The Dean of Cinema

Written by Dean Zarbaugh II

Now Showing: Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (2022) – dir. by Jeff Fowler

Welcome to the next level. After settling in Green Hills, Sonic is eager to prove he has what it takes to be a true hero. His test comes when Dr. Robotnik returns, this time with a new partner, Knuckles, in search for an emerald that has the power to destroy civilizations. Sonic teams up with his own sidekick, Tails, and together they embark on a globe-trotting journey to find the emerald before it falls into the wrong hands.

While “Super Mario Bros. was the first video game I ever played, “Sonic the Hedgehog” was the first video game I ever obsessed over. Specifically the second game. I played it endlessly. I loved the little blue blur. I still have my childhood Sega Genesis with my copy of Sonic 2 and I will bust it out every now and then to revisit with that sweet nostalgia. I watched the animated series religiously. Ben Schwartz is the perfect film Sonic, Jaleel White, yes Urkel, is the perfect animated Sonic. How far did I take my obsession? Well, let’s just say I used to eat my weight in chili dogs. They did not make me fast. They made me chubby. I was disappointed. I also bought red shoes thinking that they would make me fast. People only asked me to click my heels and say “there’s no place like home.” I was a dumb child.

The first Sonic film was great, especially after the redesign they did to make him look more like the video game character and not some weird genetic mutation that gave everyone nightmares. Jim Carrey was an inspired choice for Robotnik and like I mentioned earlier, Ben Schwartz was the perfect cast for Sonic’s voice. Joining them on the human side of the cast was James Marsden and Tika Sumpter as Sheriff Tom Wachowski and Maddie Wachowski respectively, Adam Pally as Tom’s deputy Wade, Natasha Rothwell as Maddie’s sister Rachel and Lee Majdoub as Robotnik sycophant Agent Stone.

After successfully defeating Robotnik and banishing him to a mushroom world far removed from Earth, Sonic is shocked to find Robotnik has returned with a new friend: Knuckles the Echidna, sworn enemy of Sonic’s mentor LongClaw. Now The Blue Blur must team up with his own new friend, Tails, in order to protect the universe from Robotnik’s evil aspirations.

Joining the human cast this round is Criminal Minds series star Shemar Moore and joining the voice cast are Colleen O’Shaughnessey reprising her role as Tails and Idris Elba as Knuckles in one of the finest casting choices in ages. He brings a charm to Knuckles that helps balance his character’s aggression and love of punching. As much as Jim Carrey enjoys chewing the scenery as Robotnik/Eggman, and boy does he, the show stealer for me was Natasha Rothwell’s bridezilla Rachel. The entire “Barracuda” sequence is a highlight of the film. Stepping out of a wrecked golf cart to take revenge like a boss. James Marsden and Tika Sumpter are wonderful to watch together as always. #CoupleGoals am I right?? Adam Pally is the same old lovable goofball that he was in the first film and goes on to help Knuckles on his next adventure in the Knuckles tv series on Paramount+.

The jokes and pop culture references are on point as always. Fowler and crew give this film a much bigger scope than the first one, and they’ve tossed in tons and tons of references to Sonic 2 and other Sonic games. The story is exciting, heartfelt, emotional and teaches us the value of teamwork and even redemption. It knows what kind of film it is and embraces it. It was a fun watch in theaters and looks great in 4K UHD at home. The cover of the 4K steelbook is an homage to the cover of the second game. The final boss battle is perfectly lifted from the second game and placed in the real world and it works perfectly. It’s the perfect love letter to fans young and old. They listened to audience feedback while also giving a fresh, new take on the Sonic lore. It has the perfect mix of action, comedy, and hijinks that only a Sonic movie can. I can’t wait to see the future of this franchise, with or without Carrey coming out of pseudo-retirement every few years to play Robotnik.

Sonic The Hedgehog 2 is a fun ride from start to finish and great for the entire family. Grab your copy of Sonic 2 wherever you buy physical media!

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