Whittington (The Lego Batman Movie) decided to follow a commonly used formula for dealing with these types of problems and put all the human characters - except Dr. Robotnik, obviously - in a generic, uninteresting subplot.
The adventure featuring the three CGI hedgehogs is even more serious and realistic than the marriage full of ridiculous twists between the extremely absurd human characters. The sometimes abrupt shifts between the two distinct plot points don't favor the tone and pacing of Sonic the Hedgehog 2. Even the overall screenplay follows a formulaic story that has been seen thousands of times before, but truth be told, no one anticipates watching a movie about Sonic's adventures and receiving a complex narrative with deep themes and incredibly explored characters. In addition to this, the third act holds crazy developments that will leave any viewer who's a fan of the famous saga completely ecstatic.
© 2021 Par. Pics. & SEGA
Impossible not to mention and congratulate the phenomenal voice work by Schwartz (Rumble), O'Shaughnessey (Toy Story 3), and Elba (The Suicide Squad). The first remains endearing and funny as Sonic, while the second becomes the first voice from the original games to play the same character in the cinematic version. However, it's actually Elba who steals the spotlight with a hilarious performance, in part due to the admittedly clever script. Both Tails and Knuckles are explored beyond what I anticipated, as is the mythology surrounding their existence, the tribes each hedgehog belongs to, and the entire history behind their worlds. Carrey as Robotnik is Hollywood casting at its perfect best.
As a kid who grew up with Nintendo games and characters more than SEGA, I was genuinely surprised by the number of references I was aware of in Sonic the Hedgehog 2. Indeed, some videogames break all barriers, becoming influential in some shape or form in our lives, even if we haven't played some as much as others. Exemplary messages for the kids are still present, and the nostalgia adults will inevitably feel it's well rewarded. The post-credits scene will get people jumping from their seats…
© 2021 Par. Pics. & SEGA
Final Thoughts
Sonic the Hedgehog 2 is a vastly superior sequel to the first adaptation. Jeff Fowler works with his screenwriting team to fix some of the issues with the original flick, successfully managing to create a much less corporate work, more focused on Sonic and, this time, also Tails and Knuckles, in addition to putting humans aside in a subplot that, even so, still bothered more than it should. Taking advantage of phenomenal voice acting from the cast, as well as an already iconic performance by Jim Carrey as Dr. Robotnik, entertainment levels soar tremendously as the action-adventure sequences amaze viewers with praiseworthy animation and visual effects, as well as an engaging main narrative that expands on the origin of the hedgehogs while simultaneously developing the same characters. Fun for kids and adults alike.
