By now most people have seen the “controversy” surrounding this film. With its old jokes, out of place use of music, and most importantly, the design of the lead hedgehog himself. But by some miracle, the film studio listened to fan backlash and changed it. Sadly though, the only good thing about Sonic the Hedgehog is the titular character himself, the rest is dated, hokey, and unfunny.
Unfortunately, this film doesn’t make a good case for the video game adaptation like its previous competitor Detective Pikachu. Instead the plot is sloppy, characters are one-dimensional, and the script is so horrendous and inconsistent that it feels like you are watching two different films at once.
Born on an unknown mysterious planet, Sonic the hedgehog has a special gift. But that leads him to be the target of a lot of bad people. He has been on the run for his whole life, until he reaches Green Hills in the US on planet Earth, where he spends most of his life hiding and observing the locals that he so wishes could be his friends. Then when a surge of power caused by a bad emotional episode causes a massive country wide blackout, and he must flee yet again, this time from the evil Dr. Robotnik.
Gotta Go Fast
By far the best thing about this film is Sonic. Somehow, he transcends the rest of the subpar quality by being likeable, clever, and genuinely funny. It’s clear the animators put their hearts into making him come to life.
With things like running through a speed trap just to see how fast he can go or playing baseball by himself as all of the players on both teams, he is charming and surprisingly human. A big part of this stamp of quality is voice actor Ben Schwartz. His voice brings the character its charisma and comedic wit.
Sadly though, nothing else in the film lives up to the standard set by the titular blue blur. Most of the jokes from other characters feel like they were lifted from a film created back in the earlier 2000’s, and not in the nostalgic, quirky kind of way, but in the dated and unfunny way.
As mentioned before Sonic the Hedgehog is like watching two separate films: one with this loveable blue critter who just wants friends and not to feel lonely anymore, and the other about fart jokes and unlikeable adults.
The Verdict
So despite my thoughts, the laughter I heard in the theatre means this is a good film for children. The surface level slapstick and silly characters make for an enjoyable hundred minutes to occupy kids. Parents though, might just want to consider dropping them off and looking for something else to watch.
Sonic the Hedgehog himself is charming, loveable, and fun. The rest of his movie is bland, boring, and not funny.
Sonic the Hedgehog
4 out of 10.
1 Hr 40 mins. Adventure, Comedy, action.
Directed by Jeff Fowler.
Starring Ben Schwartz, James Marsden, and Jim Carrey.
