Ready, Set…

First things first. I am a dad of two kids (5 and 8), and I played Sonic the Hedgehog on Sega Genesis way back in the days of yore. As a dad, I have already seen more kids movies than I EVER WANT TO SEE EVER AGAIN. My oldest son probably watched Cars 382 times, and that was a lite viewing. Now, with 2 kids, they will watch movies over and over… and over… and over…

To that end, I was decidedly not looking forward to yet another kid’s movie, much less one that was a video game adaptation of a fond childhood memory. The past decade is littered with atrocious movies based on video games.

Go…

Surprise! I could not be more happy with Sonic the Hedgehog as a movie! The creators did something I never would have expected. They created a pithy, hilarious, campy, and meaningful movie.

Disclosure: This recap is not a play-by-play review (there are plenty of those out there); rather, it contains my thoughts on what makes this movie special, things I loved and hated, and other fun stuff. SPOILERS AHEAD!

Things I loved:

• Jim Carrey;
• Jim Carrey; and
• Also, Jim Carrey.

I don’t know where Jim Carrey has been (yes I do), but he somehow turned Dr. Robotnik, aka Eggman, into one of the best evil bad guy performances I have seen in years. The closest analog I can think of was Gru from Despicable Me, and I wouldn’t be surprised if that was the inspiration.

Throughout the entire movie, every scene Jim Carrey is in is laden with double entendre, camp, and just enough self-awareness to make this one of his best comedic performances, ever.

Also, the writing is top notch! Pat Casey and Josh Miller deserve an award for this work. Sonic hit that rare sweet spot where the adults and kids could laugh at the same jokes, for different reasons.

4DX

Full disclosure, I am one of those people who never enjoyed the 3D craze. Call me old fashioned, but I enjoy traditional movie screens, but I do love the recliners. As I walked into the 4DX movie theater with my son, this was the sign by the door:

I have to say, at this point, I wasn’t sure what to expect, but several of those icons made me giggle. My son (5 years old) and I sat down with our popcorn just as the previews began. Almost immediately the seats began to move, lightning flashed, and fog billowed out! My son shrieked in joy and I have to admit, I had an ear-to-ear grin.

The entire movie was so much damn fun, and it added an entirely new dimension to the experience! Unlike some movie gimmicks in the past, 4DX was the real deal. Feeling Sonic get hit and the spray of water and wind gave the movie a whole-new feel.

To a point, I took my entire family back to the same theater the next day so my oldest son and wife could experience the same joy.

Slap me silly and call me Sally – Surprises!

• The sleepy town sheriff trope is so tired, yet somehow, James Mardsen actually sells it with just enough self-awareness to make it fun.
• The Visual Effects: All too often, movies attempt to get TOO real and end up scraping the uncanny valley (cough, cough, The Polar Express, cough), or they go SUPER VIDEO GAME and it feels forced (Double Dragon, Mario Bros., Mortal Kombat). In Sonic, the animation, CGI, and live action blend seamlessly well and create some amazingly fun scenes, like the roadhouse bar where Sonic crosses ‘Start a Bar Fight’ off his bucket list.

• The soundtrack to this movie was beautiful, multi-genre, and pitch perfect. Please don’t take my dad card, but I am actually going to listen this soundtrack. Just look at this:
  • “Friends” – Hyper Potion
  • “Don’t Stop Me Now” – Queen
  • “Flight of the Valkyries” – Jim Carrey
  • “All Fired Up” – The Lazys
  • “White Lightning” – Tennessee River Crooks
  • “Bad News” – Ghost Hounds
  • “I’m Turnin’ ‘Em Up” – Wyley Randall
  • “Love In The City” – John Christopher Stokes
  • “Boom”  – X Ambassadors
  • “Where Evil Grows” – The Poppy Family featuring Terry Jacks
  • “Catch Me I’m Falling” – Kelly Finnigan
  • “Green Hill Zone” – Jon Batiste
  • “Speed Me Up” – Wiz Khalifa,Ty Dolla $ign, Lil Yachty, and Sueco the Child

Standing Ovation

I want to take a moment and applaud producers Neal H. Moritz, Toby Ascher, Toru Nakahara, and Takeshi Ito. You four created something beautiful. You took the right risks, pushed the right buttons, and should be proud.

Tika Sumpter and Natasha Rothwell, you stole every scene you were in and left me wanting MORE of your story, dialogue, and verve.

Permission Slip – Notes to Parents

Go see this movie with your kid(s). Common Sense Media says its 8+, but my 5-year-old had no issues. One heads-up, if you go see this in 4DX, it will completely overwhelm kids with sensory issues, and if you have a wanderer (like mine), the seats move aggressively around.

Dusty Trails and Closing Thoughts

Stay for the end of the movie… There are TWO mid-/post-credits scenes… First, TAILS is back! Second, Jim Carrey does a closing scene in the mushroom world that could be a video short of his descent into madness. Bravo, Mr. Carrey.

I can only assume (given the above) that we are going to see many more Sonic movies… sign me up!