Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (2022), directed by Jeff Fowler, stars Ben Schwartz, James Marsden, Jim Carrey, Idris Alba, Colleen O’Shaughnessey, Tika Sumpter, Natasha Rothwell, Adam Pally, Shemar Moore, Lee Majdoub, Melody Nosipho Niemann, and Tom Butler. This is the second film in the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise and follows the titular blue mammal (Schwartz) as he again faces off with the maniacal Dr. Robotnik (Carrey). After being sent to a mushroom world after the events of the first film, Robotnik finds his way back to Earth with the help of Knuckles (Alba), a jaded warrior with ties to Sonic’s past. With the help of Donut Lord/Tom (Marsden) and a flying fox named Tails (O’Shaughnessey), Sonic sets out to stop Robotnik before he finds a powerful alien emerald that would grant him the power to conquer Earth.

The returning cast essentially delivers what they do in the first film but feel a tad more comfortable in their roles. Schwartz isn’t a home run as Sonic, but he admittedly puts a unique spin on the character. He’ll appeal more to kids than he ever will to adults, but that’s the point. Marsden is once again strong as the film’s live-action hero, so it’s a shame that he’s sometimes pushed to the side here. The film adds multiple key characters such as Knuckles and Tails, but it also attempts to focus more on returning side characters such as Tom’s no-nonsense sister-in-law, Rachel (Rothwell). These characters are all great, I just wish they didn’t take focus away from characters we care about just a tad more.  

Carrey stole the show in the first film as Dr. Robotnik so it’s nice to see that the filmmakers recognized this and made him a much larger aspect of the sequel. His comedic style toes the line perfectly to appeal to both adults and children, but he also provides of self-awarneess that balances the film’s more unoriginal family-film tropes. The themes relating to the importance of friends and family are a lot more palatable when at least one character is willing to point out how unoriginal they actually are.

The film is satisfying in the sense that it feels like a natural continuation of the first movie without feeling so connected that it doesn’t stand on its own. It also continues a lot of jokes from the first movie, but they work because they’re taken to the next level comedically. The film feels very balanced in the sense that it features the perfect amount of callbacks to its predecessor while also taking them in fresh directions. There’s a real sense of creativity throughout and it ends up feeling like a distinctly funnier experience than its predecessor. For example, I appreciated the simple fact that the script took a shot at Snow Dogs (2002) – one of my least favorite movies. 

The action is also a step up from the first film and the powers of the various characters are taken full advantage of, The problem is that the heavier use of CGI highlights how poorly it all gels with its live-action surroundings. In certain scenes, the CGI characters lack depth and feel more 2-D than they’re intended. That being said, it’s not so prevalent that it ruins the experience, it just points to a special effects department that was clearly strapped for time.

Like the first installment, this is an immature and silly experience that’s admittedly a lot of fun if the viewer is willing to shut their brain off or look at it through the eyes of a ten-year-old. Most of the movie is entertaining, but it does feature its share of eye-rolling moments that I refuse to believe even appeal to children. For example, dance fights in place of real fights is a children’s film trope I’d love to see die. I also can’t help but roll my eyes when the main character’s catchphrase is “Gotta go fast!” That line sounds dumb even coming from an 8-year-old. 

Overall, this is a sequel that improves on the first film in most ways and only suffers from its inherent childlike humor and inevitable blockbuster shortcomings. There are one too many characters and the action is a tad too CGI-heavy, but other than that, the film flies by and should satisfy anyone who enjoyed the first film. It’s not a gigantic step up but a clear one. As far as sequels go, that’s a win any day of the week. It won’t win over new fans, but Sonic lovers should be very happy. B–