‘Sonic The Hedgehog 2’ Review: Video Game Sequel Shows Signs Of Slowing

This globe-trotting sequel sees Sonic (Ben Schwartz) return to face up against the dastardly Dr Robotnik (Jim Carey) and newcomer Knuckles the Echidna (Idris Elba). Though the script has some charming moments, lackluster action and a formulaic plot ensure the blue speedster’s latest outing never makes it past a slow jog.

★★✰✰✰

The inevitable sequel to the 2020 video game film adaption, Sonic the Hedgehog 2 is exactly what you would expect a big budget video game film adaption to be. Sonic and partner-in-sneakers Tails are tasked with finding a green emerald that grants its user godlike powers and preventing the evil Doctor Robotnik from reaching it first. Cue plenty of explosions, a clunky morality lesson about friendship, and a few more explosions thrown in to keep the story zooming along. 

The film has enough witty one-liners to keep older viewers engaged, and even makes a passing reference to Magic Mike which will sail over the heads of its target audience. For gamers there are nostalgia kicks and throwbacks to the old video games that will bring memories of speeding through pixelated landscapes and gathering golden rings pouring back. Beyond this, though, the film’s standard MacGuffin-hunt does little to attract those other than the haggard half-term crowd it has in its sights.

The film’s weakest elements are its uninspired fight scenes. Sonic, as the “fastest thing alive” unsurprisingly just runs away from or towards whatever is trying to destroy him, be it Robotnik’s cannon-fodder robots or Idris Elba’s grouchy echidna, Knuckles. Despite going toe-to-toe on a mountain side, a Hawaiian island, and in an Aztec looking temple, their fight scenes are disappointingly repetitive, amounting to little more than some running and some punching until the plot demands they move on. 

Knuckles also has his problems as a character. He seems to only be able to talk in exposition dumps, taking every opportunity to share the Homeric epic that is the story of his tribe of echidna’s eternal war against a race of owls. This would make for some pacing issues were it not for Jim Carey, whose performance serves as the undoubtable highlight of the film. He once again brings his unique comic timing, wit, and physicality to Robotnik, injecting the flick with the camp self-awareness that it needs to keep it from becoming overly serious. His scheming mad scientist, now recognisable in his iconic getup with bald head and Nietzsche-like walrus moustache, channels a range of characters from Dick Dastardly to Ace Ventura, a reminder of the manic comic energy Carey can bring when left to his own devices. 

Unfortunately, Carey and his other human co-stars’ interactions with Sonic and Knuckles are never fluid thanks to the CGI characters’ overly cartoonish design. They are both meant to evoke the original video game sprites whilst also blending into the real world with some occaisonally horrifying consequences; uncannily fleshy eyeballs and curiously detailed fur can’t help but send the collection of speedy forest critters tumbling into the uncanny valley from time to time. For the most part, however, the film moves fast enough to just about mask the uncomfortable interactions between the real and CGI characters. 

The Verdict

For a film about a high-speed adrenaline junkie, Sonic the Hedgehog 2 does little to raise the pulse. Despite a winning performance from an energetic Jim Carey, a forgetable plot and unexceptional action sequences conspire to leave this video game adaptation collecting dust on the digital shelf.

Words by Alexander Cohen

Sonic The Hedgehog 2 arrives in cinemas 1 April.

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