Sonic the Hedgehog 2

 

Admittedly Sonic the Hedgehog 2 is a bit of an outlier for me given my non-gamer status.  Yes, I have a vague awareness of the game/character but that’s about it.  So, why did I feel a need to go to the theater to see this film?  

When 2020's original Sonic the Hedgehog was being promoted, I did some major eye rolling to outright scoffing on why it was being made as well as why folks were up in arms about the character’s original first look.  The movie dropped, people seemed to like it, but pfft, whatever.  Then a couple months back I had one of those nights when I was looking for something to watch and just wasn’t in the mood for anything I already had in various queues.  Completely dissatisfied with my options when I ran across StH and possessing zero knowledge of what was in store, I decided what the heck and watched the “stupid looking movie”.  Yep, I was drawn in, surprisingly, and thoroughly entertained by the film and was left wanting more.  Hence my interest in seeing the sequel on the big screen this time around.

First, I enjoyed the heck out of this film.  It’s 2 hours and 2 minutes of pure fun, heart, and entertainment.  The soundtrack alone is enough to make you happy (yep, seat dancing alert).  But, that’s not even the best part.  Sonic the Hedgehog 2 is bigger, louder, sillier, more heartwarming, and more engaging than the original.  A gem of a sequel that does the rare trick of giving you all the things you loved in the original, expands and improves on them and delivers an even better movie going experience.

With that being said, the second thing you need to know, S2 picks up right where the first film ends and continues the story, so you really need to see the first movie to have a clue on what’s going on.

Third, the return of all the key cast members is a delight and really grounds the continuation of the story.  Natasha Rothwell’s Rachel slays me once again, hard.  And Lee Majdoub’s sycophant Agent Stone best brown noser ever.  Of course, Jim Carrey’s over-the-top Robotnik is a blast. James Marsden’s Tom and Tika Sumpter’s Maddie are as adorable, loving, patient, and understanding as ever. Shout out to Shemar Moore cause damn, it's Shemar Moore.

While the humans are great, S2 places the spotlight squarely on the CGI game characters this go round.  Sonic is still Sonic. New cast/characters of Knuckles (Idris Elba) and Tails (Colleen O’Shaughnessey) are a great addition and kick things up a notch or two in this adventurous, goofy tale of friendship, family fleshing the story out and going deeper and a bit darker. 

Sonic the Hedgehog 2 is action packed fun and entertainment from start to finish.  If the audience I saw it with is any indication it slaps hard with kids and adults, gamers and non-gamers alike.  A family film that the entire family will actually enjoy.  And why not enjoy it on the big screen? Definitely worth a trip to the theater.  As always, a warning, don’t bolt right away and miss the credit scene, it had kids literally screaming with excitement. Definitely a film to watch again and again.

I’ve gotta give Sonic the Hedgehog 2 props.  

It’s a 9.5 from this non-gamer.