Sonic The Hedgehog (2020) movie review

Overall verdict: 7.5/10

The Good: Jim Carrey's performance, simple easy-to-follow storyline, relevant relatable themes, excellent special effects on Sonic, keeps focus on titular character, great music.

The Bad: some shoddy compositing of CGI, cliche ridden plot, serviceable supporting cast,  

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The pre-release Hoo haa surrounding SONIC THE HEDGEHOG was legendary and had all the earmarks of a panic stricken studio rushing to appease angry fans after tepid reception to its first trailer. The studio reworked Sonic’s design and the end product was much better received. It seemed to take a leaf out of last year’s POKÉMON: DETECTIVE PIKACHU by retaining his more cartoony video game anatomy but given a level of detail that would fit in with the visuals of live action actors and real world backgrounds.

I am glad to say that the hard work paid off. SONIC THE HEDGEHOG delivers a fun family film with a simple message, great comedy, and a straightforward plot. Not to mention tons of nostalgia fuel. Let’s start with the plot. I was terrified that it would be one of those “cartoon character comes to the real world to be a supporting character to help bland protagonist with personal problem” type of cliche which we saw in the likes of SMURFS. Thankfully this movie sidesteps that cliche by having Sonic clearly be the main protagonist and focus of the story.

Hunted on his home world for his extraordinary speed powers, Sonic has been in hiding on our Earth in the forests near Green Hills town. He likes it here but has kept a Low profile for fear that he would be hunted once again and be forced to escape to another world. As such, Sonic is one lonely individual. A mishap with his powers exposes Sonic’s presence in Green Hills and sets the eccentric tech genius Doctor Robotnik on his little blue tail. Now stranded on earth due to having lost his means of inter-world travel in San Francisco (it makes sense in the context of the movie) Sonic must enlist the help of Sheriff Tom Wachowski, the one person he thinks he can trust, to get him to across the country while evading the mechanical minions of Robotnik.

Here is a simple story cobbled from “person befriends non human creature” movies like ET, and “bonding through a road trip” movies like PAUL. The underlying theme of an outcast desiring friendship and a sense of belonging is also often used in such movies. Not the most original idea, but the decision to keep it simple and even simplify the franchise’s often convoluted lore ensures this movie is accessible to even the most casual viewers.

Sonic himself is distilled, retaining his recognisable confident personality but downplaying His sometimes annoying arrogance from the games, replacing it with a child-like curiosity and innocence. This coupled with his tragic backstory and character development as the plot progresses makes this version of the beloved video game character one of the most relatable and (wait for it) three dimensional incarnations ever. The special effects used to bring Sonic to life on the big screen is top notch but one gets the impression that most of the Budget was pumped into this and not much else. 

 Robotnick’s robot drones are created in CGI too but some scenes have the lighting or the composting feel slightly off, especially since most of the movie takes place in broad daylight. Most egregious is a scene involving sonic and a tortoise early in the movie with the compositing on the tortoise looking particularly shoddy. Ultimately, the special effects aside from those on Sonic come off as just serviceable.

While most of the human cast are just as serviceable, high praise goes to Jim Carrey as Robotnik. This is classic manic, old school crazy fun Jim Carrey of the 90s, obviously having the time of his life with the role. The energy he brings and the way he plays off the rest of the cast is such a delight to watch.

The music by Tom “Junkie XL” Holkenborg of TERMINATOR DARK FATE and BATMAN V SUPERMAN fame also deserves praise. His score on this movie is very unlike his past work, eschewing the loud brass sounds and heavy percussions for a more whimsical cartoony tune with light strings and woodwinds that feels right at home with the family friendly nature of this movie.

There is much to love about SONIC THE HEDGEHOG. The passion of the creative team is clearly evident and it delivers simple entertainment without too much pandering. Between this and last year’s POKÉMON: DETECTIVE PIKACHU, I feel video game movies have a bright future ahead.

