christian movie review sonic the hedgehog

Sonic the Hedgehog 2

Reviewed by: Alexander Malsan CONTRIBUTOR

Importance of courage and bravery

The true definition of a hero

Importance of family

Evil scientist

Extraterrestrial superhero

Movies based on video games

Robots and robotic drones

Prequel: “ Sonic the Hedgehog ” (2020)

E ver since Sonic defeated Dr. Robotnik and banished him to the Mushroom Planet things have been relatively quiet in Green Hills. So, Sonic has been sneaking out at night as his alias, “The Blue Justice,” fighting crime in Seattle to prove to his friend/guardian Tom ( James Marsden ) that he is grown up and responsible and ready to take on new challenges. However, Tom believes Sonic still has some growing up to do before then. Well, when opportunity presents itself…

Meanwhile, on the Mushroom Planet, Dr Robtonik has been living in solitude for almost an entire year, plotting his revenge and trying to find a way to return to Earth. When he is finally able to open a portal, however, a mysterious creature, an echidna named Knuckles ( Idris Elba ) appears. Knuckles notices a blue quill in Robotnik’s hand. “Where did you get that?” he exclaims. “I’ll tell you, but only if you help me return to Earth,” Robotnik retorts.

Fast-forward a couple days. Sonic is left in charge of the house for the first time ever, when Robotnik appears, alongside Knuckles. Knuckles attacks Sonic demanding to know the whereabouts of the Master Emerald, a jewel that can turn thoughts into reality. Sonic states he has no knowledge of the Emerald. As Knuckles is trying to beat the information out of Sonic, a creature from another dimension, named Tails ( Collen O'Shanussy ) rescues him.

Sonic and his new friend Tails must race to protect the Emerald, lest untold evil unfold upon the good citizens of Earth and the whole galaxy itself.

Rare is the day where I can write a movie review and state that a sequel actually improves upon its predecessor. More often than not it seems these days, Hollywood filmmakers are firing out sequels to simply cash-in on the fanbase as quickly as they can before the fanbase loses interest and moves on to something else.

I say all this because this is the question that lingers in my mind at this very moment. It’s only been two years since the first film came out. That’s rather quick in my opinion. The excitement, the ingenuity and intrigue I felt walking out of the first film were missing this time around .

Don’t get me wrong, all the technical aspects from the first film made their way into the second. The CGI is still as strong as the first film. The action is still relatively strong (and frequent, which I’ll mention later). However, the performances by a few of the lead roles, particularly by Jim Carrey , felt restrained and even lackluster, as many other critics have pointed out (yes, Jim Carrey was a bit crass in the first film, but this time he was barely humorous at all). James Marsden also has a much smaller role this time around, which is sad, as the chemistry between him and Ben Schwartz (who plays Sonic) was by far a comedic gold mine in the first film. I commend Idris Elba’s performance as the voice of Knuckles.

To the film’s credit, though, what “Sonic the Hedgehog 2” has more in abundance than the previous film is strong, wholesome themes that can be shared with the entire family: themes regarding courage, family, bravery, and the true definition of a hero. In the first film, we received only small doses of these messages, if any. In the second film however, I feel that some of the main characters receive these messages loud and clear.

Content of Concern

VIOLENCE: Heavy (but in a cartoonish-like manner mostly). A character is blown away by an electric shock. We see some extraterrestrials get knocked out. We witness a police chase with an armored vehicle down a busy city street. We witness a few fist fights between Knuckles and Sonic. A character is hit by a car. Two characters’ hands break from a strong handshake. We see a dead fish’s head cut off. Two characters are almost thrown into a fire. There is a chase down a mountain. A character is shot by a missile and knocked unconscious for a long period. A large amount of snow knocks people over. Other characters are knocked out. Someone makes a threat about squeezing the life out of someone for lying to them. Someone is tasered. Characters are seen having to dodge a ton of obstacles (spears, boulders, etc.). Two characters pass out underwater. There is an extended action sequence with a robot. There is a car crash.

PROFANITY: “My G*d” (3), “Oh my G*d” (4), “G*d,” “Snow My G*d,” “Oh Lord,” “H*ll,” “H*ll hath no fury”

VULGARITY: “A**-hole,” “Piece of shitaki,” “Holy sherbet,” “Scr*wed,” “Son of a…” (cut off), “groin” (3). Someone tells someone their breath smells like goat poo.

SEX: A character asks about the identity of someone “who waxed her—” (without finishing the sentence, but the rest of the sentence is implied). Two characters kiss.

NUDITY: Male characters are seen shirtless during a volleyball match. Sonic mentions to someone that they should get sunbathed in someplace “embarrassing.”

ALCOHOL: One scene takes place at a bar. A couple characters are seen drinking at a wedding.

OTHER: Sonic lies , sneaks out and causes major property damage to a city just to prove he can be a hero. He also is seen, in one scene, partying at the house while left in charge, making a large mess in the process. There is also a brief somewhat frightening scene during Dr. Robotnik’s initial return to Sonic’s house that may scare younger children. The pop song “Uptown Funk” is played, but the dirtiest portions are cut out. A character says a blade almost “cut his… mustache…”

I believe the greatest lesson to draw from “Sonic the Hedgehog 2” is the theme of what it truly means to be a hero.

Real heros, as we know, don’t wear a cape, or spandex, or even a symbol. Heroes come in many shapes and sizes. Some serve in the military. Some serve as frontline workers. Some serve as volunteers. Whatever role a hero takes, it is one of the greatest honors a Christian is called to. A hero is called to serve and do what is right in God’s eyes. The Bible has many heroes and is clear about what is means to be a hero.

Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. — John 15:13

We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up. — Romans 15:1-2

In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive’.” — Acts 20:35

Final Thoughts

“Sonic the Hedgehog 2” may not be the strongest of the two films, but it certainly isn’t a boring film either. As I said the cinematic quality is still relatively as strong as the first (apart from a few elements). Still, I can’t help but wonder if the crass language that was added in this film (that wasn’t in the first film) could have been taken out and replaced with wittier dialog and humor instead, or more comedic moments for Carrey, or more screen time for Marsden. I walked away hoping with just one word on my mind exiting the theater and that was the word “want.” I WANTED more.

Keeping this in mind, as a reviewer and certainly as a Christian, I’m not personally recommending this film. If you do decide to take the young ones, please keep in mind the content I have listed, particularly the language and the violence that is included. Overall, as a teacher myself, grading-wise, I’d give the film’s entertainment value a B-.

• Violence: Heavy
• Profane language: Moderate
• Vulgar/Crude language: Moderate
• Nudity: Mild
• Drugs/Alcohol: Mild
• Occult: None

PLEASE share your observations and insights to be posted here.

Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (Christian Movie Review)

Final Verdict: A vastly improved sequel, but too rapidly paced and disjointed to offer anything more than mindless, diverting entertainment.

About The Film

As all ’90s kids know, “Sega does what Nintendon’t.” While the Super Mario Bros wait for their animated debut later this year, Sega’s speedy blue hedgehog is already racing back into theaters for his second movie.  

By the time the end credits rolled for the first Sonic the Hedgehog (2020), I was ready to declare the console wars over once again. The movie was a chore to watch, where everything moved fast except for the runtime. Thankfully Sonic the Hedgehog 2 —while not a great movie—is a significant improvement in almost every way.

The biggest issue with the first Sonic movie was the all dull human characters that stole the spotlight from the far more interesting hedgehog. Thankfully, the sequel learns from the first film’s mistakes. The human characters are still (lamentably) present, and every time they appear the story comes to a screeching halt, but they spend most of the movie sidelined.

The one exception to the uninspiring human characters is Jim Carrey as the villainous Dr. Robotnik. Carrey gives a full throttle, pedal-to-the-metal, classic Jim Carrey performance. He hams it up in every scene.  

The main attraction, however, is the Hedgehog himself. Sonic remains endearing with his hyper enthusiasm and constant wisecracks. He is joined this time by Tails, a peppy two-tailed fox, and Knuckles, a brute force warrior. Surrounding Sonic with other animated characters is absolutely the right move for the series, and the movie is at its best when this trio take center stage together (teasing the blissful possibility of a Sonic movie without any human characters at all).  

