‘Sonic the Hedgehog 2’ movie review: Full throttle ahead

There are laughs to be had and the movie ticks along fairly smoothly, with all sorts of chases and gags, and Idris Elba and Jim Carrey having a lot of fun

A still from ‘Sonic the Hedgehog 2’

The first Sonic the Hedgehog movie, the adaptation of the video game franchise, came out in February 2020, a time of innocence before COVID-19 divided and isolated the world. The film, telling the story of a supersonic blue hedgehog from a distant planet and his skirmishes with the ultimate mad scientist Dr Robotnik (an inspired turn by Jim Carrey), was all-round good fun. 

A pandemic later, comes the sequel, which while fun, does not qualify as unbridled excitement. Carrey as Robotnik still has the funny lines including calling the mushroom planet he is marooned on a “Portobello purgatory”, insisting he is on the cutting edge of “coming and getting” and that it is “so nice when diabolical evil lives up to the hype!” 

Sonic the Hedgehog 2

Director: Jeff Fowler

Cast: Ben Schwartz, James Marsden, Tika Sumpter, Natasha Rothwell, Adam Pally, Shemar Moore, Colleen O’Shaughnessey, Lee Majdoub, Idris Elba, Jim Carrey

Story line: Sonic and Tails need to get the Master Emerald before Dr. Robotnik and Knuckles

Run time: 122 minutes 

Sonic (Ben Schwartz) is joined by a two-tailed fox, Tails (Colleen O’Shaughnessey) to get the Master Emerald before Robotnik and Knuckles (Idris Elba) get their hands on it for nefarious purposes. Knuckles is a red echidna (a kind of spiny anteater), and the last, surviving warrior of his tribe. He has superhuman strength which is obvious in his handshakes and spiky knuckles.

Sonic’s adoptive parents, Sheriff Tom (James Marsden) and Maddie (Tika Sumpter) head to Hawaii for Maddie’s sister, Rachel’s (Natasha Rothwell) wedding, leaving Sonic home alone. There is also a secret military organisation called G.U.N up to all sorts of no good. 

There are laughs to be had and the movie ticks along fairly smoothly, with all sorts of chases and gags, including Robotnik (naturally) saying as he runs away from a gigantic bouncing boulder that he does not want to die like this as it is derivative. It is only, if like Oliver Twist, you ask for more, that you set yourself up for disappointment.  

Sonic the Hedgehog 2 is currently running in theatres