Review: Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (2022)
by Emily Nagle
Earlier this month, the long-awaited “Sonic the Hedgehog 2” released in theaters.
Since the success of the original 2 years ago, fans speculated Paramount would create a sequel featuring other characters from the Sonic games, including double-tailed fox Tails and fierce red echidna Knuckles. The mid-credits scene teased at least one more film, so of course when the first trailer for “Sonic 2” was released in December, the Internet went nuts – especially when they discovered Idris Elba would be voicing Knuckles (and he’s absolutely perfect in the role!). The casting is strong in this one – Jim Carrey returns as Robotnik, and he’s even more goofy and Robotnik-like than in the first “Sonic” film.
This one picks up several months after the events of the first film. Sonic has been living with Tom (James Marsden) and Maddie (Tika Sumpter), and using his supersonic speed to unsuccessfully serve as a vigilante for the town of Green Hills, which ends up causing chaos rather than helping. Itching for his moment to be a hero, Sonic’s chance finally arrives when Dr. Robotnik shows up at the house while Tom and Maddie are away for a wedding. Having finally escaped from the mushroom planet he was transported to at the end of the first film, Robotnik on a mission to find the Master Emerald, which would give him enough power to enslave the entire planet.
Film adaptations of video games are notorious for being bad, but “Sonic the Hedgehog 2” (as well as its sequel) dodges this bullet. It’s sweet and silly, and puts a real-life spin on its source material. In other words, it’s not just a story about Sonic and his friends teaming up to protect the Chaos Emeralds, but a story of family and friendship. When we first meet Knuckles, he holds a grudge against Sonic due to his clan going extinct during a war with the owl tribe that Sonic was raised under. Despite this, Sonic rescues him from drowning after he is betrayed by Robotnik, refusing to leave him for dead. From there, the two make peace and join forces to defeat Robotnik once and for all. By the end, they’re playing a friendly game of baseball with Tails and the Wachowskis.
The attention to detail in the CGI is incredible. Tails is super fluffy, making him look realistic despite his giant blue eyes and two propeller-like tails. Upon looking closer at his design, I noticed tiny eyelashes, which blew my mind – it’s clear the animators spent a great deal of time working on the characters.
Even though it isn’t what people watch movies for, the end credits for “Sonic the Hedgehog 2” are well-made. and worth waiting for. It’s an homage to the original Sonic games of the 90s, animated in a pixel style reminiscent of the games. They’re also followed by a post-credits scene, so don’t leave the theater right away!
Of course it doesn’t compare to the first movie, but if you enjoyed “Sonic the Hedgehog”, you’ll love the sequel! It’s already been confirmed for a third film, as well as a spin-off series featuring Knuckles, so fans can look forward to seeing more of SEGA’s beloved characters on the big screen.