Despite improving upon the original, there remain several issues. The movie plays out like a speed run. Rather than a classic story arc, the plot is more like a classic Sonic video game level, racing in a straight line from one point to the other, always moving too fast for any one moment to leave much impression. As a result, there is almost no narrative or thematic unity. In one scene, Sonic and Tails compete in a bizarre and spontaneous tavern dance-battle, then rush back off on their adventure as though it never happened. Later, they are imprisoned in a hotel, only to break out and speed off to the next plot point. There is no important plot information revealed or lessons learned, merely a rapid collection of inconsequential scenes meant to entertain and pad out the runtime.

Sega always had the reputation of being the “edgy” and “cool” video game system compared to the more strait-laced Nintendo. The movies have attempted to capture this vibe without much success. Sonic 2 is filled with pop culture references that already feel dated and irrelevant. Also, while not an overly offensive or crude film, there is simply no reason for a character in a children’s movie to yell something like, “What the h—!”

In the end, Sonic 2 succeeds in clearing the low bar set by the original. It is not a great movie, but I’m not sure that it ever aspires to be one. Like the classic video game, the movie exists to offer rapidly-paced, diverting entertainment, and in that singular mission, it delivers.

For Consideration

Profanity: 1 minor profanity (“What the H—”), 7 uses of the Lord’s name in vain (“Oh my G—”). There are also multiple “placeholder” swears (“What the heck”, “Piece of shiitake”, “holy sherbet,” etc.), and other rude words (“idiot”, “crap”, etc.).

Sexuality: None.

Violence: None.

Engage the Film

Community, unity, and the church body.

For the most part, Sonic the Hedgehog 2 is too busy racing through its story to slow down long enough to develop any messages. The one consistent theme, however, is the importance of community and having a “crew.” The first film emphasized the loneliness of Sonic, as a literal alien trying to find his place in the world. His solitary existence was most clearly visualized by the scene of him playing baseball alone, using his speed to play all positions. The sequel builds on this theme.

The movie opens with Sonic embracing the superhero persona of “Blue Justice.” His vigilantism leads his adopted father (James Marsden) to lecture him, “Being a hero isn’t about taking care of yourself. It’s about taking responsibility of other people.” Sonic’s character growth comes in learning to understand this teaching.  

With the inclusion of newcomers Tails and Knuckles, Sonic is finally able to find his place and learn to trust in others rather than keep his heroism as a solo act. In a sense, the story reflects 1 Corinthians 12:12-27 , and the Apostle Paul’s teaching, “For the body does not consist of one member but of many.” Sonic is fast, Tails is smart, and Knuckles is strong. They each bring something to the team that the others lack, and are stronger together than they are apart. While the need for community is not an exclusively Christian message, Sonic the Hedgehog 2 is a fitting metaphor for the biblical teaching that God designed Christians to live in community, each as valuable members of the unified Church body.

Daniel holds a PhD in "Christianity and the Arts" from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. He is the author/co-author of multiple books and he speaks in churches and schools across the country on the topics of Christian worldview, apologetics, creative writing, and the Arts.

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When I first saw the early previews for Sonic the Hedgehog, I thought that there was no way this movie would be good. It was destined to be a flop. Thankfully, the Sonic fan community thought so too and launched a very successful campaign to get Sonic redesigned . This did delay the release of the movie by about 3 months, but by doing this may have guaranteed a hit movie! But just because the fans like the movie, doesn’t mean that it is suitable for everyone. Find out the low-down in Sonic Christian Movie Review below!

However, before I get started, I need to confess that I never really liked Sonic. The original Sonic video game made for the Sega Genesis was introduced to the world in 1991. And I would be lying if I said I embraced the game super sonic style. This little blue hedgehog has been in my house since the mid-90s, but I have an open mind for new movies, and my prejudice against video games does not influence the guidelines I have for movie reviewing.

SYNOPSIS of Sonic The Hedgehog

Sonic the Hedgehog (Ben Schwartz) finds himself on Earth with a bagful of gold rings and the warning to not let anyone know of his powers. Sonic possesses super speed, and his golden rings will help him to move to other lands. 

He hides for a long period of time in an underground tunnel outside the town of Green Hills. Only one man has ever seen him, but Carl (Frank Turner) is considered the town crazy person. Carl dubs Sonic The Blue Devil. 

Since Sonic tries to remain incognito, all the people he encounters, outside of Crazy Carl, never know of his existence until one night when Sonic causes a major power outage that alerts government authorities. 

Dr. Robotnik (Jim Carrey) is called upon to find what has caused such an outage. Meanwhile, Sonic befriends the local sheriff, Tom Wachowski (James Marsden) and convinces him to take him to San Francisco to find his lost rings. 

SONIC THE HEDGEHOG CHRISTIAN MOVIE REVIEW: The Good

While there are so many good aspects of the film, the biggest one is that the producers listened to the fans and redesigned Sonic himself. This redesign works. Additionally, this movie is not going to be a hit or flop by the PG rating or the children viewing it. If it succeeds, it will be because of the huge Sonic fan base. 

Early results look like this movie is loved by the original Sonic fans. Dr. Robotnik is a villain you love to hate. Jim Carrey does an excellent job making you hate Dr. Robotnik. Additionally, there is plenty of comic relief to keep you entertained.

Sonic is a kind creature. He shows that in little things such as picking up a turtle off the road to save it from getting hit. 

I must admit that I wasn’t a Sonic fan, but after seeing the movie, I asked my son, Marcus, for more Sonic information. I wanted to know everything about the movie versus the video game. More on that later.

SONIC CHRISTIAN MOVIE REVIEW: WHAT YOU MAY WANT TO KNOW

Sonic is called the Blue Devil by the town crazy person. Furthermore, Sonic calls the town sheriff Donut Lord. This is used as an affectionate term.

There is some language in this film which includes h-ll, Oh My G-d, son of a (this is not finished), and a few potty humor references. The word Sucks is written on a wall.

A song is played entitled Where Evil Grows during a scene with Dr. Robotnik entitled Where Evil Grows by The Poppy Family. Here is a portion of the lyrics:

“Evil grows in the dark Where the sun, it never shines. Evil grows in cracks and holes And lives in people’s minds. Evil grew, it’s part of you. And now it seems to be, That every time I look at you Evil grows in me.”

As a Christian, I reject what this song implies which is that evil is growing in me because of someone else. Dr. Robotnik blames his obsession with Sonic on Sonic himself and not at the evil within him.

Other lines within the movie: “I’ve seen you’ve taken a lover.” A woman encourages her sister to leave her husband and spells the word D-I-V-O-R-C-E. Someone says “A payphone is mostly used for drug dealers and fugitives from the law.”

This is an area that definitely has parents confused. How much violence is too violent. When I look at the violence in films, I try to assess how an average child would react, but that has gotten increasingly difficult as the average child is exposed to violence at younger and younger ages. 

Within this film, there are plenty of explosions, blowing things up, cars flipping and several fight scenes. One of those scenes includes a barroom brawl. This is a typical barroom scene complete with beer bottles and includes motorcyclists, but with Sonic it becomes comedic. 

Sonic also has numerous chase scenes with a lot of action. Additionally, a character is shot with a tranquilizer gun. 

LEARNING ELEMENTS from a Christian Mom Perspective for Sonic The Hedgehog Movie:

Because I use movies to teach my own children, and because I think movies are a great teaching element, I will share with you some concepts that can be used to teach with this movie.

Tom is a police officer who is defying the law to do the right thing. This has just been a topic in my household lately. If a government makes a law and that law goes against what you believe as a Christian, do you have an obligation to follow Christ and break the law? Ideas for topic starters include countries that ban the Bible or make worshiping God illegal. 

Furthermore, as a Christian how do you reconcile Romans 13:1-2 “Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment”?

Another topic of discussion could include helping others. Tom goes out of his way to help Sonic who is harmless and afraid. These same elements are seen in the movie E.T.

Dr. Robotnik is a bully. He treats everyone around him in a demeaning way. In one scene in yells at his “right-hand man” even when the man is serving him. Furthermore, he uses his genius to harm others and not for doing good.

 Finally, talk about good and evil. Clearly, Dr. Robotnik is evil, but all of us have the potential to do evil and have evil thoughts. It is only through our faith in Jesus Christ that we are redeemed.

