Reviewer Hugh Verheylewegen celebrated Valentine’s Day with a screening of Sonic the Hedgehog.
Directed by Jeff Fowler in his theatrical debut, Sonic the Hedgehog follows the titular character living a lonely life on Earth after having been forced out from his home by people desperate for his powers. After getting noticed by the government and the public, Sonic is pursued by the villainous Dr. Robotnik (Jim Carrey) and needs the help of police officer Tom Wachowski (James Marsden) to escape Earth.
Now something you should know about me right off the bat: growing up, I was an absolute super fan of Sonic. I played a lot of the games (both good and bad), watched all the cartoons, and even read a lot of the comics. Over time my love for Sonic lessened mostly due to so many disappointing games, as well the horrendous Sonic Boom ????.
So when this movie was announced I was extremely skeptical, as I was expecting another soulless cash grab using a popular 90s icon. And I was even more skeptical when the first trailer dropped, showing off that god awful first design.
But then something unexpected happened. Jeff Fowler didn’t ignore the response… he listened to the disappointed and angry fans and went out of his way to get Sonic redesigned, and soon enough showed it to the world in the second trailer. While I still had doubts, the redesign was gorgeous and the trailer itself in terms of tone and style actually got me interested in seeing the movie.
And now here we are on this day of love and chocolates where I finally got to watch the movie in a surprisingly packed theater, and I walked out of that theater with a big grin. This was a really fun movie! Like seriously, I really enjoyed this! Is it a perfect movie? No, but it got a lot of things right and it gave me what I kind of expected, but also a bit more.
The story is your typical 90s movie, but unlike most present day movies that use the same cliche formula with no effort… this movie actually had effort put into it and even heart. One of the best aspects of this movie is that it actually had stakes. Most mediocre kid movies these days never have that element, which makes them completely shallow. But there are actual stakes we get in this movie, and Sonic isn’t an invincible or expert protagonist. He is very much like a kid who has grown up lonely, and despite being able to learn a lot about his new home, still wishes to be able to live life to the fullest.
Despite using a cliche 90’s plot format, the movie actually had heart to it, and themes that I think both kids and adults can connect with. It shows that the director Jeff Fowler really wanted to make a competent film and wasn’t trying to make some nostalgic cash grab. He does deliver fan service as expected, but at the same time he is serious about making a good movie.
Ben Schwartz as the voice of Sonic hit all the right beats with the character. He was fun, funny, cute, naive and full of that free spirit which, to me, are some of the main qualities that make Sonic who he is. His re-design is gorgeous, with some great detail that was put into all his features, including his expressions and emotions.
You actually care for Sonic, and the movie actually focused hugely on him, as it should. I was afraid the movie was mostly going to be focused on the character of Tom, played by James Marsden, but it wasn’t, and yet surprisingly I thought the character was solid. I’ll admit I never been that much of a fan of James Marsden but I honestly really liked him in this movie. His character is simple yet delightful. He’s the kind of character you’d expect to see in a film like this, but he was enjoyable nonetheless.
And then we of course have our beloved Jim Carrey. By god do I love this man. He was one of my biggest idols growing up and I watched so many of his movies, both comedic ones and serious ones too. The man is a genius when it comes to going all out in fun roles, and this was certainly a role that he absolutely cherished. If you have been waiting to see Jim Carrey return to his glory days then look no further, for that is exactly what he does here. He was a great foil for Sonic and has probably the best comedic moments in the movie.
The action in this movie is actually really well done and is visually fantastic, especially in the third act. When things really get going it is fast-paced fun that is true to the kind of action you’d want in a Sonic film, and it all looks so good while doing it. It was exciting to watch and it transitioned so smoothly from scene to scene and place to place. Again, you can tell there was actual care put into this movie.
When it comes to flaws, as I said before, the movie does follow a 90s plot format, though it does take it in a much better direction compared to others. Some jokes don’t always land, and there is some product placement that is kind of shoved in your face, but thankfully they go away as fast as Sonic does. There is also one subplot in the movie that revolves around Tom being a wanted man that doesn’t really go anywhere, and by the end of the movie it gets completely forgotten, which made me wonder why it was even included anyway if it doesn’t have any impact on the story.
Because of this I was prepared to give this move a B+, but then there was a surprise they left in the mid credits scene that took me completely off guard and made the entire audience roar with absolute happiness and delight. And to be honest I was with them. I won’t say what it is but it is a pretty obvious set up for a sequel that I honestly would be totally up for.
The way the third act concludes and hints towards the possible future makes this movie honestly really exciting, and brings me back to the times where I was excited for anything Sonic related. This movie reignited my love for Sonic and I honestly really appreciate that. I think Sonic fans will be pleased with this movie, and I think families will also really enjoy this movie too. I’m going to give Sonic the Hedgehog an A-.
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