Sonic The Hedgehog 2 Is A Fun-filled Sequel That Gives Fans More Of What They Want

       When looking at different cinematic genres, video game-based films is perhaps the hardest one to execute. Aside from a few honorable mentions including 1995's Mortal Kombat, 2018's Tomb Raider, and Detective Pikachu, most video game movies have ended up largely disappointing audiences. Sonic The Hedgehog however, proved to be a rare exception with it delivering a faithful adaptation of the classic game for fans while providing a solid family-friendly experience with Jim Carrey tapping into his classic 90's manic energy that made him one of Hollywoods megastars at the time. With Sonic The Hedgehog 2, fans are treated to a follow-up that not only maintains the heart and charm of the first, but continues to expand the games universe with few missteps.

      Picking up from where Sonic left off, Hedgehog 2 features Sonic (Voiced by Ben Schwartz) returning for a new adventure which has him once again facing off against Dr. Robotnik (Jim Carrey) and a new ally named Knuckles (Voiced by Idris Elba). While facing both, Sonic forms an alliance with Tails (Colleen Ann O'Shaughnessey). Whereas the first Sonic captured the spirit of the games, Sonic 2 takes things a step further with incorporating beloved fan favorites including Knuckles and Tails while doing so in a fun-spirited fashion. Although most game-based films fail to properly represent their source material, Sonic The Hedgehog 2 defies expectations while building on the previous films storyline, ultimately making it a consistent sequel that outdoes it's predecessor. 

      When it comes to acting and voice performances, Sonic 2's cast deliver fantastic work with Ben Schwartz proving to be a charming and charismatic Sonic with him adding a tremendous amount of heart to the story. Like Schwartz, Colleen Ann O'Shaughnessey impresses as Sonic's two-tailed pal Tails. Previously the voice of the character from the games, O'Shaughnessy returns and shares strong voice chemistry with Schwartz. The films scene-stealing voice acting goes to Idris Elba as Knuckles, an anthropomorphic red echidna warrior with superhuman strength. He portrays Knuckles as being a powerful and noble warrior, whose misguided in his pursuit of Sonic. As far as human performances go, Jim Carrey is fantastic as a more vengeful Dr. Robotnik with him bringing the same kind of manic energy to the part that was seen previously.  James Marsden once again delivers a likable performance as Sonic's adoptive father and Sheriff of Green Hills Tom with him showing his characters love and concern for Sonic adapting to his new home. The rest of the cast do well with what they're given including Tika Sumpter as Tom's wife Maddie, Natasha Rothwell as Maddie's older sister Rachel, Adam Pally as Tom's friend Wade Whipple, Shemar Moore as Rachel's fiance Randall, Lee Majdoub as Robitnik's obsessively loyal assistant Stone, Tom Butler as Commander Walters, and Melody Nosipho as Rachel's daughter Jojo. Overall, Sonic 2's cast plays a significant factor in the sequel being so energetic and charming. 

      Returning to the directors chair is Jeff Fowler, who gives the sequel the same vibrant energy and feel that he gave the first film. The story is handled in a way that makes it feel emotional and heartfelt without feeling overdone. When it comes to showing Sonic, Tails or Knuckles, the films visuals are stunning with Sonic's animation looking sharper this time around with the others having striking looks. Like the original, the sequel remains fast-paced with the first half setting up the newer characters and the second delivering on the series traditional game style action. The action sequences in particular are stunning and draw heavy inspiration from those in the video games. As for directing, Fowler keeps everything family-friendly with him presenting the film with a high-amount of energy, as well as delivering numerous Easter eggs for fans of the game to spot. 

      The screenplay does a fine job of taking the character of Sonic and making him relatable to audiences as a wisecracking pre-teen, who desires to be a superhero with his jokes landing for the most part. Robotnik's character is presented as being even more unhinged this time with his obsession of destroying Sonic. Both Tails and Knuckles are fleshed out enough to where audiences can understand their motivations, particularly Knuckles with his characters reasoning for his hostility towards Sonic. The developing friendship between Sonic and Tails feels natural with them feeling like the iconic duo that dominated the games. Despite the non-human characters being well-developed, the script often finds itself struggling with the over-reliance of the human ones. With the exception of James Marsden and Tika Sumpter's characters receiving a reasonable amount of screentime due to being Sonic's family, the script introduced unnecessary subplots that distract from the stories overall narrative including one involving Maddie's sisters wedding and her fiance Randall. Their subplot, along with others, has no real purpose in the story and ultimately takes time away from Sonic and Knuckles arc. While Sonic 2's writing is decent for the most part, it struggles when it comes to balancing out the two sides of its cast.

      As far as video game films go, both Sonic films tank among the stronger ones within the genre with both movies managing to recapture some of the nostalgia of their video game counterparts, though no film could manage to be as equally exciting as playing the classic SEGA games. Like the first, Sonic The Hedgehog 2 isn't without its share of faults with its main issue being that it places unnecessary focus on characters that aren't associated with the games. Neither Sonic film reinvents the wheel in terms of filmmaking, but both live up to their promise of delivering fun-filled popcorn entertainment for the whole family while doing its original source material justice. If there's any improvement needed for the series, it's to focus less on the human counterparts and more on the key figures that audiences came to see along with a hopeful return for Jim Carrey's Robotnik to round out what's thus far a solid video game movie franchise. 

Final Verdict: For fans of the classic video games, Sonic The Hedgehog 2 Provides a fun experience which the whole family can enjoy. 

Images Courtesy Of Paramount Pictures