NODS TO THE VIDEO GAME:

Sonic was originally a video game, that lacks a strong storyline. However, this movie does deviate from the original story in the video game. In the games, Dr. Robotnik traps and enslaves animals and puts them in robot suits. While Robotnik is doing experiments on a hedgehog, an explosion occurs which creates Sonic. Sonic then works to free the other animals.

The term Eggman for Dr. Robotnik is used in both the film and the game. Furthermore, Sonic does eat chili dogs in the game. During the movie, Crazy Carl shows a drawing of Sonic that is actually the popular fan meme Sanic. In another scene, there is a fuse box that has the label badniks in a reference to the robots from the video game.

RECOMMENDATION for Sonic The Hedgehog Movie

Our family did like this movie, but I cannot recommend it for all ages. Sonic the Movie is rated PG and it definitely pushes that boundary as far as violence is concerned, and may be scary for younger children. I would recommend this movie for 8 and up. Make sure to stay around to see the clip at the end of the special credits which hints at a sequel!

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Doolittle Movie Review

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Reviewing movies for parents from a Christian perspective since 2005. Know Before You Go!

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Autism Mom & Disney enthusiast

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• DVD & Streaming

Sonic the Hedgehog

• Action/Adventure , Comedy , Kids , Sci-Fi/Fantasy

Content Caution

In Theaters

• February 14, 2020
• Voice of Ben Schwartz as Sonic the Hedgehog; Jim Carrey as Dr. Ivo Robotnik; James Marsden as Tom Wachowski; Tika Sumpter as Maddie Wachowski; Adam Pally as Billy Robb

Home Release Date

• March 31, 2020
• Jeff Fowler

Distributor

• Paramount Pictures

Positive Elements   |   Spiritual Elements   |   Sexual & Romantic Content   |   Violent Content   |   Crude or Profane Language   |   Drug & Alcohol Content   |   Other Noteworthy Elements   | Conclusion

Movie Review

Sonic the Hedgehog once lived happily in a place called Sonic Island on some faraway planet. But he wasn’t your average little spikey-haired blue hedgehog (if there is such a thing). He had abilities and powers. Namely, he could run—fast! And all that speed generated a lot of excess energy.

It was the sort of super stuff that his mentor and protector, Longclaw Owl, instructed him to keep under wraps. But if you were a kid who could break the sound barrier every time you went out on a morning jog, would you play it safe and just lope along like any other barely moving cheetah or antelope?

Yeah, neither can young Sonic.

The only trouble is, with great power comes … a whole lot of unwanted attention. And before you can say Yikes!, a huge army of baddies is after our little blue speedster. So Longclaw does what she has to: she tosses out a magical gold ring to create a wormhole to a safe place and sent Sonic through, sacrificially staying behind to stop the screaming villians in his wake. (She also gives him a bag full of additional magic rings, in case Sonic ever needs to make another fast getaway.)

After plunging through that portal, Sonic finds himself on a little planet called Earth, in the little town of Green Hills, Montana. Longclaw obviously knew what she was doing, because Green Hills seems like the safest place in the universe. Sonic settles down in a cozy little cave in the woods outside town, a home where he’s unlikely to be discovered or disturbed. And speaking of those woods, they’re a great place for a super-fast hedgehog to zip around unseen to his heart’s content.

Sonic also discovers these friendly creatures called  humans . The lil’ blue guy is positively fascinated by them, secretly watching and admiring them as they eat things called  donuts  and watch things called  movies .

Truth is, however, Sonic is, well, a little lonely.  He  wants to eat donuts, and watch movies  with  the humans. He longs to play a game called  baseball . I mean, hey, he’s fast enough to play every position on the whole team …  at the same time . But Sonic isn’t sure how the human world would react to someone like him.

Of course, then there’s that “with great power comes great attention” thing, which Sonic keeps forgetting about. After one indulgent super-speed burst, Sonic unwittingly unleashes an energy blast that knocks out the lights in all of Green Hills. In fact, it knocks out all of the power in the Pacific Northwest.

Once again, before you can say Yikes!, Sonic attracts the attention of the U.S. government and a brilliant-but-dastardly scientist by the name of Dr. Robotnik.

Robotnik is a human who’s not satisfied with donuts and movies and a fun Saturday afternoon game of baseball. Robotnik wants … everything! And a super-charged alien hedgehog is now squarely in his power-hungry sights.

Positive Elements

Sonic is a good guy with a naturally rambunctious spirit. He’ll readily stop what he’s doing to help someone in need—he even rescues a slow-moving turtle from being hit by a car (and then takes the relaxed reptile on a hyper-speed run, just for fun).

But more importantly, this hot-wheels hedgehog is quick to appreciate the small joys of life. He understands the value of friendship, sacrificing for others and living in a safe place filled with good people. Even though he loves Green Hills, he’s willing to teleport away to someplace much more unpleasant if doing so protects those he’s come to care about.

Speaking of those folks, Sonic meets a local police officer named Tom. He has set his sights on getting away from small-town life and taking a police job in San Francisco. Tom believes that’s the only way to prove himself under real pressure and to help his fellow man. But Sonic points out that the people of Green Hills need Tom, too. “What could possibly be more important than protecting the people who you care about?” Sonic asks him.

Tom eventually realizes, along with his loving wife, Maddy, that a life of service in and around good people is exactly the kind of life and home that they need. And they also both agree that Sonic—a space alien creature just looking for a friend and a home—is not only a good friend, but someone they welcome as part of their family (which could be seen as a light, pro-adoption message).

Spiritual Elements

Longclaw’s little golden rings (a valuable commodity that the game version of Sonic always snatched up) turn out to be magical assets in this movie version of Sonic’s story. When tossed into the air, they expand into a short-lived portal that can transport someone anywhere, from distant lands to distant planets. Longclaw not only uses one to teleport Sonic to safety, she gives him a small bag of the rings for future use.

Maddy’s exasperated sister exclaims, “Little baby Lord Jesus!” at one point. She also cries out, “Oh thank God!” when something good happens.

Sexual & Romantic Content

Maddy wears spaghetti-strap tops on occasion (though nothing too revealing). Dr. Robotnik tosses out snarky quips on a regular basis, including saying “I see you’ve taken a lover” when he spots Tom with his wife, Maddy.

Maddy’s sister is quite cynical about marriage. She thinks Tom’s not worthy of Maddy and repeatedly tries to convince Maddy to leave him (in scenes mostly played for humor).

Violent Content

An early scene in the film might potentially be the most unsettling for the youngest viewers. In it, Longclaw Owl gets hit by an attacker’s arrow (there’s no blood), and it’s implied that she gives her life to ensure that Sonic escapes.

From running battles with Dr. Robotnik’s many drones, autonomous vehicles and heat-seeking missiles; to leaping and battling on skyscrapers; to an out and out super-speed boss battle in Green Hills town square, this pic takes numerous opportunities to lend its live-action, thump-and-bash realism to Sonic’s video game roots. That makes for lots of explosions and super-speed bopping. Along the way, vehicles get cut up and crumpled up by lasers and crashes, with a couple of people falling off a tall building. But none of that destruction is too visceral. (When several cars get demolished in a chase, for example, the movie doesn’t want us to spend too much time thinking about who might have been in them.)

In fact, Dr. Robotnik’s snarling, fist-shaking pursuit of his little blue quarry (and Sonic’s friends) tends to feel more potentially harmful than the blasting attacks themselves. Robotnik vows to catch Sonic and neutralize him, for example. And if Sonic resists, Robotnik ominously promises to take him apart “piece by piece.” But even in these momentarily intense scenes, the film plays Robotnik’s threats and villainy more as a melodramatic joke than anything.

During their travels, Tom and Sonic go into a bar and end up inadvertently initiating a raucous bar brawl. But Sonic defuses the thrown punches and broken bottles with hyper-speed and a bunch of pranks. As the world around him is reduced to slow motion, Sonic wraps up the brawlers in ropy bonds and yanks on some underwear, too. We see one guy lose a tooth (in slow motion) after receiving a punch. Others careen about, smashing tables and chairs over each other.

[Spoiler Warning] There is one point in the film when Sonic falls to the ground after a large battle, and it appears that he may have succumbed to a blast. But, hey, this is Sonic the Hedgehog. He doesn’t stay down for long.

