Sonic the Hedgehog – Movie Reviews by Ry!
Sonic the Hedgehog – Blue Sprint of a Family Adventure
Video games are a way of life for many around the world. The potential of storytelling and intuitive characters abound, but trying to translate it to cinema has been a hard task. Through the years, filmmakers have failed to capture the essences of what makes these properties prime. There is always hope that one will succeed. A well renowned Sega character takes that leap to the big screen. With an intuitive sense of imagination, Sonic the Hedgehog manages to somewhat break that curse. No matter how obvious, this video game adaptation lifts that curtain to become a true fun adventure.
Having left his home world due to unforeseen circumstances, Sonic finds a new place to live on Earth. Having hid for many years, he must face the truth of his presence. As trouble abounds, Sonic must find a way to save everyone and become that true hero. With any video game adaptation, the main issue is taking obscure source material and translating it to the big screen. The filmmakers introduce the audience to this property through general exposition within family friendly tropes. This allows for the transition of our CGI protagonist, Sonic, to feel authentic in the real world. As the first act ensues, the audience eases into the unknown through Sonic’s wisecracking one liners, outrageous visuals of speed and interactions with others. This gives a basis for the fish out of water scenario in a common setting. His antics gets picked up by the government, who enlist Doctor Robotnik (Jim Carrey) to investigate. This leads down a predictable ‘hero’s quest’ storyline, where we find Sonic on the run from this evil scientist.
As Robotnik chases Sonic, the overall journey slowly propells above the commonality of its outline. All the video game clichés, over-the-top action and cheesy one-liners become a steppingstone for a colorful sensation of characters and lore. This allows for nostalgia to feel genuine, seeing fictionalized situations as authentic. The obvious is there, but the unfolding journey creates excitement of what Sonic will do next to evade capture. Once in the third act, everything comes full circle. This typical clash of ‘hero and villain’ is propelled with a sense of guile. This leads to a climax that is expected, but a fulfillment to the hero’s journey. Sonic the Hedgehog is a film that manages to be exciting and stay true to the core elements of the game. Even in its simplistic outline, there is enough here to be entertained. If you’re fans of the property or want a fun time for the family, this is one for you.
Full Score – 3.5 out of 5 (Matinee)