Sonic the Hedgehog (2020), directed by Jeff Fowler, stars Ben Schwartz, James Marsden, Jim Carrey, Tika Sumpter, Natasha Rothwell, Adam Pally, Lee Majdoub, Neal McDonough, Tom Butler, and Frank C. Turner. The film is an adaptation of the landmark SEGA video game franchise and follows the titular Sonic (Schwartz), a blue alien hedgehog with super speed whose mother sends him to Earth after his home is attacked. There, he spends his days laying low and innocently spying on the residents of Green Hills, Montana – specifically Tom (Marsden), the local sheriff he calls “donut lord.” When an evil genius known as Dr. Robotnik (Carrey) is hired by the government to track down and capture Sonic, he enlists the help of donut lord to take him to San Francisco so he can retrieve his lost rings that will allow him to travel safely back to his homeworld. Along the way, the two teach each other that home may be a lot closer than either of them expect.

Schwartz initially felt like an odd choice as the voice of Sonic, but I have to admit that he quickly won me over. It sometimes feels a little too animated in the sense that he’s trying to speak with the full intensity of a classic video game protagonist, but because Sonic’s entire character is built on the idea of speed in all its forms, this overly energetic approach feels warranted. He’s not a particularly unique or complex character, but he is loveable similar to an innocent 8-year-old or a dumb, loyal canine. 

James Marsden is surprisingly great as the film’s human lead. Yes, the character is once again unoriginal. That being said, Marsden’s natural charisma fits perfectly with the film’s inherent goofiness while still coming off as authentic enough to ground everything in some form of reality. He also shows surprisingly adept comedic timing and works as a decent foil to Sonic.

I’m not particularly surprised to be writing that Jim Carrey steals the show as Dr. Robotonik. Before this, I never expected him to take on a role in this kind of big-budget studio video game adaptation, but after seeing the film, it’s clear why the character was impossible for him to resist. This kind of zany, evil Sheldon Cooper from The Big Bang Theory (2007-2019)-type character is tailor-made for Carrey’s comedic sensibilities and therefore often feels like a throwback to some of his best comedic performances. Whenever he’s on screen, the movie flies. Hopefully, the sequel will double down on his presence.   

The movie isn’t trying to do too much, but at least it’s aware of this. In other words, it knows exactly what it’s trying to deliver and doesn’t bite off more than it can chew. The jokes are mostly aimed at kids, but the dedicated performances from actors such as the previously mentioned Jim Carrey provide ample entertainment value for adults. 

Other than one particular sequence that is a direct ripoff of Quicksilver’s slow-motion scene from X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014), I was impressed by the film’s creative use of Sonic’s powers. They’re visually bright and used in ways that lead to some unexpectedly cool-looking action sequences. That being said, the most compelling uses of Sonic’s powers are how they give him an advantage in living day-to-day human life. I think anyone would love the power to throw a party, trash your house, and then clean everything in half a second. 

Script-wise, the film stumbles with an opening sequence that provides a bulk of the story’s setup in what feels like two minutes. This wouldn’t be an issue if it wasn’t for the fact that this setup is extremely important to the overall story, especially in the third act. By the time these story elements become important again, we forget they were ever there to begin with. This could be expanded upon in sequels, but for now, it’s a loose thread.

The movie features countless easter eggs for die-hard Sonic fans, but for a casual like me, they almost all went over my head. This would be bothersome, but they’re mostly just small visual references that avoid distracting from the story. If you don’t understand them, you won’t even notice them to begin with. What does distract, however, is the shameless product placement featured – specifically Olive Garden. It doesn’t matter if these jokes relating to the restaurant are funny or not, the shameless greed of the studio is all the viewer feels. 

  The movie almost reminds me of Venom (2018) in the sense that it’s extremely dumb and shoddily written but somehow retains an authentic sense of fun. It’s clear that the filmmakers cared deeply about making a Sonic movie that appeals to fans, and I think they succeeded despite its handful of flaws. For example, Marsden’s character often refers to Sonic as “Boy” like he’s a dog. It’s a dumb choice, but it’s almost so dumb that it’s slightly charming. Every part of my rational mind says it’s stupid, but I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t smiling more often than not. 

Overall, this is a movie that delivers on its promise – nothing more, nothing less. This description normally wouldn’t be impressive, but in the context of video game films, this makes it one of the top ten of all time. The characters are unoriginal but fun, the writing is shoddy but fast-paced, and the comedy is juvenile yet spirited. Each element is flawed, but at the end of the day, they work more than they don’t. It’s very dumb, but it’s also very fun. This should appeal nicely to kids, adult Sonic fans, and anyone who loves Jim Carrey. Other than that, it’s mostly directed solely at its target audience. C+