Crude or Profane Language

We hear one use each of “h—” and “h—a,” as well as several uses of “oh my god” and “oh my gosh.” Someone calls out the French profanity “sacré bleu.” Other outbursts include “What the heck?” and an unfinished “son of a … ” We also hear “suckers,” “geez” and a reference or two to someone’s backside.

Drug & Alcohol Content

Dr. Robotnik snarkily comments about small-town residents needing to “head off to get drunk and put the boat in the water.” Tom and Sonic go into a roadside bar filled with patrons (mostly bikers) who are drinking beer in a lengthy scene that eventually descends into roadhouse chaos.

Other Noteworthy Elements

We hear a few crude giggles and gags throughout the movie’s script. These include jokes about being probed by aliens, being breastfed as a child, giving someone a high-speed wedgy, gas jokes, etc.

Maddy’s sister isn’t onboard with helping Sonic. So her own family (including, perhaps, her children) ties her to a chair to restrain her long enough to solve Sonic’s dilemma.

For many young kids, the superfast blue hedgehog Sonic and his archnemesis, Dr. Robotnik, are likely as inscrutable as every other Sega game character from the late ’90s: as unrecognizable as, say, the word inscrutable. But even if they don’t know Sonic from his platforming, super-speed, jump-and-spin gaming days or yore, they’ll likely still enjoy his new high-energy, live-action movie.

This big-screen take on Sega’s anthropomorphized cobalt cannonballer is mostly cute and cuddly. Sonic’s story is quick, involving, and packed with nice lessons about caring for the ones you love and being grateful for the blessings you have. And Dr. Robotnik—played with melodramatic, Ace Ventura-like panache by Jim Carrey—sports as much zany zeal as mellifluous menace as he squints out from behind his heavily-waxed mustache.

Granted, throwback Jim Carrey-isms can sometimes open the door to some slightly edgier moments. Parents, you’ll have to decide how many “OMGs,” “What the hecks,” winking giggles and “pickled farts” you’ll want your youngsters to endure. As for the film’s more intense moments, that early scene with Longclaw Owl taking an arrow is probably the only one with the potential to upset particularly sensitive viewers.

That said, these moments never feel as if they cross any truly uncomfortable lines or stray too far from the expected PG-rated, kid-pic loop de loops. And hey, for older game fans, there’s even gold-ring gathering and a big boss battle to boot. Woohoo.

After spending more than two decades touring, directing, writing and producing for Christian theater and radio (most recently for Adventures in Odyssey, which he still contributes to), Bob joined the Plugged In staff to help us focus more heavily on video games. He is also one of our primary movie reviewers.

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Movie Review: ‘Sonic the Hedgehog’

NEW YORK (CNS) — Not that the intended core audience of children is likely to notice, but many of the adults who take them will find that there’s something oddly mechanical and even maladroit about “Sonic the Hedgehog” (Paramount).

The story, based on the titular Sega video game character (voice of Ben Schwartz), relies on the hyperactive animal’s lightning velocity and ability to duck hazards tossed in his way by mad scientist Dr. Robotnick (Jim Carrey), who wants to use Sonic for experiments.

Onto this mix of animation and live-action has been larded considerable sentiment in the form of a subplot involving Sonic’s improbable yearning to belong to a real human family.

As in the original, Sonic is equipped with a satchel of gold rings that enable him to magically transport to different venues and even planets. Thus, at the beginning of the story, he places himself in rural Green Hills, Montana, where he can hide out from the danger of his homeworld.

Sonic, who in this format resembles a tall plush toy, enjoys the quiet, idyllic lifestyle, but he’s lonely. He befriends the local sheriff, Tom (James Marsden), only to become crestfallen when he learns that Tom has accepted a new job as a San Francisco police officer, where he can begin a new life with his fiancee, Maddie (Tika Sumpter).

Through a mishap, Sonic ends up sending his bag of rings to a skyscraper rooftop in the City by the Bay. He can zoom there and back in mere seconds, of course, but prefers the companionship of a long road trip in Tom’s pickup truck. Along the way to a predictable happy ending, he incites a bar fight and is chased by Dr. Robotnick and his flotilla of drones and weaponry.

Director Jeff Fowler and screenwriters Patrick Casey and Josh Miller haven’t given the title character much to do other than speed around — sometimes so fast, he appears to slow down time. This doesn’t exactly constitute original comedy gold, but children should find some level of fascination.

The film contains intense action sequences and a single scatological reference. The Catholic News Service classification is A-II – adults and adolescents. The Motion Picture Association rating is PG — parental guidance suggested. Some material may not be suitable for children.

Copyright ©2020 Catholic News Service / U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.

John Mulderig

Catholic News Service is a leading agency for religious news. Its mission is to report fully, fairly and freely on the involvement of the church in the world today.

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Sonic the Hedgehog

Dove Review

The story begins when Sonic (Ben Schwartz) is sent away from his world to Earth by his guardian so that he might be able to stay safe from those who saw his power and wished to use it for themselves. As he arrives in Green Hills, Montana, he takes his guardian’s advice to hide very seriously. He comes to know the townspeople, but they don’t know he exists. That is, until his frustrations and loneliness unleash a power that even the government notices.

Sonic suddenly finds himself on the run (quite literally) from the evil Dr. Robotnik (Jim Carrey), but Sonic has the help of the Green Hills sheriff, Tom Wachowski (James Marsden). As their short but meaningful journey from Montana to San Francisco unfolds, the relationship between them grows into something that Sonic has wanted for his whole life: a friendship.

In many ways, Sonic the Hedgehog does a wonderful job of staying true to the video game past of its title character, in both personality and looks. (The original trailer for the film was under intense scrutiny for the design of the fully CGI Sonic, so much so that the filmmakers redesigned him for the film’s full theatrical release.) Even our villain, Robotnik, maintains his zany (if somewhat rude and elitist) personality from the games, much of which is due to the perfect casting of Jim Carrey for the role.

Overall, this film was more of a joy than I expected, as I experienced Sonic overcome the obstacles of his own loneliness to grow into the hero and friend he desperately wanted to be. For that reason, whether families are already familiar with the characters or not, Sonic the Hedgehog will be worth the watch for all.

The Dove Take:

While this film contains a number of explosions and comically violent scenes throughout, it is a film both children and parents (especially those familiar with the characters) can enjoy.

Dove Rating Details

Character shot by an arrow (no blood), playful illusion of a man being eaten by a virtual dinosaur, numerous explosions, a comic “bar fight”

Married couple briefly kisses

Single usage of “hell”

Alcohol shown on screen in a bar

Character repeatedly calls for her sister to divorce her husband (for nearly no reason), brief scene joking about potential child endangerment

More Information

Film information, dove content.

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Sonic the Hedgehog 2

Where to watch.

Watch Sonic the Hedgehog 2 with a subscription on Hulu, Paramount+, rent on Fandango at Home, Prime Video, Apple TV, or buy on Fandango at Home, Prime Video, Apple TV.

What to Know

It isn't as much fun as the little blue guy's greatest games, but if you enjoyed the first film, Sonic the Hedgehog 2 serves as a generally acceptable sequel.

A fun, fast-paced improvement on the original, Sonic the Hedgehog 2 is like a video game come to life -- and for once where a movie's concerned, that's actually a compliment.

Critics Reviews

Audience reviews, cast & crew.

Jeff Fowler

James Marsden

Dr. Ivo Robotnik

Ben Schwartz

Tika Sumpter

Natasha Rothwell

Movie Clips

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Sonic the Hedgehog (2020)

A great video game adaptation that’s also a fun, high energy thrill ride the whole family can enjoy..

• MPAA Rating: PG
• Distributor: Paramount Pictures
• Release Date: February 14, 2020

I gotta admit I wasn’t that excited to learn one of my favorite childhood video games, Sonic the Hedgehog, was being made into a movie. Generally speaking, films based on games are terrible and when the first trailer was released with a creepy, horribly designed Sonic character and a very thin Jim Carrey playing the normally rotund Dr Robotnik, I knew this would REALLY be terrible. But I was wrong to prejudge.

Sonic the Hedgehog proved to be not just a great (though not quite accurate) adaptation of the game, but a fun movie that kept me laughing throughout the silly story and made me want to dig out the old dusty Sega Megadrive (or Genesis to you Americans) and collect those golden rings all over again. Sonic Boom!

