SONIC THE HEDGEHOG: A Surprisingly Zany Treat For The Family

After being shrouded in controversy over the design of its titular character, Sonic The Hedgehog is finally racing his way into theaters. The question that remains is whether or not fans of the immensely popular game franchise should show up to see their beloved character on the silver screen. Not only is this video game adaptation a surprisingly zany treat, but I think it should please fans of the games and those unfamiliar in equal measure.

Not Hidden Anymore

The premise of Sonic The Hedgehog is relatively simple. The story centers on Sonic (Ben Schwartz), a creature from an entirely different world who has super speed and possesses shiny, gold rings that can transport him to any location of his choosing. He’s been hiding out on Earth, as most extraterrestrial creatures tend to do, and causes an electrical disturbance that leads to his discovery. With an incredibly evil scientist, Dr. Robotnik (Jim Carrey) on his tail, he must enlist the help of a local police officer (James Marsden) to help him escape Earth.

Now I wasn’t one of those kids who played the games regularly growing up, but I was eager to see how the character’s story would lend to the big screen, especially with some considerable talent attached to the project. Not only is the redesign of the character far more accurate and kind on the eyes, but the film surrounding him is a truly pleasant surprise. The main reason this film works as well as it does is due in large part to the terrific work of Schwartz as Sonic and Carrey as Robotnik respectively. Schwartz imbues Sonic with an effortless charm and breezy personality that makes him easy to love and become emotionally attached. He sells the character’s loneliness and warmth without ever trying too hard to elevate what’s on the page. His portrayal not only feels akin to the character in the games, but he’s able to make the hedgehog his own with his particular brand of humor and comedic timing.

Watching Jim Carrey in classic 90s mode here is an absolute delight. Seeing him channel his manic and unpredictable energy into this outlandish and highly cartoonish character never grows stale or repetitive and his delivery remains stellar. Carrey has proven time and time again that he’s a talented dramatic performer, but seeing him stretch and contort his body and fully throw himself into this villainous role was everything a fan could ask for and then some. He’s not only able to bring the laughs almost constantly, but he’s able to believably portray the dizzying intellect of the character and how he feels like an outlier compared to those around him for better or worse. If anything, this film showcases the versatility Carrey has as a performer and has peaked my interest in seeing him play the antagonist again and again.

A Budding Friendship

However, the highlight of the film was the relationship Sonic develops with a local police officer played here by James Marsden. Once the two inadvertently cross paths, the film becomes a road trip comedy and becomes all the better for embracing it. Their friendship develops naturally, slowly shifting from prickly and unavoidable to warm and loving.

Marsden and Schwartz have a terrific chemistry with one another, making for a dynamic comedic pair with Marsden gamely playing the straight man. Their antics and adventures are often entertaining to watch and more importantly, their friendship feels earned rather than forced for the story’s sake. The main goal of the film is to not only get the audience emotionally invested in their friendship and objective, but to be able to pull at their heartstrings once the stakes get higher and the journey more precarious. In regards to that main goal, I think the film is mostly successful in not trying to manipulate the audience into feeling for these characters and that is always welcomed.

An All Too Familiar Journey

Now of course, this film isn’t without its faults. The story is as formulaic as can be, never deviating from a final destination no one will be surprised by. It’s all too easy to figure out where the story is going to go and where these characters will ultimately end up, but fortunately the film has enough entertaining action sequences and embraces its goofy nature enough to the point where it’s easy to forgive it for such blatant predictability.

Also, though the film is often very funny, this is a children’s movie after all so there are plenty of jokes and slapstick gags that are clearly aimed at a younger demographic that simply didn’t work and made my eyes roll. I wish the film embraced its more nuanced, mature humor rather than the easy one-liners and physical gags to appease the kids. In that regard, the humor of the film feels a little too inconsistent which was disappointing to say the least.

Sonic the Hedgehog: Final Thoughts

Sonic The Hedgehog is a stunningly above-average video game adaptation. It’s colorful, funny, filled with great performances, and sets up this character for a potential franchise I would be game to explore. Yes, that pun was intentional and I embrace it whole-heartedly. This is an adaptation that I feel should please fans of the games and is perfectly suited for families who are perhaps unfamiliar with the source material. If you’re looking to have some goofy fun, I think this one should scratch that itch and get the job done.

Have you seen Sonic The Hedgehog yet? If not, do you plan on seeing it? Let us know in the comment section below!

Sonic The Hedgehog was released in theaters in the US and Uk on February 14, 2020. For all international release dates, see here.