Review of Sonic the Hedgehog (2020) by Digibutter64 — 13 Feb 2020

This film adaptation of Sega's most well-known video game franchise is firmly placed in "okay" ground; neither terrible nor amazing.

The plot here is that Sonic (who in the film looks mostly good, although his eyes are separated which is a letdown); an alien hedgehog who has the power of super speed, escapes to Earth for his own safety, then lives a solitary life. However, a series of events lead to him being discovered and pursued by the evil Dr. Robotnik, who wants to use his super speed powers. Thus, Sonic teams up with a cop to escape Robotnik and get back to safety.

First of all, I feel that putting Sonic on Earth was a missed opportunity plot-wise that makes the film as a whole seem rather generic and uninventive. A plot that saw him visiting more of the vibrant areas of the games would have made for a more interesting and engaging film. Instead, we're left with a rather generic "normal guy helps mischievous talking animal" story.

In addition to that, the film clearly sees children as its main audience. Plot developments are very predictable, and the injection of a specific current pop culture trend (not once, but twice) is in my opinion a bad move that will cause the film to age quickly.

However, there are good points. Robotnik is played very well, seeming faithful to the games while putting a new spin on the character. The use of rings as portals is a nice touch. Sonic's quips are generally funny. Emotional moments, while predictable, seem genuine.

Ultimately, this is fine to watch. It's not bad, but it's not particularly good either. Still, I think the Sonic franchise has more film potential, and I hope that's tapped into with a potential sequel.