The Mosley Review: Sonic the Hedgehog 2

I've said it before and I'll continue to do so today: videogame film adaptations fail as a majority. It still rings true to this very day BUT, there are a number of films that tend to be the outliers. These films may take an alternate route to adapting a beloved franchise and set it in a more modern setting ala Bumblebee or even the 90's Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles films. They somehow capture the magic and essence of the franchise and fit it into a well crafted story that is both fun and forgivable when they stray from the formula. The first Sonic film did that expertly and turned out to be one of the funniest, joyful and heartfelt family films of all time. It acknowledged the lore of the titular character and fantastically weaved it into our world and brilliantly surpassed all expectations. I loved it and I was hoping that if a sequel was made, that the same love and care would be infused into it and this sequel didn't disappoint. I was blown away by the amount of fun I was having from start to finish and the amount of heart that carried over from the first film. The action was at the same level of excellence and the story was shockingly moving. There are elements of the story that were predictable, but you're having so much fun that you don't really care. You're along for the fast paced adventure and it was great to reconnect with these characters again.

Ben Schwartz returns as our favorite speedy hedgehog Sonic and he is even more delightful and fun to watch in every frame. Ben keeps intact that child like innocence of Sonic, but he does grow up a little bit in this new adventure. I loved that his heart grows even more with his friends and the new ones he gains. Colleen O'Shaughnessey was fantastic as our favorite yellow fox companion Tails. Their chemistry was electric and the amount fun you hoped for. She nailed his devotion to Sonic while being the brains behind some of the best and funniest tech bits. James Marsden and Tika Sumpter return as Tom and Maddie Wachowski and they're just as lovely and more ready to join in on the action. Natasha Rothwell returns as Maddie's sister Rachel and she nearly steals the film with a wild action scene that is bonkers and hilarious. Jim Carrey returns as the eccentric mastermind Dr. Robotnik and he was perfection. You can truly tell how much fun he is having as the villain and once again shows why he is one of the best comedic actors of all time. Idris Elba joins the fray as the powerful and determined warrior Knuckles. He was awesome and surprisingly funny in a lot of the scenes toward the second half of the film. His fights with Sonic are awesome and you get that real sense of danger everytime he's around. I got a sort of Drax the Destroyer vibe off of him which is great.

The score by returning composer Tom Holkenborg was as fun, speedy and epic in every way. This film did feel a little drawn out and sometimes slows down once we're focused on the humans. Other than that the pacing in general was quick and smooth. I loved the snowboarding action sequence the best as it is visually stunning and adds even more scope. I also love the mini adventure that happens at the end of the second act as it felt like a Sonic game level come to life. As far as sequels go, this was definitely a worthy follow up and another excellent rare gem of a good videogame film. If you liked the first film, then you're gonna love this as well. Do stick around for the fun mid credits scene. Let me know what you thought of the film or my review in comments below. Thanks for reading!