Sonic The Hedgehog 2 review: formulaic fun that offers nothing new
Sonic The Hedgehog 2 reunites viewers with the titular hero (voiced by Ben Schwartz), now living a happy if restless life with his human guardians Tom and Maddie (James Marsden and Tika Sumpter).
That bliss is soon shattered, however, when Sonic’s arch enemy Dr. Robotnik (Jim Carrey) returns from the mushroom dimension he was sent to at the end of the last film – and this time he’s brought an ally in angry red echidna Knuckles (Idris Elba). The pair aim to steal the powerful Master Emerald to finally get revenge on Sonic, but the hedgehog gets a team mate of his own in the form of intelligent fox Tails (Colleen O’Shaughnessey). If you’re familiar with the games, you’ll know that the world of Sonic seems ripe for multiple sequels given
the many characters that have appeared over the years.
This second film brings in two fan favourites, but more than that it keeps the sense of fun. The first film was inspired by 90s buddy movies, and nothing too terrible happened as the star bounced around the screen. This time around, things are more or less the same.
It’s all action scenes, kid-friendly humour, and pop culture references. This Sonic movie knows what it is, and its energy makes for an entertaining couple of hours. Schwartz understands what makes Sonic work on screen, and with the assistance of O’Shaughnessey (who voiced Tails in the games) there’s a sense that the pair know exactly what’s required.
Elba has had some curious voice roles over the years (remember his cockney Shere Khan in The Jungle Book?), but Knuckles needed to be a tough and serious counter to Sonic, and the Luther star is more than capable of that.
In terms of the humans, it’s feast or famine. Marsden and Sumpter seem surplus to requirements, stuck in side
plot hell as they attend a wedding. On the other end of the scale, Carrey is happy cranking up the crazy as the villain. Now video game accurate with a bald head and bushy moustache, he’s as animated as his CGI co-stars. Sonic The Hedgehog 2 offers nothing new, save for some extra-dimensional friends and a running gag about Robotnik’s devoted henchman.
It knows what works, and sticks to the formula. That may have to be rethought if a third adventure is greenlit, but for the moment Mario’s former rival is still capable of pleasing the crowds.