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Entertainment: A

Story: C+

Acting: A-

Characters: B+

Music: B

Replay value: A-

"Brains": C+

Sonic The Hedgehog (1993-1994) 26 episode TV series

Overall verdict: 7/10

The Good: Consistent animation and art for most episodes, darker story elements, well rounded and developed protagonist Princess Sally, good voice acting, menacing main villain.

The Bad: Sonic's jarring personality, Cliched story for most episodes, dip in quality near the series' end, generic 90s cartoon music

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In the 1990s, there was a cool little cliche permeating Saturday morning action cartoons: dystopian future resistance group against megalomaniac and his legions of disposable troops. It started as episodes in ongoing cartoons where the main characters get shunted into a bad future but soon it became the premise that entire shows were built on. One of such shows was SONIC THE HEDGEHOG.

Deviating entirely from the video game source materials, this Saturday morning cartoon had the titular Super speedster join a resistance group led by one Princess Sally. The evil doctor Robotic has taken over the kingdom of Mobotropolis (renamed Robotropolis) and has turned most of its anthronorphic animal populace into subservient robots. Episodes typically involve incursions into the mechanized city or exploring the often deadly countryside for some means to defeat the machine empire and return its people back to normal.

Operating out of the secluded Knothole village, the resistance is a collection of characters with unique and sometimes exaggerated personalities. Aside from the childlike twin tailed fox named Tails, Sonic’s best pal from the games, the others are original characters which would occasionally get an episode focused on their development, and them overcoming whatever personality shortcomings they may have whether it’s An arrogant one learning humility, an aloof one learning to count on friends or the trusting one learning to be more discerning.

The episodes may seem formulaic after a while but a few of the standout ones do contain a fair amount of tragedy and are surprisingly dark for a kids cartoon. And that’s where Sonic himself becomes a bit of a problem. 

The stakes are dire, the situation is grim, but here comes Sonic with his “totally radicool” speech style, ever ready with an unfunny quip or cringe pun. His fast talking comical overconfidence stands as a stark contrast to the bleak atmosphere of the plot. A skilled writer could have written his jokey demeanour as a coping mechanism to deal with tragedies he has faced. But alas, it is just passed off as Sonic being Sonic.

The series gets better when it has Princess Sally front and centre. She is a leader, an emotionally vulnerable individual dealing with the loss of her family and kingdom but having to present a strong front to her followers. She is the one reining in Sonic’s wild side to get things done; the burden of leadership and the hopes of an entire world weighing down on her petite shoulders.

Another great character for me is Doctor Robotnik. This is not the bombastic boisterous baddie from the games. This guy means business. His rotund character design is offset by inhuman demonic looking eyes and a voice oozing with menace that elevates him from funny fatty to a truly devious devil.

On the quality side of things the animation is more consistent than its sister series ADVENTURES OF SONIC THE HEDGEHOG. There are cool visuals like the polluted dystopia of Robotropolis or the mysterious wilds of mobius, as well as moments of standout animation. Generally it is a tad better than typical outsourced Cartoons of its time but still no where near the level of detail as Japanese anime.

SONIC THE HEDGEHOG saw a bit of changes after the first 13 episodes giving us slight design tweaks, stories that were less dark and Robotnik lost some of his menace. By the time it was cancelled after 26 episodes, quality had dipped to the point of repeating or looping past animation to pad out the run time. At very least it ended on a satisfactory though rushed and cheesy conclusion (power of love saves the day) leaving enough teases to spawn an entire franchise continuing in comic form.

Considering the time period of its debut, and its contemporaries catering to the same pre teen target demographic , SONIC THE HEDGEHOG is above average. It lacks the clever scripting of the BEAST WARS, the solid character development in various DC Animated series or the quality control of the Disney cartoons, but it is certainly a better cartoon based off a video game than the likes of Legend of Zelda or Double dragon. 

The standout episodes especially the two parter taking place in the past hit all the right pointers for engaging animated stories while the episodes in between feel like mediocre run of the mill filler held up purely by the characters and cast.

