'Sonic the Hedgehog' Review

Synopsis: Sonic tries to navigate life on Earth with his newfound best friend, a human named Tom Wachowski. They must soon join forces to prevent the evil Dr. Robotnik from capturing Sonic and using his powers for world domination.

Runtime: 99 minutes

MPAA Rating: PG (for action, some violence, rude humor, and brief mild language)

Who should see it? Fans of Sonic the Hedgehog and families with young children.

After fan backlash caused Paramount Pictures to postpone release in favor of redesigning the titular character, Sonic the Hedgehog is finally sprinting into theaters for Valentine's Day. Whether that new release window will be remembered as a head-scratcher or clever counter-programming remains to be seen. Still, the redesign seems to be widely accepted as an improvement, at the very least. Unfortunately, this change meant several animators were overworked to deliver a faithful iteration in a timely fashion. Artists in the visual effects industry are often overlooked, so I wanted to ensure I recognized their contributions because the redesign certainly made the movie more tolerable. 

Sonic the Hedgehog is clearly intended for younger audiences, and updated effects don't change that. Under the direction of Jeff Fowler with a script by Patrick Casey and Josh Miller, the video game adaptation reminded me of all the live-action films featuring computer-generated versions of beloved cartoon characters released since 2000 (i.e., Alvin and the Chipmunks, Smurfs, Scooby-Doo, etc.). CG-protagonist based on a popular intellectual property? Yep. Human companion played by a somewhat recognizable actor? Check. A conventional storyline with an admittedly positive message? Uh-huh. Middling humor and cartoonish antics aimed at children? Got that. I could continue, but there's no use in belaboring this point. Sonic fits the mold as an inoffensive adaptation to be enjoyed by today's youth.

Voicing the speedy blue hedgehog, Ben Schwartz settles on a portrayal that's uniformly endearing, eager, and energetic. Schwartz's Sonic adheres to all of the character's trademarks, so no fans will leave the theater tweeting "#NotMySonic." Generally, the movie seems keen on appeasing everyone, with all the signs of a blockbuster packaged together by a studio committee. As for the human ensemble, James Marsden and Tika Sumpter are adequate. They serve their purpose and lend credence to Sonic's presence, but are otherwise unimaginative stock archetypes. 

Meanwhile, Jim Carrey relishes in his outlandish interpretation of the fiendish Dr. Robotnik. Carrey lets loose for an incredibly campy performance reminiscent of his roles from the 90s and early 2000s, and it's delightful. Carrey's chaotic energy does a lot of heavy lifting for engaging the audience and keeps things remotely interesting on occasion. 

The ever-shifting burden of expectation for the first great video game movie fell before Sonic's red-and-white sneakers. Still, the hedgehog wasn't fast enough to break the barrier. Your mileage for enjoying Sonic the Hedgehog may vary, considering its warm audience reception. But there's really no rush to see it unless you're a hardcore fan of the games.

Film Assessment: C+