Sonic the Hedgehog (Ben Schwatz) is a unique creature born with special abilities. His most notable ability allows him to run extremely fast (move over Quicksilver and The Flash), a skill which makes him the target of murderous creatures on his homeworld. Using the teleportation magic of the golden rings given to him by Longclaw the Owl (Donna Jay Fulks) he flees his homeworld to avoid being killed and eventually ends up on Earth.

Living in the town of Green Hills, Montana, Sonic lives a secret, peaceful yet lonely existence observing the people from afar and dreaming of a better life. His favorite town inhabitants are Tom Wachowski (James Marsden), the local sheriff he calls “Donut Lord”, and Tom’s wife, Maddie (Tika Sumpter), a vet who earns the nickname “the Pretzel Lady”. One night Sonic becomes upset when he realizes he doesn’t have any real friends to share his life with and accidentally unleashes a powerful EMP (electromagnetic pulse) that takes out the power across the Pacific Northwest. Naturally, this major incident gets the attention of the US military.

The US Military unleash Dr. Ivo Robotnik (Jim Carrey), an evil genius who loves robots more than people, to uncover the cause of the power outage. In order for Sonic to avoid being a lab test experiment at the hands of Robotnik he must team up with “Donut Lord” to get to San Francisco to retrieve his pouch of rings so he can escape Earth. But along the way he needs to do something very important while avoiding death at the hands of Robotnik’s army of robots – complete his bucket list.

The acting is on point for a movie aimed at kids. Ben Schwatz is great as the voice for the playful, curious and lonely Sonic. With witty dialogue and dynamic animation, Schwatz is able to really bring an energetic and funny portrayal of one of gaming’s most famous faces. The filmmakers aren’t shooting for realism here, however the emotional arc that Sonic goes through during this story feels very real because if you ignore the absurd visuals of a supersonic blue hedgehog from another planet, you can still relate to the feelings of loneliness and the hunger for adventure that Sonic craves so much for during this adventure.

James Marsden is great as Green Hills’ lovable and good intentioned sheriff Tom Wachowski, AKA “Donut Lord”. He embodies that clean wholesome personality from a small town who wants to help other people and is willing to make personal sacrifices in order to support those who need it. Marsden is very natural opposite his CGI co-star and is well cast.

The standout performance for me was the one person I thought was miscast and that’s Jim Carrey. While he looks nothing like the plump video game character for most of the movie, he is nonetheless fantastic as the crazed genius robot inventor and I’m happy to forgive the fact he’s too thin for the role. Carrey is over-the-top and animated like we haven’t seen in decades – in a similar vein to his Ace Ventura performances. But here he’s very much the bad guy, and it’s funny as hell to watch. Welcome back, Jim!

Sonic the Hedgehog is directed by first time feature film director Jeff Fowler, who performs a near-miracle making a film based on a video game that’s enjoyable for both adults and children. While there may have been a rocky start when he showcased the first trailer with the horrible Sonic design, he was smart enough to go back and redo Sonic the way he should be – like the video games.

Fowler has applied the right mix of animated action with comedy while still focusing on strong themes of friendship and finding a place where you belong. Even though Sonic is an alien based on a video game character, we’re still able to relate to his very human needs and struggles. This could have easily been a CGI visual spectacle without substance but instead, thankfully, has lots of heart and dramatic undertones that drive this story revolving around wacky characters.

Sonic the Hedgehog is a fun family movie that I thoroughly enjoyed. While not a perfect adaptation of its video game namesake (Green Hills, Montana stands in for the crazy, color filled polygonal world of its origin) it’s a film with a lot of heart and offers a great mix of adventure and humor that should appeal to game and film fans alike. The performances are all great – Jim Carrey in particular – and the CG hedgehog redo was money well spent. Just make sure you stick around to see the mid-credit sequence.

Transformers One (2024)

Shin megami tensei v: vengeance, rainbow cotton, the crow: 30th anniversary limited edition steelbook, like a dragon: infinite wealth, persona 5 tactica, retroid pocket flip, sonic the hedgehog mini waffle maker.

SONIC THE HEDGEHOG 2

"destiny is a calling".

What You Need To Know:

Miscellaneous Immorality: Villain betrays his partner and seeks total domination, plus a verbal joke makes an oblique reference to something President Donald Trump once said while in office.

More Detail:

SONIC THE HEDGEHOG 2 is a sequel to the hit 2020 action comedy, where Sonic and his adopted human parents must overcome a returned Dr. Robotnik, who’s teamed up with an alien warrior looking for an emerald imbued with great power. SONIC THE HEDGEHOG 2 is a cute, funny movie with lots of lively, exciting jeopardy, heartfelt family moments, plenty of humor, and a fun wedding scene, but it does have some light foul language and strong cartoon violence with punching, hitting and explosions, both of which warrant caution for children.

A combination of live action and animation, the sequel opens on the mushroom planet where Sonic’s friend, Tom, had banished Dr. Robotnik in the first movie. In the funny opening sequence, the evil doctor has managed to attract three alien visitors, in the hopes that he can use their portal to return to Earth. He cleverly disposes of the visitors when a fourth visitor enters through the portal. The visitor is a red alien named Knuckles, who’s the last of his race of spiny, intelligent anteater creatures. Knuckles notices the energy quill that Dr. Robotnik stole from Sonic, who got it from his owl mentor, Longclaw, who died in the first movie. Knuckles questions Robotnik about it and mentions he’s looking for the “Master Emerald,” a device that’s been imbued with immense power. Hearing about having immense power piques Robotnik’s interest. So, he agrees to help Knuckles find Sonic to try to locate the emerald. Meanwhile, a clever young fox with two tails named Miles arrives on Earth to warn Sonic about Knuckles.

Cut to Sonic in Seattle, following an armored truck heist in Seattle, unknown to his adopted parents, Tom and Maddie, in Green Hills where they all live. Sonic desperately wants to be a hero, and he tries to stop the thieves from getting away. However, he causes lots of mayhem and endangers people’s lives.

Early the next morning, Sonic sneaks home, but Tom already knows all about Sonic’s late night adventure. In fact, it was fairly easy for Tom to figure out the Ferris Buehler ruse that Sonic had invented to fool him. Making the connection between the news from Seattle about the attempted armored car heist and Sonic’s involvement was just as easy.

Tom sets Sonic down and reminds him he’s only just a kid (Sonic is a teenager) who still has a lot to learn. He advises Sonic to have patience and wait for the proper moment when his powers will really be needed.

Sonic uses one of his rings to transport Tom and Maddie to Hawaii to attend the wedding of Maddie’s sister, Rachel. He gives Tom a ring so that he and Maddie can return home after the wedding. Their absence gives Sonic a chance to party. Tom calls to see how Sonic’s doing, and Sonic has to use his speed to clean up the place.

After Tom hangs up, however, Dr. Robotnik and Knuckles appear, and Knuckles starts attacking Sonic. They think Sonic knows where the Master Emerald is located, but he doesn’t. Sonic takes a beating from Knuckles until Miles, the young fox with two tails, shows up to rescue him. Miles, whose nickname is “Tails,” can use his two tails like a helicopter and he flies Sonic away from Knuckles and Robotnik.

Sonic and Tails locate an old map from Longclaw that Sonic’s mentor gave to him, though Sonic didn’t know he had it. They look at the map, which reveals that a compass leading to the Master Emerald is in Siberia. Sonic and Tails set off for Siberia, but they are being tracked by Dr. Robotnik and Knuckles.

Can Sonic and Tails find the compass and the Master Emerald before they fall into Dr. Robotnik’s evil clutches?

SONIC THE HEDGEHOG 2 is a cute, funny action comedy with science fiction qualities. The movie says the Master Emerald was a device created by Longclaw’s race of owls to control several others gems of power. As such, the movie hints that the device is a technological artifact, not a magical one, even though it seems to work like the rings of power and the one ring to rule the other rings in novelist J.R.R. Tolkien’s masterpiece THE LORD OF THE RINGS. Whatever the case, however, the movie has lots of lively, exciting jeopardy, some heartfelt family moments, plenty of action, and lots of humor, including a funny wedding scene. As with the first movie, the cast here does a wonderful job of bringing the well-written story and characters to life. Once again, for example, Jim Carrey as the villain is a hoot. The other players deliver the goods as well.

