Successfully adapting a video game into a movie is one of the rarest things that can happen in Hollywood, but following up on that success with a sequel that’s not only on par with the original, but arguably better is near unheard of. Yet here we are a mere two years after Paramount’s Sonic the Hedgehog became the highest-grossing video game to film adaptation witnessing it being dethroned from that coveted title by its follow-up Sonic the Hedgehog 2. Et tu, Brute?
Luckily, this isn’t a case of the studio pumping out a sequel as quickly as possible without regard for story or character growth simply to capitalize on a hot property, as Sonic the Hedgehog 2 not only meets the expectations that were set by its hilarious predecessor, but surpasses them at almost every turn. Those who stayed for the post-credit scene in the first film saw the arrival of Tails (voiced by Colleen O’Shaughnessey) on earth. Fans of the Sonic franchise know Tails as Sonic’s plucky sidekick, and the introduction of a character in the game franchise who could fly using his pair of tails. That said, if you’re not familiar with the game, much like Sonic himself in the first movie, Tails is properly introduced to audiences here, so no prior knowledge is needed.
The reason Tails has shown up on earth is to warn Sonic (voiced by Ben Schwartz) about an incoming threat in the form of the Echidna warrior Knuckles (voiced by Idris Elba), the last of his kind. You may remember the Echidna’s brief appearance in the first film when they attacked Sonic’s home, which is why he was sent away by his guardian, Longclaw the Owl. Knuckles has vowed to fulfill his legacy by finding the Master Emerald, to which he believes Sonic knows of its whereabouts. This isn’t a two on one battle, as Knuckles has a partner of his own in the returning Doctor Robotnik (Jim Carrey), who has promised to help Knuckles find the Emerald so long as he uses its power to destroy Sonic.
The sequel is twenty minutes longer than the original, coming in at a fairly surprising two-hours. That said, while the time doesn’t fly by, it remains engaging throughout thanks to a steady stream of laugh-out-loud moments, interesting characters and a lot of well-handled action sequences. The voice actors do a fantastic job of bringing these characters to life, with Schwartz unsurprisingly knocking it out of the park once again as Sonic, and O’Shaughnessey (who actually voiced Tails in the video games as well) giving Tails the perfect amount of innocence and heroism to make him an underdog (underfox?) for audiences to root for. Elba isn’t someone you’d picture in a role like this, but he perfectly captures the proud, determined persona of Knuckles, who can be viewed as a villain in the film, but can also be seen as someone who is simply steadfast in his beliefs and doesn’t believe what he’s doing is wrong – which is one of the key characteristics of a strong antagonist.
Also returning on the human side of things is James Marsden and Tika Sumpter as Tom and Maddie Wachowski. Their storyline begins with leaving Sonic on his own for the first time while they go attend Maddie’s sister Rachel’s (Natasha Rothwell) wedding in Hawaii. Things do conveniently bring them all together again as the film goes on, which does lead to a fairly illogical plot twist that isn’t so much a twist as it is just something you shouldn’t think about too much and simply take at face value for the comedy that ensues. That said, it would’ve been nice for a bit better explanation as to what the long-term plan was for those involved had Sonic not showed up in Hawaii.
That fairly minor blip aside, Sonic the Hedgehog 2 does what all sequels set out to do, and that’s to be bigger, flashier and funnier than the original. That’s not an easy task, and more often than not it’s a losing battle; however, Sonic and his friends were up to the task and successfully checked off each of those boxes as they sped around the world in search of a mythical emerald. With the stage set for a third installment (and possible Knuckles spinoff) to this speedy franchise, fans can take solace that Paramount is two for two with SEGA’s blue hedgehog with no signs of slowing down.
4K Blu-ray Video and Audio Review
Sonic the Hedgehog 2 looks fantastic in 2160p, with gorgeous colours popping on all fronts throughout the film. The electricity that flies around both Sonic and Knuckles during their battles looks vibrant and alive, and helps take their action scenes to another level. The special effects are all handled so well that even though Knuckles, Sonic and Tails are all standout, bright colours, they still fit perfectly into this human world without feeling like they’re animated characters that have been added in. Their detail and interaction with the world around them is perfect, and it’s showcased even stronger with the 4K release.
On the audio side of things we’ve got a great soundtrack and solid score that help bring the laughs and the intensity on various occasions. The sound effects rock through the Dolby Atmos track beautifully, as does the dialogue, which all work wonderfully together to bring the film to the blockbuster status it deserves. There are loads of transitions from speaker to speaker, side to side, back to front and they’re all seamless when they happen. As a whole, this is another great 4K Blu-ray release from Paramount, as they continue to work wonders with the format.
Special Features:
Audio Commentary – If you love commentary tracks then you’ll be in heaven here, as Director Jeff Fowler and Ben Schwartz return to the commentary chairs once again to take the listeners on the filmmaking journey that was the second film. It’s the perfect duo for a track like this, and just the people you want to hear from with their love of the characters.
Sonic Drone Home – We’ve got a 6-minute short film here that sees Sonic, Knuckles and Tails all go on an adventure together into a junkyard. It’s a bonus mini-story! What’s not to love?
Finding Your Team – This is a 7-minute featurette that sees the cast and crew talk about the sequel, what it was like coming back and working with Sonic once again.
The Powerful Puncher: Knuckles – This 6-minute featurette focuses on Knuckles, with Idris Elba and others talking about what bringing this character into the mix was like.
Rapid Fire Responses with Ben Schwartz – This is a 4-minute featurette that sees Schwartz play a word game involving Sonic and movies he enjoys.
Robotnik Reimagined – Another 6-minute featurette, which this time focuses on the film’s main villain. We get Jim Carrey and other cast all talking about what it takes to bring Robotnik to life, how he’s changed since the first film and the character as a whole.
A Sibling for Sonic – And since everyone else got one it only makes sense to see the cast and crew talk about Tails joining the crew, and what it was like having him in the film.
Bloopers – There are 4 minutes’ worth of bloopers here, which sees Carrey at his best, making everyone on set laugh. It’s a fun piece to watch for sure.
Deleted Scenes – We’ve got 7 deleted scenes here for those who enjoy those.
Music Video – We have Kid Cudi singing “Stars in the Sky” for those who’d like to check out the official video.
Paramount Pictures Presents Sonic the Hedgehog 2. Directed by: Jeff Fowler. Written by: Pat Casey, Josh Miller, John Whittington. Starring: Ben Schwartz, Jim Carrey, James Marsden, Idris Elba, Tika Sumpter, Colleen O’Shaughnessey, Natasha Rothwell, Shemar Moore, Lee Majdoub. Running time: 122 minutes. Rating: PG. 4K Blu-ray Released: August 9, 2022.
