Action
Adventure
Review: ‘Sonic the Hedgehog’ is a Fun Family Treat for Viewers of All Ages
February 13, 2020Britany Murphy
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Many of us are familiar with the speedy, blue, ring-collecting hedgehog known as Sonic from his days on the Sega Genesis video game system. Now, thanks to a combination of live-action and CGI effects, Sonic the Hedgehog is about to greet a new generation of fans with his new big-screen adventure. The film begins with a look back at Sonic's past. We see him as an infant, being raised by the owl Longclaw, only to have to leave his home world when dangerous creatures descend upon it. Forced to use his rings that allow him to instantly transport to other worlds, Sonic ends up on Earth. Fast forward to the present day, and a teenage Sonic (voiced by Ben Schwartz) spends his days zipping about the small town of Green Hills, Montana without a care in the world. But although most of the residents of Green Hills are unaware of his existence, it doesn't mean that Sonic hasn't taken the time to get to know a few of them. Sonic's main source of entertainment comes from watching Sheriff Tom Wachowski (James Marsden) and his wife, Dr. Maddie Wachowski (Tika Sumpter), as they go about their day-to-day lives. However, as Sonic tries to deal with the loneliness he's been feeling, he accidentally causes a power outage so grand in scale that the US Government — or, more specifically, the mad scientist and inventor extraordinaire, Dr. Robotnik (Jim Carrey) — becomes involved. Single-mindedly focused on who or what was behind the power outage, Robotnik pursues Sonic, as Tom and Sonic form an unlikely pair in order to help Sonic escape Robotnik's clutches. Surprisingly, the storyline here is fun and it's great to see a baby version of Sonic, even if only for a short period of time. Not to mention, Schwartz's voice acting is spot-on. Perfectly embodying his character, Schwartz makes the interactions between Sonic and Marsden's Tom and Carrey's Robotnik extra hilarious, especially when they share scenes together and even when they share scenes apart. Sumpter and her on-screen sister, Rachel (Natasha Rothwell), are also both great, leading to some of the movie's funniest on-screen moments. Directed by Jeff Fowler, the result is a fun treat, easily coupling heartfelt moments with the perfect amount of comedic levity that will make it fun for viewers of all ages. There is not one moment of boredom to be had, making Sonic the Hedgehog a must-see family film. Sonic the Hedgehog releases February 14th, 2020 from Paramount Pictures. The film has an MPAA rating of PG for action, some violence, rude humor and brief mild language. Its runtime is 1 hr. 39 min. |
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