Sonic the Hedgehog 2

Releasing at the beginning of April, Sonic the Hedgehog 2 raced into theaters becoming the highest-grossing video game movie of all time. Sonic the Hedgehog 2 follows Sonic once again as he teams up with Tails against Dr. Robotnik and Knuckles to retrieve the hidden Master Emerald.

Just like the first movie, Sonic the Hedgehog 2 was a lot of fun and was surprisingly really good. The story is straightforward and to the point but just chaotic enough that it was a blast to watch. There were severally moments in the movie that were laugh-out-loud funny, coming from all of the characters, not just one. The movie takes everything that worked about the first movie and doubles down on it while also minimizing the aspects of the first movie that did not work. Of course, Jim Carey knocked it out of the park as Doctor Robotnik. His usual style works very well for this character and is really funny to watch. If he does actually retire after this role, it will be a perfect send-off and final film for him. Knuckles also stole every scene he was in. He gives off a Drax the Destroyer vibe with the way the movie uses him for humor and with his personality. Tails is also a great addition to the movie with a lot of good moments. Sonic once again steals the show with his chaotic personality and his humor. He also has a pretty good arc throughout the movie which makes his character even better. Finally, the story overall was just really sweet and well done. It focused on Sonic learning how to become a hero while doing so in a way that was entertaining for both kids and adults. I also really like how they make it more of a globe-trotting treasure hunting adventure and give Sonic a bigger mission than in the first movie.

The only issue I really had with the movie was how they sidelined Tom and Maddie. They were so integral to the story of the first movie that sidelining them in the sequel really bothers me. Along the same lines, the side plot they give Tom and Maddie didn't seem very interesting or worth telling. Even later on when it becomes a part of the main story, it doesn't feel like a good enough reason to have the side plot. It also allows the movie to cheat a little bit in terms of how characters get to where they need to be in the final act of the film.

Overall, this movie is just a lot of fun to watch. It takes everything good about the first movie, doubles down on it, and makes an even better sequel.

Grade: B+ Score: 8/10 Recommendation: Go see it.