How did Idris Elba fare as the voice of Knuckles?
Which parts in a movie all about speed meander at times?
Keep watching for how "Sonic the Hedgehog 2" excelled, and where it fell short.
Warning: Spoilers for "Sonic 2" are ahead!
Comedy icon Jim Carrey returns as Dr. Robotnik in "Sonic the Hedgehog 2," and, naturally,
he steals every scene he's in.
The only thing he's lacking is the unique physique of the character from the games.
But that has no ill effect on his performance.
While the rest of the cast is still on uneven ground acting against their CGI co-stars,
Carrey isn't having any trouble keeping up with the pixelated protagonists.
The funny secret formula that has kept Carrey running for decades is still a joy to watch.
If this is the last time we'll see Carrey on the big screen, as he's recently suggested,
there are worse ways to go out than having another crack at Dr. Robotnik.
Carrey recently broke the news that he will be retiring from the big screen after this
second try to bring down a fictitious, fast hedgehog.
"I have enough.
I've done enough.
I am enough."
Fans have to wonder, then, what that will mean for the future of the franchise if it
won't have its original villain.
Given the closing scenes of "Sonic the Hedgehog 2," it's clear that a Shadow will no doubt
be cast over the next film — perhaps filling the spot of Carrey's Robotnik as the film's
big bad.
Could Shadow be the same kind of draw as Carrey with a shaved head and wide-reaching facial
hair?
Only time will tell.
Plenty of anthropomorphic animal icons have been brought to life by well-known voice actors.
But casting a big name to portray an animated creature isn't always a sure bet.
Remember Bill Murray as Garfield?
Or could you name any of the voice actors behind the 2014 "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles"
movie?
Thankfully, Ben Schwartz nailed his performance as Sega's mascot straight out the gate.
In "Sonic the Hedgehog 2," he continues to impress.
The former "Parks and Recreation" star's vibrancy and charm continue to flow effortlessly into
what could easily have been another throwaway kid's movie.
Sure, there might be some iffy one-liners, but Schwartz breathes life into a character
that rarely seems to stop for air.
He gives Sonic heart and humor in equal balance, and whenever a cheesy moment does slip through
the cracks, it's permissible simply because of Schwartz's performance.
While Sonic's sequel does have plenty of highs, the lows sure do stand out.
For example, "Sonic the Hedgehog 2" includes something that feels like a staple of family-friendly
films centered around kooky CGI characters.
But just because it's a staple doesn't mean that it's a good idea.
Sonic heads off to Siberia and gets into a tense encounter with the locals.
To help alleviate the tension, Tails does some searching to find a local custom that
could help Sonic relate to these folks, and determines that a dance-off just might work.
What follows is not only a paint-by-numbers sequence that brings the film to a screeching
halt, but it highlights some of the film's worst CGI, as Sonic and Tails go from looking
reasonably realistic to having all the on-screen presence of stuffed animals.
Idris Elba famously promised that his portrayal of Knuckles in "Sonic 2" would not be "sexy."
"You're no match for me."
We'll let the fans decide if the smoldering star was right about that, but what we can
say for sure is that his performance as the fist-throwing frenemy surpasses expectations.
Much like Schwartz and Carrey as their respective characters, Elba manages to slowly make this
legendary bruiser his own, mainly by following in the footsteps of some beloved characters
from another franchise.
The character of Knuckles made his debut in Sega Genesis game "Sonic the Hedgehog 3" in
1994, and this crimson-colored echidna has always felt like the group's rogue.
He's the Raphael or Red Hood of the team, who isn't afraid to get his mitts dirty and
can crack wise as much as the heroic hedgehog.
Here, though, Knuckles is more like our favorite cinematic god of thunder, Thor.
He's a rough-and-tumble fish-out-of-water who is all about honor.
He wants to fight first and ask questions later.
Seeing his character develop is easily one of the film's biggest highlights.
Every bad guy needs some backup, but Robotnik's lackey Agent Stone unfortunately doesn't cut
it this time around.
Sonic's sworn enemy is too busy making a shady alliance with Knuckles for the former partner-in-crime
to make an impact.
Stone's fleeting appearances quickly feel redundant.
Lee Majdoub, who plays Stone, was a welcome addition in the last film, but here he's not
given enough to do.
Audiences paid to see Jim Carrey yelling at iconic video game characters, not Stone overstaying
his welcome in scenes that lack the comedic spark of the rest of the film, feeling like
they're just there to move the film along.
