What’s going on guys??? Zane here giving you guys my review for Sonic the Hedgehog. Starring Ben Schwartz, James Marsden and Jim Carrey. Directed by Jeff Fowler.
For a movie that went through such rigorous controversy, with completely redesigning the look of Sonic, Sonic the Hedgehog proved to be a lot better than it should have been. Sonic the Hedgehog proved to be a sweet hearted, charming, funny and thrill ride of a movie, with adrenaline and visceral action and visuals, with solid performances from Schwartz and Marsden but a fantastic and villainous performance from the legendary Jim Carrey.
When looking at the controversy, it should never be the fan base to tell studious what they or shouldn’t do. However, the moment the trailer dropped there wasn’t an outcry for how Sonic looked and to be honest, Sonic is a difficult character to adapt in a live action environment because he’s a goofy looking character. Paramount caved and really gave the fans what they wanted and changed the look entirely, which is something no studio should ever do no matter what creative decisions were made.
Controversy aside, Sonic the Hedgehog features a lot more positive merit than one might expect. The premise that finds this freakishly fast character on Earth rightfully doesn’t take itself too seriously. Forced to flee his home world as a child to escape the grasp of the villains who want to use his super-speed abilities for evil, teenage Sonic (voiced by Ben Schwartz) has lived in hiding in the town of Green Hills, Montana, for a decade. While not exactly the Green Hill Zone fans may remember from the original 1991 game, it is a nice homage to the sprawling paradise found in both acts of the first level in the Sega Genesis classic.
Isolated in our world, Sonic has no one to talk to but himself (and us, as he occasionally breaks the fourth wall, Deadpool-style), so Schwartz’s portrayal is unique in that sense than other depictions of the character in games and cartoons. But like the voice actors who came before him, Schwartz is able to invoke that thrill-seeking spirit Sonic is known for. Schwartz’s vocal performance is definitely up there with Sonic OGs like Roger Craig Smith and Ryan Drummond, giving him a similarly energetic and quick-witted personality. There are times where Sonic’s constant banter with himself grows maddening and a bit too cartoonish (perhaps not surprising in a PG-rated film aimed at children and families), but the character evolves once he is forced out of isolation in order to escape the clutches of Dr. Robotnik (Jim Carrey) and befriends Tom Wachowski (James Marsden).
Ben Schwartz also shares some great chemistry with one of Hollywood’s most under appreciated actor, James Marsden. Playing the live-action human companion to an animated protagonist could very easily be a thankless role for an actor, but Marsden manages to mine the heartwarming moments with Sonic (as well as with Tom’s wife Maddie, played by Tika Sumpter) even if it’s ultimately not a standout turn in his career.
It’s been awhile since Jim Carrey has given a great comedic performance. Jim Carrey’s take on Dr. Robotnik is vintage Jim Carrey. Carrey’s physicality and comedic timing evoke memories of his Ace Ventura and Liar Liar heyday, proving the gifted comedian hasn’t lost his touch. His comedic delivery and interactions with other characters are a winning combination within moments of his first appearance.
The movie, unfortunately, does suffer from very noticeable traits of poor CGI. It isn’t littered all over the movie, but there are a few sequences where the special effects don’t blend well with the rest of the environment, and maybe that might have had something to do with changing Sonic’s look. Be that as it may, there are some questionable and jarring moments of how the special effects were utilized.
But all that being said, one of the strengths of this movie is how Director, Jeff Fowler, handles the heart and the nailing the references to the source material. He does a terrific job at stuffing in as many Easter eggs from all the Sonic games as possible, to the point where hardcore Sonic fans may have to watch more than once just to catch them all. The nods to the gameplay mechanics – such as how Sonic loses his rings upon being hit by an enemy or the way he curls up into a ball and dashes to defeat them – land well and with believability here. Fans of Sonic will loose their minds throughout this movie (especially the mid-credits scene), but unlike say a movie like Detective Pikachu, a casual movie goer won’t be confused or lost with all the references or Easter eggs.
While this family-friendly action-comedy suffers from a simplistic story and leans too heavily on tired visual cliches, Sonic the Hedgehog is nevertheless boosted by solid performances from Ben Schwartz as Sonic and Jim Carrey as Dr. Robotnik. Their ongoing cat-and-mouse game is entertaining, and passionate fans of the Sega franchise should appreciate all the nods to Sonic’s history. Make no mistake, this frantically-paced film is made first and foremost for Sonic fans. If you’ve been there for the little blue fella these past 29 years, from his humble beginnings on the Sega Genesis to his current iteration, then Sonic the Hedgehog is the love letter you’re probably looking for. If not… maybe save your gold rings.
My grade for Sonic the Hedgehog: B
Zane's take at the Cinema's 