sonic the hedgehog
Sonic the Hedgehog was one of the last major theatrical film releases before the COVID-19 lockdowns started. It was February 2020, and I remembered whisperings of this mysterious virus back during the time I saw this in theaters, and because of that, it felt like it was hundreds of years ago. I remember the film being fine upon first viewing- not spectacular, not horrendous, and I remember being apathetic to it during its marketing and leading up to its release, except for my oft-shared disgust for Sonic’s original trailer design before the famous VFX rework (which my tin-foil-hat theory suggests was all a marketing ploy.)
Upon rewatch, this film’s reputation as being fun for kids with some cute laughs, but overall a bite-sized, mediocre time killer was solidified. However, I actually did also have a ton of fun with this at the same time.
Starting with the obvious, Jim Carrey absolutely killed in this. The undisputed star of the show, his electricity and cartoonish charm, while still maintaining a level of cool-headed intimidation, was extremely impressive. I wish he looked more like Robotnik in the games (or at least, less generic- he looks like a Marvel superhero), but that comes in later entries. His dance sequence is the most refreshing scene in the movie, and his personality and voice comes through in spades.
I had a smile on my face almost- almost- the whole way through this. Character-wise, I really liked Sonic, as his youthfulness and naivete felt like a reasonable check for his other attributes. He's cute, funny and more than capable of carrying a movie trilogy. But I also really love Tom- he seemed like a goofy, charming, unique father figure for Sonic, and they gelled really well together.
I don’t exactly know why so many little moments and jokes got me, but I found this pretty funny at parts. It kind of reminds me of The LEGO Movie’s humor style (a high praise coming from a Master Builder such as myself), with focus on subversion of expectations (“of course I want a latte”, “I was breastfed, actually” and “report that behavior to the principal”, to name a few). Unfortunately, the M.O. of the rest of the film’s dialogue does not follow suit, with many generic lines and sequences, such as the Disney Channel-esque “uh, meow?” and the mandatory scene of Robotnik “showing up” military men with his intelligence. I wish the film’s dialogue was as sincere and razor tight as its attempt at humor.
Speaking of generic, my major gripe with this movie is indeed its lack of originality. The story format is incredibly formulaic, with “Comedy actor, probably James Marsden, driving with CGI animals he has to learn to love in the passenger seat” being a pre-established subgenre in itself. In contrast to the vibrancy, colors and wacky locations of its source material, this film’s setting, vibe, locations and color palettes are remarkably boring. The whole point of Sonic in the games is racing through colorful and cartoonish locales at top speed, so the fact that the adaptation is set entirely on Earth, chiefly in a gray Montana small town, is frustrating to say the least.
If the plot was more original (with some knots straightened out) and the setting more vibrant, this would be a fantastic little movie that all ages would enjoy. As it stands, though, this is mostly enjoyed by those under the age of 10 or so with some great characters, performances, and humor, but ho-hum everything else. If nothing else though, it sets up sequels really well in terms of character development and arcs, so the story from one Sonic movie to the next can flow seamlessly. I couldn't wait to find out what happened next.