Stone's presence stops them from serving even that purpose efficiently.
Movies based on beloved franchises from other media, like comics and video games, don't
always fit in references to the lore of the source material particularly well.
Sometimes it feels shoehorned in, like the filmmakers were just checking off items in
a checklist.
Which is why it's a relief that the nods to Sega's prickly poster boy don't feel contrived
at all in "Sonic the Hedgehog 2."
They're deployed judiciously and effectively, and that makes all the difference.
It's clear that Jeff Fowler, who joins the crew again after handling directing duties
for the first film in 2020, still has a love for Sonic and his video game history.
From Tom's hilarious ring tone — the Green Hill level music, in case you missed it — to
Sonic later dodging an array of death traps in what looks to be a level straight out of
the games, it should all satisfy longtime fans.
It can be risky for a movie named after shiny CGI characters to focus on its flesh-and-blood
supporting actors for too long.
The scenes with Sam Witwicky's parents in the "Transformers" franchise are some of the
most memorable offenders.
In the case of "Sonic the Hedgehog 2," it's a wedding we weren't invited to that delivers
the same unwanted effect.
While they weren't unwelcome additions in the original film, here, Tom Wachowski, his
wife Maddie, and sister-in-law Rachel are part of a B-plot that's not remotely as compelling
as seeing Sonic's epic scrap with Knuckles.
Hedgehog-hating Rachel is going full bridezilla leading up to her wedding in Hawaii to a guy
named Randall.
There's an alarming amount of time spent on this break-up, then make-up journey, without
a hedgehog or echidna hair in sight until the very end.
It is, unfortunately, incredibly dull.
The film could have easily given that time over to Sonic and his new pals and eliminated
this subplot altogether.
Heroes squaring off against each other before learning that they're all on the same side
and should team up to take on the real bad guy is a tradition as old as time.
Remember when Tony Stark asked Thor,
"Doth mother know you weareth her drapes?"
While it might not bring as much heat as seeing Marvel's finest go toe-to-toe, there's an
undeniably epic feel to Sonic trying to outmaneuver his new foe Knuckles only to get the rings
knocked out of him in their first encounter.
The eventual final round when they decide to squash their digital beef might just be
the highlight of the entire film.
Starting with a wide shot that feels like it's been ripped right out of a classic Sonic
boss level, what follows is a gorgeous display of CGI as Sonic and Knuckles apply their respective
power sets.
It feels like there's not a single area of their battleground that isn't used to great
effect.
It should only get more fans excited for the future foe that makes an appearance after
the credits roll.
Sometimes, Sonic looks great.
You can really suspend your disbelief at times, and believe that a blue hedgehog can blast
his way down the highway while cracking wise.
Occasionally, his supercharged quills get splashed with water or doused in sand, and
it's clear that lots of effort has been put into making it all work in a way that feels
like it could really exist.
On some occasions, though, there are times when none of it comes together.
Besides that diabolical dance-off, there are moments when an interaction with a real actor
falls apart, and the human cast member's eyeline is way off the mark.
In others, the size of the video game trio is totally out of proportion between shots.
These inconsistencies sometimes bring the film down, but mercifully, they are few and
far between.
Thanks to Marvel Studios, the post-credits scene has become a required element for any
entry in a massive media franchise.
Thankfully, the teaser at the end of "Sonic the Hedgehog 2" is one fans should be excited
about without a Shadow of a doubt.
With the supposed demise of Dr. Robotnik after our hero goes Super Sonic, the shifty organization
G.U.N.
searches among the ruins for signs of life.
What it finds is something far more lethal.
Enter: Dr. Robotnik's top secret "Project Shadow."
In the final shot, we see an iconic antihero from the Sonic universe wake up with eyes
aflame and no doubt ready to cause some damage to the blue blur.
Shadow the Hedgehog, Sonic's tough, gun-toting, occasional ally, has just entered the fray.
He could potentially fill Carrey's spot as top antagonist if the actor's recent retirement
sticks.
PG-rated movies have to strike a careful balance of being able to entertain kids and grown-ups
in equal measure while staying family friendly.
Casting Jim Carrey is definitely a good start toward achieving that goal, but "Sonic 2"
has among its many, many gags some that just don't land.
"Oh great, the Winter Soldier."
The worst offenders feel dated and borderline offensive.
To put it simply, the film's script makes a few questionable zigs when it should have
zagged.
While quick enough to fly by, there's no doubt that these lame lines might not sit right
with some members of the audience.
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