SONIC THE HEDGEHOG 2 has a strong moral, pro-family worldview. For example, Tom takes a fatherly approach to helping Sonic, and this leads to several heartwarming moments. Also, at one point, Sonic performs an act of compassion that expresses the movie’s support for the value of life, which is opposed to Dr. Robotnik’s anti-human desire to dominate the world through machines. Finally, the priest at the wedding makes the Sign of the Cross in one shot, a Christian symbol with lots of theological meaning that honors the submission of mind, heart and strength that Christian believers make to their Father in Heaven, through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the Cross, by the power of the Holy Spirit.

SONIC 2 does have, however, lots of action and cartoon violence. There is also some light foul language, including nine light profanities, plus some rude humor, such as some jokes about passing gas. So, MOVIEGUIDE® advises caution for children.

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Parents' guide to, sonic the hedgehog.

• Common Sense Says
• Parents Say 47 Reviews
• Kids Say 163 Reviews

Common Sense Media Review

Carrey lights up video game movie; peril, some drinking.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that Sonic the Hedgehog is a kid-targeted action/adventure movie starring the iconic Sega video game character. The famous blue hedgehog is also an alien with special powers that put him in danger in his world. While he's being pursued, his mama bird is shot with an arrow (she seems OK)…

Why Age 8+?

Pop culture references fly; some mentions of brands like Mello Yello and Amazon

Cartoonish fantasy violence includes drones that shoot lasers, bullets, and some

Language is more rude than profane -- words include "butt," "fart," "hell," and

Sonic and Tom go into a bar where Tom drinks what appears to be beer; he drives

Any Positive Content?

Messages about the value of friendship: It's how we survive. Treat others like y

Deputy Tom Wachowski is the reliable rock of Green Hills but feels he could be o

Intended to entertain rather than educate.

Products & Purchases

Pop culture references fly; some mentions of brands like Mello Yello and Amazon feel like they're meant as easy jokes; others feel more like product placement. Recurring joke about Olive Garden involves characters saying the restaurant's catchphrase, mentioning a promotional dish, talking about how much they love it. A Toyota Tacoma is also shown in a light that seems like it could be advertising. Other brands mentioned/seen include Volvo, Invisalign. And, of course, the film serves as a long commercial for Sonic video games.

Violence & Scariness

Cartoonish fantasy violence includes drones that shoot lasers, bullets, and some type of explosive device. Punches are thrown both as a means of escape for main characters (they brag about it) and as a means of aggression for rough bikers. Two people fall off a building but are saved. A tranquilizer gun is used.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

Language is more rude than profane -- words include "butt," "fart," "hell," and "freak." A couple of times, a profane expression is started, but the strongest word gets cut off/out (e.g., "son of a ..." and "what the ... ").

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.

Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

Sonic and Tom go into a bar where Tom drinks what appears to be beer; he drives soon after (without incident).

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide.

Positive Messages

Messages about the value of friendship: It's how we survive. Treat others like you'd like to be treated.

Positive Role Models

Deputy Tom Wachowski is the reliable rock of Green Hills but feels he could be of greater value in a big city -- he wants to help people facing life-or-death situations. His wife, Maddie, is the town veterinarian and has a big, kind, understanding heart. Their relationship is depicted as aspirational, supportive, loving and offers positive representation. Dr. Robotnik is a cartoonishly evil villain.

Educational Value

Parents need to know that Sonic the Hedgehog is a kid-targeted action/adventure movie starring the iconic Sega video game character. The famous blue hedgehog is also an alien with special powers that put him in danger in his world. While he's being pursued, his mama bird is shot with an arrow (she seems OK). For Sonic's safety, she pushes him through a portal to Earth with a warning that he must hide and stay on the run. Sonic never feels abandoned, but he is lonely. And the movie's messages, such as they are, revolve around the importance of companionship. Language is mostly mild ("hell"); it's more jokes about "butts" and "farts" than any actual swearing. One scene may raise eyebrows: Sonic and human hero Tom ( James Marsden ) stop at a roadside bar/restaurant where they get into a brawl (mostly punches), and Tom is seen drinking a beer and driving soon afterward, without incident. In general, the movie's violence is cartoonishly explosive, like an unrealistic video game: It's mostly drones shooting fireballs, lasers, and bullets. There are some moments of peril, but the audience is never in doubt that everyone will be OK -- even hysterically evil villain Dr. Robotnik ( Jim Carrey ). To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails .

Where to Watch

Videos and photos.

Parent and Kid Reviews

• Parents say (47)
• Kids say (163)

Based on 47 parent reviews

Use of God's name in vain.

This is great, what's the story.

In SONIC THE HEDGEHOG, iconic Sega video game character Sonic (voiced by Ben Schwartz ) is on the run in rural Montana from Dr. Ivo Robotnik ( Jim Carrey -- how you've been missed!). Robotnik wants to steal Sonic's supersonic speed powers to take over the world. With the help of local cop Tom "Donut Lord" Wachowski ( James Marsden , who interacts with a CGI figure with ease and charm), Sonic takes off to evade his captor. Naturally, he gets into plenty of mischief along the way.

Is It Any Good?

Watching Carrey is an absolute delight; his comedic genius exudes more wattage than Sonic's moments of heated emotion -- and Sonic's outbursts cause power outages. Why did it take Hollywood so long to make Carrey a handlebar-mustachioed villain? His Dr. Robotnik is reminiscent of the over-the-top silly characters he famously created in movies like The Mask, Dumb and Dumber , and Ace Ventura: Pet Detective . Carrey's performance helps take Sonic the Hedgehog to levels of laughing you never expected. The best moment of all is when Robotnik does his Dance of Anarchy. Please, sir, may I have some more?

But as great as Carrey is, this is the story of Sonic, an animated alien hedgehog who's sent to Earth alone for his own safety. He's warned that if anyone sees him, they'll try to capture him for his special powers. So he settles in Green Hills, Montana, and watches those in the small town from the shadows with a wistfulness. Really, Sonic is like a little kid: He loves fart jokes, he can't keep quiet, he's (literally) bouncing off the walls, and he just wants a friend. It's a theme every kid can appreciate. Even if they don't relate to being alone, they can relate to being bored. As Tom, Marsden is a perfect companion to Sonic, popping off "dad jokes" and expressing his love for Olive Garden (the latter screams "product placement," but at least it's funny). The duo's evolving dynamic -- buddies, but really best friends, but really guardian and child, but really father and son -- make Sonic the Hedgehog a laugh-until-you-turn-blue fun film for the family to enjoy together.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about loneliness. Have you ever felt left out? Has anyone ever told you that you made them feel left out? Why is inclusion so important?

Dr. Robotnik says he was bullied as a child. Do you think he's now a bully ? What should you do if you're being bullied or see someone else being bullied?

Talk about how drinking is portrayed in the movie. Is it glamorized? Are there consequences? Why does that matter?

Did you recognize product placement in the movie? If so, did you find yourself thinking about that item or brand? What's the impact of advertising on kids?

Movie Details

• In theaters : February 14, 2020
• On DVD or streaming : May 19, 2020
• Cast : Jim Carrey , James Marsden , Adam Pally , Ben Schwartz
• Director : Jeff Fowler
• Studio : Paramount Pictures
• Genre : Family and Kids
• Topics : Adventures , Space and Aliens
• Run time : 100 minutes
• MPAA rating : PG
• MPAA explanation : action, some violence, rude humor and brief mild language.
• Last updated : October 19, 2024

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Sonic the Hedgehog

“Sonic the Hedgehog” is the worst kind of bad movie: it’s too inoffensive to be hated and too wretched to be enjoyable. You might think that this movie’s sad limbo state has something to do with the extensive and well-publicized last-minute animation redesign that made titular woodland creature Sonic (voiced by Ben Schwartz ) look more like Sega’s famous video game character. You’d be wrong: “Sonic the Hedgehog” is rotten because it, like too many other modern blockbusters, was seemingly made by an imaginatively bankrupt creative committee with more ideas for jokes than actual jokes to tell, and more cookie-cutter, place-holder dialogue about the power of friendship than something (anything) to say about that boilerplate quality.

