Sonic the Hedgehog 2 hits theaters on April 8, 2022.
When it was released in 2020, Sonic the Hedgehog had the distinction of being only the second Actually Good live-action video game adaptation after Pokemon: Detective Pikachu, but it certainly wasn't reinventing the wheel. Instead, it harkened back to an era when kids' movies were decidedly for kids and unapologetically unpretentious. And if you were into that, like I was, then you can rest assured that Sonic the Hedgehog 2 brings more of that exact same energy – a lot more! For better or worse, this sequel feels bigger in every way. It may bite off a bit more than it can chew, but for the most part, it’s just as funny, charming, and heartfelt as the first movie.
In fact, there are several aspects in which this sequel improves upon its predecessor; in particular, how much more of Sega’s Sonic universe feels baked into it. Sure, there were Easter Eggs galore in the first one, but with the job of laying the groundwork for the series and how Sonic fits into this world out of the way, director Jeff Fowler and writers Pat Casey, Josh Miller, and John Whittington are allowed to really go nuts with working in notes from the games -- and that they do. Of course, this is inherent with just in fact that famous characters Tails and Knuckles are joining the Blue Blur in this go-around, and the movie captures the spirit of these characters wonderfully.
Whenever the three anthropomorphic critters are on screen, it’s a blast, which bodes well for the future of this burgeoning cinematic franchise. Longtime Tails voice actor Colleen O'Shaughnessey reprises the role for the big-screen here, which was a smart choice; she brings all the sweetness and earnestness that the adorable fox needs. Tails’ relationship with Sonic (voiced again by Ben Schwartz, which remains great casting) is an emotional highlight, too, and allows the hedgehog some admirable character development. Sonic may compare himself to Batman, but the “with great power comes great responsibility” angle of his story aligns a lot more with Peter Parker. The sequel really leans into the fact that this super-powered mammal is still just a kid, and it’s all the better for it, with some satisfying growth from the speedy blue hero.
As for our other furry friend, Idris Elba steps into the shoes of Knuckles, and yeah, of course it’s awesome. Is anyone surprised? He brings a certain gravitas to the role, but also gets some of the funniest lines in the movie as the hilariously self-serious echidna. He and Jim Carrey’s Dr. Robotnik are perfect foils for each other as entertainingly mismatched allies. Speaking of which, if this really is Carrey’s last role before retiring from acting, then it feels fitting that it’s possibly the most Jim Carrey of all Jim Carrey performances. He goes even bigger as Robotnik continues to lose his marbles, and manages to be appropriately menacing at times, too. It’s Carrey at his over-the-top best.
The humans aside from Robotnik, however, don’t fare as well. 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. Without getting into too many plot details, it begins by whisking away Tom (James Marsden) and Maddie (Tika Sumpter) off to Hawaii, and every time we cut to them and their human drama, the film loses steam. It’s natural that they wouldn’t just want to kick Sonic’s adoptive parents to the curb – that would be even worse – but their story feels shoehorned in in a way that doesn’t really work. The silver lining is that Natasha Rothwell, as Maddie’s sister Rachel, gets a few very funny moments to shine in these scenes.
It’s also indicative of Sonic the Hedgehog 2’s other issue: its length. At two hours, it clocks in at 20 minutes longer than its predecessor, which feels wholly unnecessary. It’s such a blast in the first half, as it moves briskly with colorful action while still making room to build Sonic and Tails’ friendship (and Robotnik and Knuckles’, er, frenemyship), but starts to overstay its welcome in its second half. 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.
Still, 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, especially in its warm, sincere, and well-earned conclusion. This franchise is still finding its footing, but it continues to move in the right direction. In short, sign me right up for the Knuckles TV show and the sequels that this movie very much sets up.
from IGN Reviews https://ift.tt/J3vrdoa
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