Writer: Pat Casey
Director: Jeff Fowler
Cast: Ben Schwartz, Idris Elba, Tika Sumpter, Jim Carrey, and James Marsden
After almost a year exiled on the mushroom planet, the evil Dr. Robotnik returns to Earth. His return is made possible by an unlikely alliance with Knuckles, an echidna warrior. The duo set off to earth to fight a common enemy, Sonic the Hedgehog. As the evil dr and blood-thirsty echidna plot, his demise Sonic is faced with the challenges of being a superhero. Using his super-speed and otherworldly abilities responsibly aren’t easy, often resulting in mayhem and chaos. With the help of his Earth family and new friend Tails, the young hedgehog must learn what it truly means to be a hero while also discovering the importance of friendship.
As sequels go this is one of the good ones. The story is filled with gorgeous CGI graphics, adult-friendly jokes, and all the chaotic fun of the first film. Fans of the original game, comics, and television series will enjoy the random easter eggs and references to the various incarnation of the characters they’ve grown up with. This is the second film of the budding franchise and introduces Sonic’s faithful companion Tails and the intense Echidna Knuckles. The plot this time centers around friendship and responsibility as Sonic tries his best to be the hero Earth needs. Though his heart is in the right place his heroics often cause more harm than good, demolishing city blocks and ruining the occasional family function. In one of the most action-packed sequences, Sonic ruins the Hawaiian wedding of Maddie’s sister Rachel by leaping through a ring and bringing an avalanche with him while being chased by Robotnik and Knuckles.
Idris Elba voices the often cantankerous Knuckles and surprisingly is as hilarious as he is intense. In fact, the misplaced intensity is a great source of some of the film’s big laughs. Ben Schwartz reprises his role as Sonic giving us the mischievous yet honorable character we’ve come to love. Jim Carrey who recently announced his retirement is in rare form as the insane Dr. Robotnik. As usual, Carrey steals every scene he is in with his over-the-top antics which are right on target in this animation live-action hybrid film.