“Sonic the Hedgehog” is a bad action-adventure, video game adaptation, and buddy comedy. It feels almost completely impersonal, save for whenever James Marsden , playing Sonic’s human companion, tries to rescue the movie by being confident and graceful in the face of an otherwise dire send-the-magical-critter-back-home kiddy fantasy. I hope that everybody involved in the making of this movie got paid well and on time. Nobody else has an excuse to see “Sonic the Hedgehog,” especially now that easily defeated parents can park their kids in front of a computer or TV and let them watch some “Sonic the Hedgehog 2” gameplay videos on YouTube. Trust me: your kids’ happiness does not depend on them seeing this movie.

Still, if you must take your kids to see “Sonic the Hedgehog,” there are a few things you might want to know. For starters, this is a painfully bland “E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial” clone. Sonic, a magical critter who can run fast, teams up with nice guy/small-town cop Tom Wachowski (James Marsden) to regain the whatsit—in this case, a pouch of gold rings that open portals to any destination Sonic can think of—that will help him to escape goony mad scientist Dr. Robotnik ( Jim Carrey ), who wants to dissect Sonic. So Tom and Sonic go on a cross-country road trip from fictional Green Hills to San Francisco, because that happens to be the city on Tom’s shirt when he, in a panic, shoots Sonic with a bear tranquilizer, and then Sonic, now stunned on powerful wildlife drugs, accidentally throw his rings onto a Golden City rooftop. San Francisco also happens to be the city where Tom wants to move to, given his completely original dream of finding recognition and excitement beyond his quaint hometown.

But really, the set-up for “Sonic the Hedgehog” hinges on a bear tranq and some bad timing. The rest of the movie’s non-existent sense of urgency is provided by Dr. Robotnik, a hammy antagonist who likes to yell about how much smarter and more powerful he is compared to everyone else. Dr. Robotnik controls expensive-looking robot drones and has a flimsy waxed mustache that looks like one of those party favors you see every third wedding guest wearing in your Facebook friends’ wedding reception photos. Dr. Robotnik is not very interesting, but he’s in the “Sonic” video games, so he’s in this movie, too.

Also, there are some dull stranger-in-a-strange-land shenanigans involving Sonic’s bucket list, whose bullet points include “tame a wild animal,” “start a bar fight,” and “make a best friend.” Your kid could probably write a better scenario, given a little focus and the right motivation, two qualities that the makers of “Sonic the Hedgehog” seem to lack.

I don’t mean to be unnecessarily harsh, but based on the movie I saw, “Sonic the Hedgehog” doesn’t need to exist. Marsden does a lot of heavy lifting just by reacting to a computer-generated character whose only distinguishing feature is his resemblance to a beloved video game character that was never really interesting unto himself. But Marsden can’t save this movie from a deluge of uninspired chase scenes, dumb plot twists, and disposable pop culture references (wow, he’s doing the floss dance again, terrific). “Sonic the Hedgehog” is only as successful as the amount of time you want to spend watching its animated protagonist go on instantly forgettable adventures, and boy, is that unfortunate.

If you really want to know why you should skip “Sonic the Hedgehog,” try to watch the movie’s trailer, and see how much of Jim Carrey’s aggressively joyless performance you can take. Like Marsden, Carrey does a lot of acting, but unlike his co-star, Carrey is never as entertaining as he is energetic. Watching Carrey in “Sonic the Hedgehog” is like watching a drunk try to jumpstart a party that was well and truly dead upon his arrival. Unfortunately, Carrey’s laborious efforts only make things worse. I don’t know that “Sonic the Hedgehog” was ever salvageable, because ultimately, everything in it, including the good stuff, is depressing.

Simon Abrams

Simon Abrams is a native New Yorker and freelance film critic whose work has been featured in  The New York Times ,  Vanity Fair ,  The Village Voice,  and elsewhere.

• Ben Schwartz as Sonic (voice)
• James Marsden as Tom Wachowski
• Jim Carrey as Dr. Ivo Robotnik / Eggman
• Tika Sumpter as Maddie Wachowski
• Lee Majdoub as Stone
• Frank C. Turner as Crazy Carl
• Adam Pally as Billy Robb
• Debra Neil-Fisher
• Stacey Schroeder

Writer (characters)

• Hirokazu Yasuhara
• Naoto Ohshima
• Jeff Fowler
• Josh Miller
• Patrick Casey

Cinematographer

• Stephen F. Windon

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Sonic the Hedgehog 2 Reviews: Dazzling Visuals and An Amped Up Jim Carrey Save the Day

Critics say the film's human characters (who aren't jim carrey) and overlong runtime weigh it down, but there's still plenty for the whole family to enjoy..

TAGGED AS: animated , Film , films , movie , movies , Video Games

The super-fast blue alien hedgehog is back, and this time he’s brought a friend. Sonic the Hedgehog 2 follows up the hit 2020 video game adaptation with the addition of the beloved character Tails, but the sequel also introduces the villainous Knuckles (voiced by Idris Elba), a super-strong echidna who teams up with Jim Carrey’s returning nemesis, Dr. Robotnik. How does the new movie compare to the original, and is it worth seeing? Find all your answers below as we break down the first reviews of the second Sonic .

Here’s what critics are saying about Sonic the Hedgehog 2 :

How does this film compare to the first?

Sonic The Hedgehog 2 takes all the best elements of the first film and amps them up to 11. – Collier Jennings, But Why Tho? A Geek Community

Sonic the Hedgehog 2 is a more confident movie than its predecessor. – Ian Sandwell, Digital Spy

If I were put on the spot and forced to rewatch one, I would confidently choose this. – Robert Kojder, Flickering Myth

In every respect Sonic The Hedgehog 2 is really just more of the same. – John Nugent, Empire Magazine

Sonic the Hedgehog 2 improves upon its predecessor in many ways, while falling short in a few others. – Alex Stedman, IGN Movies

A similarly enjoyable cash cow with some welcomed, if far from revolutionary, idiosyncrasy. – Carlos Aguilar, TheWrap

Takes what was endearing about the original — in a word, personality — and renders it generic in a hurry. – Peter Debruge, Variety

The original just edges out the sequel. – Bradley Russell, Total Film

Does it honor the Sonic video games?

Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles feel like they stepped out of the SEGA console and into real life. – Collier Jennings, But Why Tho? A Geek Community

When Sonic and Knuckles go head-to-head, it really feels like the games brought to life. – Ian Sandwell, Digital Spy

The flick leans harder into imagery from the classic games (a scene referencing Sonic’s inability to swim is a standout), which will undoubtedly delight nostalgic ’90s fans. – Sean Keane, CNET

The first film often felt ashamed about being about its source material… Sonic the Hedgehog 2 hedges all its bets on its hedgehog, flying fox, and echidna shenanigans. – Douglas Laman, The Spool

Sonic the Hedgehog 2 is probably as good as a Sonic adaptation is going to get without abandoning human characters outright. – Robert Kojder, Flickering Myth

The first 90 minutes of Sonic 2 are actually pretty clever, thanks to all the creative ways the screenwriters devised to honor the games without derailing the plot. – Peter Debruge, Variety

Its character designs accurately mirror those lifeless NPC stares, meant to give off the vague appearance of humanity. – Siddhant Adlakha, IndieWire

(Photo by ©Paramount Pictures)

Is Jim Carrey still the best reason to see it?

It’s possibly the most Jim Carrey of all Jim Carrey performances… It’s Carrey at his over-the-top best. – Alex Stedman, IGN Movies

As with the first film, the closest thing here to a saving grace is Jim Carrey… It’s through Carrey that the film shows rare flashes of self-awareness. – John Nugent, Empire Magazine

It’s hard to watch Carrey at work here and not wish he’d take on a greater number of acting gigs because he remains one hell of a talent and a joy to watch practice his craft. – Josh Wilding, ComicBookMovie.com

Jim Carrey still dials up about five notches too quirky and irreverent but nonetheless gives off a closer vibe to his digital counterpart. – Robert Kojder, Flickering Myth

[He is] kind of fantastic but pitching his performance’s energy at the level of a nuclear reactor in meltdown. – Leslie Felperin, Guardian

Even Carrey is just schtick-ing hard for his paycheck… but he rarely if ever hits the comic bullseye. – David Jenkins, Little White Lies

He feels much more physically restrained here; he’s more punny than slapstick, which is so blatant a misuse of his talents that it ought to be punishable by law. – Siddhant Adlakha, IndieWire

Carrey has swapped quality for quantity. It’s a miscalculation. – Douglas Laman, The Spool

How are the new characters?

