The best way I can describe my feelings about the Sonic The Hedgehog movie is this: I can't say that it's okay, but I also can't say that I didn't like it. While I have plenty of issues with the movie as a whole, there is just enough charm and texture to keep me from declaring it a total trainwreck. It's relatively decent as a video game adaptation and serviceable as family entertainment. Still, it has just as many shortcomings and flaws that keep it from being as fully realized as it wants to be. While I am glad I saw this movie, I am in no hurry to see it again, nor recommend it to anyone other than long time fans of the character. This movie is an experience that is best done only once for curiosity's sake.
Based on the main character from the video game of the same title, the story follows Sonic The Hedgehog (Ben Schwartz), an alien from another Planet who has been hiding out on Earth for the past ten years. He possesses tremendous power granting him incredible speed and end energy, which he tries to keep hidden from those who would take it from him for evil purposes. This situation puts Sonic into an upsetting position as he longs to make friends. After an accidental outburst placing the local town into a blackout, the military sends in their top investigator of the unusual phenomenon named Dr. Robotnic (Jim Carry). Usually, Sonic would use his Magical Teleportation Rings to escape to another world. Still, by pure accident, he is found by the local Sherrif Tom (James Marsden), who inadvertently causes Sonic to lose his bag of rings through an open portal and fall on top of a skyscraper in San Francisco. Desperate to retrieve his means of transport, Sonic pleads with Tom to take him to the city and help him recover his rings. After coming to terms with the strange circumstances of the situation and feeling a perpetual need to help others, Tom agrees, and the two of them hit the road for San Francisco. All the while struggling to survive Dr. Robotnic's relentless attacks and forming a genuine friendship together.
Now, it is impossible to review this movie without discussing the Elephant in the room. In case you haven't been following the story, Paramount Pictures had initially scheduled this film a November release of last year. However, when the first trailer was released early that Summer, it caused a massive uproar among Sonic fans and general audiences alike. This outrage was prompted by Sonic's original character design for the film. You see, Sonic, as depicted in the video games, looks like this:
However, for some reason, the people in charge of the movie designed Sonic to look like this:
This design for the film's main character was atrocious! Not only was it nothing like Sonic's iconic look, but it was also just not pleasing to see! Every human being who saw this design, both fans and casual movie audiences alike, collectively said in one voice, "I don't want to give this my money!" and rightfully so!
Shortly after this debacle, Paramount announced they would postpone the release of the film so they can change the design. Now, Sonic in the movie proper looks like this:
So much better than what came before.
Now, this has also spawned a series of arguments regarding fan input, changing artistic visions, and caving into rabid fanboy outcry. Personally speaking, as a casual fan of the Sonic character, I am glad that they changed the design, purely because of how much more aesthetically pleasing and visually appealing the new model is. I didn't care that he looked more like the original character; I didn't want to see any more nightmare fuel when watching the film. Also, I have to give a ton of praise to the team of animators who worked tirelessly to fix the design, and I hope that they get a big chunk of the profits of the movie. I'm not sure if that will happen, but they deserve it nonetheless!
Anyway, now that we've gotten that out of the way let's talk about the movie proper.
The most unfortunate thing about this movie is that they spent so much time fixing the awful initial character design; they didn't also think to polish the script. The writing is probably some of the most frustrating I have ever seen, not necessarily because it was terrible, but because it needed to go through at least one or two more drafts before it was production-worthy. Structurally, the script has all the beats that it needs to hit, it has all the necessary elements for a compelling and sympathetic narrative, and it does have some genuinely great moments of wit. Unfortunately, for every moment of good writing, there is an equal moment of lousy writing. With expositional dialogue that feels forced and unnatural, character beats that happen with no satisfactory build-up or pay off, and an inability to build upon the desired theme of home and real values. The script knows where it wants to go, but it doesn't seem to understand how actually to get there.
Visually, the film is pretty damn awesome! The special effects, especially where Sonic and his powers are concerned, are genuinely cool and fun to watch. The action scenes succeed in striking that balance between game loyalty and cinematic presentation. The creative use of the teleportation rings for the climactic battle is especially incredible. Even some of the scenes that feel like retreads of ones we've seen in other movies (the scene where the super-fast guy moves around a fight while everything around him is moving incredibly slowly, ala X-Men: Days of Future Past), it still feels fun because of their little spin on it. That's what saves this movie being total garbage, it may not be entirely competent, but it is still pretty fun.
And, of course, Jim Carry is still one of the funniest people in movies today. Carry is arguably the best he has been ever since Ace Venture: Pet Detective (the first one, not the second). He doesn't steal the show, but he makes his presence welcome and much appreciated.
I should also mention that I saw this movie in D-Box, which is a recently developed theater gimmick. The idea is that the seat will move along with the action on screen as if you were there yourself, similar to motion-simulating roller coasters. Honestly, while it's undoubtedly a better gimmick than 3-D, I don't think I'll become a big fan of it anytime soon. Yes, you can change the intensity or even turn it off if you choose, so it gets more points for being optional, but you still have to pay extra. Ultimately, I think it is only worth it for the right movie. As for seeing Sonic The Hedgehog in D-Box, I would not recommend it.
Sonic The Hedgehog may not be the most polished film I've seen in 2020 so far, but if you've got kids, you will likely be seeing this in theaters anyway, so take comfort that it is not a total waste of time. There is just enough charm and entertainment value, mostly from Sonic himself, to provide a decent amount of fun. Otherwise, I only encourage you to check it out purely to support the exhausted animators who fixed what hey could.
Is this movie worth seeing?
Maybe.
Is it worth seeing in theaters?
Maybe.
Why?
It's not well structured, but it is fast-paced, which happens to be just enough in this particular case. Otherwise, just go see Birds of Prey again.
Ladies & gentlemen, I am TheNorm, thank you all for reading.
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