While Tom (James Marsden) and his wife, Maddie (Tika Sumpter), were away for a wedding. Dr. Robotnik manages to return to Earth and attacks him with the help of Knuckles the Echidna (Idris Elba). Knuckles is the last of the Echidnas tribe, a very proud warrior race. He goes to Earth to find Sonic because he thinks he is the key to finding The Master Emerald, an ancient relic that gives its owner the power to change reality.
Miles "Tails" Prower (Colleen O'Shaughnessey), a two-tailed fox, saves Sonic from the ambush. Sonic then convinces him to help him find the Master Emerald before Knuckles and Dr. Robotnik can. Since Tails has been Sonic’s admirer for a long time, he agrees.
As Sonic and Tails follow the clues towards the Master Emerald, Dr. Robotnik meets up with his assistant, Stone, to plan out their strategy to take over the whole world by using the powerful gem.
It’s no secret that video game movies have the tendency to be terrible. And it’s probably because both completely exist in a very different realm of entertainment media.
Interaction is a big part of video games. Game design plays a huge role in engagement, and playing the game is a key way to learn more about the story. Designers always put emphasis on giving their players something to work on and to look forward to. But the best thing about them is that they let players make up their own stories along the way. They can keep them interested because they can decide what to do.
Unlike in movies, where we have to follow a central character through his or her journey, when it comes to movies, the art of storytelling is in full control. Unlike video games, interactivity can't be adapted into a movie because there are too many things to think about. "Bandersnatch" tried it, but because of the limited ways the story could go and how much it would cost, Netflix didn't even bother to do it all over again.
With all of this in mind, "Sonic the Hedgehog 2" was always in a position where people didn't expect much from it. The first movie was okay, but if fans weren't rallying to overhaul the CGI, no one would even know that there was a Sonic movie. If it hadn't gotten so much media attention, it might have been a disaster for the studios that worked on it.
In the end, fans and critics didn't have anything bad to say about the first Sonic and it did just fine at the box office. Many people actually loved it, with some of them calling it the hope of video game movies. Even more so, most fans will agree that Jim Carrey's maniacal performance as Dr. Robotnik made everything so much more fun.
The people behind "Sonic" must’ve realized that the man with the rubber face makes their film better by threefolds. So they gave fans what they liked in the sequel: more screen time for Jim Carrey. And it was not disappointing. From his over-the-top mannerisms to the way he throws insults at people and at Sonic and his gang, Carrey's energy and comedic timing are always charming and contagious, and no one can get enough of it.
The other people who do the voices are also great finds. Next to hiring Jim Carrey, bringing back Colleen O'Shaughnessey to voice Tails is probably one of the best decisions the executives ever made. O'Shaughnessey is the only one who could show how sweet and innocent Tails is, and fans will agree that no one else can come close to her. Idris Elba is also a good choice to play Knuckles the Echidna. The voice of Elba is strong, serious, and noble. This mix is perfect for a tough warrior like Knuckles. On the other hand, it takes a little while for me to get used to Ben Schwartz as Sonic. Even though I can see why his voice is good for kids, I still think Roger Craig Smith could do a better job of voicing the blue hedgehog.
Anyway, just like the first movie, this one has a weak and thin plot. It's the same cat-and-mouse narrative as the last movie, but with only an updated MacGuffin and roster of characters. The story is simplified so that kids can understand it quickly. The characters aren't as complicated as they could be. And it tries to add as much humor and homage as possible. Even though most kids these days don't know Sonic or get the references the filmmakers try to squeeze in, it's still a strange choice to go after them instead of the older fans of the franchise.
Another issue I had with "Sonic the Hedgehog 2" is the CGI. It's clear that Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles are made up. Marsden and Sumpter often feel like they're just talking to thin air. Their bodies don't react to them, and the same is true for the other way around.
Maybe the point of the "Sonic" movie franchise is to show that filmmakers should pay more attention to their audiences’ criticisms and comments. So far, the movie has been fun to watch because of what the fans have said and noticed. But there are still many things that could be done better, like the visual effects and pacing, and also the story's plot, the characters and their roles. But as the last scene of this film suggests, there's more to come for this speedy hedgehog in the future. And that means more opportunities to make things much, much better.
3/5