Elba is never overshadowed and we can’t wait for that Knuckles spinoff. – Josh Wilding, ComicBookMovie.com

Idris Elba [is] like a Poundshop Drax The Destroyer. – John Nugent, Empire Magazine

Elba brings a real sense of gravitas to what could have otherwise been an overly po-faced role. – Bradley Russell, Total Film

Every sequence focusing on Sonic and pals is so visually delightful and thoroughly dazzling that it’s hard not to revel in the CGI spectacle and pop culture references. – Sean Keane, CNET

When Sonic, Tails and Knuckles are sharing the screen, it’s a nostalgic joy similar to Spider-Man: No Way Home’ s big Spider-Men moment. – Ian Sandwell, Digital Spy

O’Shaughnessey shows up both actors and then some… The prolific voice actress runs circles around Elba and Schwartz with her lively and distinctly cartoonish cadence. – Siddhant Adlakha, IndieWire

Tails gets lost in all the mayhem… At its weakest, Sonic the Hedgehog 2 treats Tails as so superfluous that he gets unconscious for an extended sequence with no impact on the story. – Douglas Laman, The Spool

What about the story?

It’s easy to get sucked into their quest for a shiny green MacGuffin. – Sean Keane, CNET

The plot is a somewhat inconsequential, bog-standard MacGuffin hunt. – John Nugent, Empire Magazine

The breezy adventure is later brought to a screeching halt in disappointing fashion by a baffling sub-plot. – Bradley Russell, Total Film

Stuffing so much “new” into the sequel overall hurt the story from a creative perspective. Not flowing as easily as the first Sonic movie, the script felt forced, choppy and sometimes confusing. – Christie Cronan, Raising Whasians

Screenwriters John Whittington, Pat Casey, and Josh Miller haven’t so much come up with a plot for Sonic the Hedgehog 2 as taken several different storylines and smashed them together. – Douglas Laman, The Spool

The simplicity of the movie’s easily recognizable narrative structure allows the filmmakers to pile on a nearly incessant series of incidents that rapidly morph into major set pieces dominated by rapid cutting and jarring sound effects. – Justin Lowe, Hollywood Reporter

The script feels like it was a poor first draft. – David Jenkins, Little White Lies

Is there a message behind it all?

Themes of family, friendship, and the true meaning of heroism add heartwarming lessons to wholesome entertainment. – Julian Roman, MovieWeb

The overall heart of its message largely makes up for its shortcomings. Yes, we’ve seen the “power of friendship!” message over and over again in kids’ movies, but Sonic the Hedgehog 2 really makes it work. – Alex Stedman, IGN Movies

This evolving family dynamic may be relatable, but it’s rarely particularly persuasive, as Sonic’s increasingly extreme antics put him beyond the reach of any pretense of parental guidance, which Tom and Maddie effectively abdicate anyway by leaving town. – Justin Lowe, Hollywood Reporter

Will the whole family enjoy the film?

Sonic the Hedgehog 2 will definitely have the whole family cheering non-stop. – Christie Cronan, Raising Whasians

Kids will love it, adult Sonic fans will go nuts for it, and the rest of us will find it a pleasant diversion. – Douglas Laman, The Spool

A liberal sprinkling of adult gags – including a glorious eye roll of a mushroom pun – keep Sonic 2 from being a kids-only affair. – Bradley Russell, Total Film

It’s Elba’s deep tone, speaking about casual earthling pleasures like ice cream with regal seriousness, that provides the comedy that might resonate more with adults. – Carlos Aguilar, TheWrap

Sometimes a film is solely designed for the youngens. Sonic the Hedgehog 2 is one of those films… Jeff Fowler’s family fantasy sequel is strictly for the kids. – Peter Gray, This Is Film

There are times when the balance between appealing to children and adults doesn’t quite work. – Ian Sandwell, Digital Spy

The half-formed allusions to a story of family and friendship suggest a four-quadrant family movie, but no two consecutive scenes, jokes, or story beats seem likely to hold any one group’s attention for long enough. – Siddhant Adlakha, IndieWire

Is Sonic 2 funny?

While the joke hit rate isn’t as high as it should be, there are still laugh-out-loud moments to be had. – Bradley Russell, Total Film

It’s mildly amusing. – Leslie Felperin, Guardian

The jokes are still, on the whole, bad. – John Nugent, Empire Magazine

No matter how intelligently sarcastic some of the gags are, and there are many of those, we are often reminded these movies exist to make a quick buck rather than have a long-lasting legacy. – Carlos Aguilar, TheWrap

This sequel is as wearying and unfunny. – Josh Spiegel, Slashfilm

How is the action?

Thanks to some seriously impressive action set pieces that blow away what we saw in the first movie, you’ll have endless fun with this awesome sequel. – Josh Wilding, ComicBookMovie.com

The entertaining CGI scraps between Sonic and Knuckles also showcase director Jeff Fowler’s sharper eye for action this time around. – Bradley Russell, Total Film

Sonic the Hedgehog 2 also embraces action and blockbuster spectacle more… with markedly improved special effects that are pretty fantastic this time around. – Robert Kojder, Flickering Myth

A battle sequence involving Robotnik’s giant mecha creation stands out for its visual intricacy. – Carlos Aguilar, TheWrap

The CGI action looks incredible… I just happened to see a little boy sitting several rows in front of me. His jaw was literally dropped in amazement. That’s a good sign from the target audience. – Julian Roman, MovieWeb

[There’s] reliance on too much over-the-top cartoonish action, however, with borderline bonkers plot developments breathlessly deployed at a clip recalling the movie’s video-game origins. – Justin Lowe, Hollywood Reporter

Is it too long?

It’s never a chore to sit through. – Douglas Laman, The Spool

There’s no earthly reason that it should all have taken two hours. – Leslie Felperin, Guardian

There is no good reason for this movie, or any movie about a fast-talking and fast-moving hedgehog, to be two hours long, especially when it feels closer to three hours long. – Josh Spiegel, Slashfilm

It all goes on a bit too long… The bloated runtime is a result of ensuring every human character has a subplot of their own, but they don’t prove to be worthwhile. – Ian Sandwell, Digital Spy

An hour and a half would’ve been a perfectly fine run-time, whereas at two hours and change, Sonic 2 wears out its welcome well before it turns into yet another phone-it-in franchise entry. – Peter Debruge, Variety

Yes, there’s a whole Sonic Cinematic Universe to establish, but as a standalone entry, it could’ve done all that and still wrapped up 20 minutes earlier. – Alex Stedman, IGN Movies

Are there any other problems?

Sonic the Hedgehog 2’ s biggest flaw is that it doesn’t quite know how to juggle the characters and storyline from the previous movie gracefully as it ushers in its new players. – Alex Stedman, IGN Movies

To put it bluntly, the human characters – Dr. Robotnik aside – just aren’t as interesting as their animated counterparts. – Ian Sandwell, Digital Spy

The humans in the film fare pretty poorly, as was the case with the first one… Marsden is far more talented than this whole bloated IP nonsense. – Josh Spiegel, Slashfilm

Most of the returning live action characters took a back seat, and sometimes suffered in poor script writing, extended scenes with no purpose, and what felt like forced live action comedy. – Christie Cronan, Raising Whasians

These sequences give Natasha Rothwell the chance to show her comedic chops as the stressed out bride, but they outstay their welcome. – Sean Keane, CNET

One wonders if a fully animated take on Sonic would best serve the material. – Carlos Aguilar, TheWrap

It looks like the effects artists have literally forgotten key parts of the animation. The grim reality is that the makers know this is Sonic 2 , and that noone is really going to care. – Adi David Jenkins, Little White Lies

Will we want another sequel after this?

This snappy sequel proves Sonic’s race isn’t run yet. Far from it. – Bradley Russell, Total Film

A note to the filmmakers, shorter is sweeter for family fare. The next installment should not be over two hours. – Julian Roman, MovieWeb

A word of advice to the studio: Don’t rush it. – Peter Debruge, Variety

Sonic the Hedgehog 2 opens in theaters on April 8, 2022.

Thumbnail by ©Paramount Pictures

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