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Entertainment: A
Art: B-
Animation: B-

Story: C+
Voice Acting (English): A-

Characters: B

Music: C-

Replay value: B-
"Brains": D

Terminator Dark Fate (2019) movie review

Overall verdict: 8.5/10

The Good: Bold new plot directions, awesome action, great music, real emotional connection to the characters' stories, builds on the underlying themes of previous movies

The Bad: some action pieces too dark, rehashes chase plot of previous movies, some sub par special effects in places

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Terminator Dark Fate is the true follow-up to Terminator 2 Judgement Day. It expands upon the underlying themes that were developed over the course of Terminator 1 and 2, particularly in blurring the lines between increasingly human-like machines and increasingly inhuman-like people. Combining deep themes, well developed characters, and intense no-holds-barred action, TERMINATOR DARK FATE hits every right note with me and my expectations of a good terminator movie.

We all have the power to change our fate, but no one ever said anything about improving our fate. The focus is back on Sarah Connor, whose fate had changed following the events of TERMINATOR 2 JUDGEMENT DAY. With Skynet now erased from existence, the future is rewritten into one where John Connor serves no purpose. In the opening moments of this movie, John is terminated along with any hope Sarah had for a happy life.

Seeing her now, masterfully played by Linda Hamilton, it’s sad. I could feel her emptiness, going day to day, living for the next anonymous tip off about a new terminator, preparing for the next battle. Her eyes weary with age contain both an intense fire, yet a hollowness. Seeing her now, and looking back at that carefree young woman riding down the street on her scooter back in 1984. It’s tragic.

The second character of note is Carl, a terminator who had completed its mission and, of its own free will, overcome its violent programming to integrate perfectly with human society and a family. Carl is exactly how I envisioned “Uncle Bob” would become if he had lived from T2. Almost perfectly human with free will, making his own choices, able to blend in, caring for others, starting a business etc. The evolution of machine into becoming more human-like was a strong theme from the first 2 terminator movies. 

Sarah and Carl present two sides of the same coin. Both are soldiers “programmed” for a mission. Both had lived for their mission and when the missions were over what next? In a more meta sense, they are both the sole survivors of a reality that no longer exists.

But enough of them. They are the supporting cast to the new main duo of Grace the protector and Dani the new future resistance leader. I love Grace and the glimpses of the new Resistance, or at least the faction Grace is from (it’s hinted that in the new future, there are different resistance groups, showing a less united mankind). What desperation would drive humanity to willingly turn fellow humans into cyborgs themselves to win the war? I am reminded of the quote “beware when fighting monsters that you yourself do not become a monster”. Again another theme carried over from T2.

I love Dani too. I would dare say Dani is how I would have liked John to be in Terminator 3. Where even in present day without any training, we already glimpses the leadership qualities, resourcefulness and fighting spirit that would eventually turn them into the main inspirational symbol of the resistance.

The action set pieces courtesy of DEADPOOL director Tim Miller are bigger than ever before going from cramped interiors to a freeway chase to an aerial battle to even underwater! It is intense! Though at times the scenes look a little bit too dark (as in literally not lit well enough) but perhaps that was to mask certain CGI effects considering this movie didn’t have that high a Budget compared to other modern blockbusters.

I think my only other gripe is the Rev 9. I never got that sense of dread that I got from the t800 in T1 or the t1000 in T2. Heck I even felt the Tx from T3 was a bigger threat. The concept of a liquid metal covered robot endoskeleton that can operate as separate entities seems borrowed from the “TXA” in the terminator novels (as is the concept of cybernetic enhanced human protectors), and the rev 9 got taken out way too easily each time it was in battle. Yes it kept coming back but really if it weren’t for Grace needing stimulants to prevent her body from shutting down she would easily dispatch it each time it showed up.

Nitpicks aside, I enjoyed TERMINATOR: DARK FATE. It was more emotional than Terminators 3 through GENISYS, it felt most in line with the themes set up through the first 2 movies, the action and accompanying music by Junkie XL were perfect. Most importantly, I want more from the new status quo. I want more stories about Legion and the future war under Dani’s leadership, I want more stories about Sarah, and I sincerely hope we get them.

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Entertainment: A

Story: B

Acting: A-

Characters: A-

Music: B-

Replay value: A-

"Brains": B-