The main character can be annoying and the movie has an uneven tone when it comes to violence. Jim Carrey gives a bravura performance as the evil Dr. Robotnik.
After an initial chase scene in San Francisco, the movie begins with Sonic (voiced by Ben Schwartz) on his home planet where he is racing along at his usual high levels of speed. He narrates that his guardian Longclaw the Owl (voiced by Donna Jay Fulks) has warned him about hiding his powers from those who would seek to exploit them. He ends up at her place, where they are attacked by enemy echidnas. The two flee, but Longclaw is shot with an arrow.
She encourages Sonic to use one of his golden rings, which are teleportation devices, to go to another world. As Sonic disappears through the aperture, he sees Longclaw holding off the attackers (to who knows what fate, although one can guess).
Sonic ends up on Earth, in the rural community of Green Hills, Montana. This is portrayed as a modern-day small-town Eden, verdant and sunny (we conveniently never see it in the winter, when it probably resembles a frozen Hell). Sonic, whose age is never definitively established, has his own hang-out in a burrow, reminiscent of a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle lair. It is now ten years since he fled his home planet.
He keeps his presence a secret, although one townsperson, Crazy Carl (Frank C. Turner), keeps going on about and trying to trap the “blue demon.” Tom Wachowski (James Marsden, who at age 46 seems to never age a la Dorian Gray), aka the “Donut Lord,” is the town police officer, and his wife Maddie (Tika Sumpter) is the town vet. Sonic likes them the best, and enjoys spying through their window on date nights at home.
Tom, however, is bored and wants to do something important like save someone’s life. So he applies to the San Francisco Police Force, where he is accepted. Maddie decides to go visit her sister there and look for places to live.
Sonic, after watching a local baseball game, starts to play all of the positions himself after everyone goes home. Suddenly he realizes how incredibly lonely he is. He begins to race around the bases until he generates an electromagnetic pulse which darkens the entire Pacific Northwest.
At a government meeting, various military officials and functionaries are horrified when their leader decides to call in Doctor Robotnik (Jim Carrey) to investigate the outage. Robotnik is a supercilious genius with a handlebar mustache who loathes humans and has created an army of drones to do his bidding.
Robotnik takes over in Montana and his search leads him to the Wachowski house. Sonic has taken refuge there. Tom thinks that he hears raccoons (“trash pandas”) and gets his wife’s tranquilizer gun. He shoots Sonic as he is about to teleport; Sonic’s rings end up at the TransAmerica Pyramid in San Francisco. Robotnik enters the house. After a brief fight, Tom and Sonic escape on what becomes a bonding road trip as they head to San Francisco to recover Sonic’s rings and foil Dr. Robotnik.
The film has an unevenness of tone. This confusion is reflected in the movie’s PG-13 rating: is it meant for younger children or older children? On the one hand, it wants to be wacky and funny. This is carried out admirably in all of the scenes with Dr. Robotnik, and some of the scenes with the other characters and Sonic.
On the flip side, it also has intense, violent sequences, which it seems to want to play for laughs, but fail to be funny. For example, at one point, Sonic decides to go to a country-western biker bar against the wishes of Tom (remember they are on the run, so go figure). A major fist-fight breaks out and severe property damage is done.
There also is a major battle sequence on the road between Robotnik’s vehicle and drones and Tom’s truck. At one point, a drone cuts the top off of the truck. Of course Robotnik is foiled and that is supposed to be the comic payoff, but again, the tone is at odds with the rest of the film.
Sonic as a character also can be quite annoying. He never shuts up, which drives anyone to the brink of insanity. The way he was created his spikes look more to me like he has a mullet going on, and I found this distracting.
The electricity effects of Sonic are very good. So are Robotnik’s various mechanical marvels. His costumes are appropriate to the character as they befit his pomposity.
On the positive side, Marsden and Sumpter are perfect as a normal married couple. Their interactions are adult and believable. I particularly liked the way that Maddie was able to accept Sonic’s existence without the usual “I don’t believe what my eyes are showing me” waste-of-time dialogue.
A little of Jim Carrey, as with Robin Williams, can often be a lot. I will say that I was impressed by the level of control Carrey demonstrated in not going too far over the top. His dialogue is spot-on for his character and delightfully hilarious.
The themes are somewhat timeworn, but are nicely played out in the screenplay. Children watching the film will see that even adults have a hard time in deciding and realizing what is important in their lives. When the community defends Sonic against Robotnik, it is simply heartwarming and touching.
I think, too, that younger audiences will relate to the various incarnations of Sonic’s crash pad. Other appealing aspects are the fact that Sonic doesn’t go to school and gets to do what he wants all the time.
The film ends as one would expect for a kids’ picture. Two (!) possible sequel opportunities are presented at the conclusion.
I would say that this is appropriate for tweens of all ages but children younger than that are going to be bored. The story ends up being charming and action-packed, if perhaps a little intense at times.
Two and a half out of five stars
Based on the global blockbuster videogame franchise from Sega, SONIC THE HEDGEHOG tells the story of the world’s speediest hedgehog as he embraces his new home on Earth. In this live-action adventure comedy, Sonic and his new best friend Tom (James Marsden) team up to defend the planet from the evil genius Dr. Robotnik (Jim Carrey) and his plans for world domination.
Cast: James Marsden, Ben Schwartz, Tika Sumpter, Natasha Rothwell, Neal McDonough, Adam Pally and Jim Carrey
Directed by: Jeff Fowler
Sonic the Hedgehog
Summary
A little of Jim Carrey, as with Robin Williams, can often be a lot. I will say that I was impressed by the level of control Carrey demonstrated in not going too far over the top. His dialogue is spot-on for his character and delightfully hilarious.
The themes are somewhat timeworn, but are nicely played out in the screenplay. Children watching the film will see that even adults have a hard time in deciding and realizing what is important in their lives. When the community defends Sonic against Robotnik, it is simply heartwarming and touching.
I think, too, that younger audiences will relate to the various incarnations of Sonic’s crash pad. Other appealing aspects are the fact that Sonic doesn’t go to school and gets to do what he wants all the time.
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