A Parent’s Movie Review for Sonic The Hedgehog

Just in time for Valentine’s Day, Sonic The Hedgehog will be racing into a movie theater near you!  My family and I had the opportunity to attend an advanced screening but all opinions are my own.  Is it kid friendly?  Do you need to be a fan of the video game in order to appreciate the movie?  Should you stick around for post-credit scenes?  I’m answering these questions and more in my parent’s movie review for Sonic The Hedgehog!

A Parent’s Movie Review for Sonic The Hedgehog

This is a movie that surprised me – in a very good way.  Prior to seeing the movie, I expected a general run-of-the-mill kids movie.  After the movie ended, I walked out of the theater wowed, wishing there were more movies out there like Sonic.  Why?  Because it had everything that I enjoy in movies – unforgettable characters, pop culture references, great special effects, a lot of heart to the storyline, action, and a catchy soundtrack.

The Plot

The movie itself didn’t feel rushed at all and the plot is simple.  Sonic (voiced by Ben Schwartz), a blue hedgehog, is born with super powers and, as a young hedgehog, ends up in a small town on Earth via magic rings.  He watches the town people from afar, especially Officer Tom Wachowski (played by James Marsden).  But while Sonic has amazing powers, he feels lonely.  That changes when Dr. Robotnik arrives to capture him after he causes a major power outage.  From there, Sonic is in a race – for his life.  As Sonic says at the beginning of his movie “I’ve spent my whole life running.”

And speaking of Sonic, he breaks the fourth wall and I’m here for it!

Unforgettable Characters

Jim Carrey is Dr. Robotnik and he is quintessential Jim Carrey.  Dumber and Dumber is one of my favorite comedies of all time, and I can say that this is the type of acting from Jim Carrey that I’m accustomed to – and I was hoping for.  He did not disappoint in Sonic.  Dr. Robotnik is wacky and watching him interact with the other characters is extremely entertaining.  And speaking of the other characters, Officer Tom Wachowski, or as Sonic calls him, the Donut Lord, is the perfect foil to Dr. Robotnik.  Likewise, Sonic and Wachowski are the most unlikely – but perfect pair.

Pop Culture References

The pop culture references will likely go over the heads of younger kids.  But parents will notice that there are several pop culture references.  For example, both my husband and I laughed at the references to Vin Diesel in Fast and the Furious and Keanu Reeves in Speed.  The references are also a natural fit to the storyline.

IS SONIC THE HEDGEHOG KID FRIENDLY?

When making a determination whether or not a movie is kid friendly, I usually consider the presence (or lack thereof) of bad language, sexual content, graphic violence, mature content, and the length of the movie.  In Sonic The Hedgehog, there really is not bad language.  I only counted one bad word (hell) and one of the characters was interrupted before he could complete another phrase (son of a *****).  There wasn’t any mature content – the plot is a simple one, making it easy for kids to follow along.  Additionally, the movie was a little over 1 1/2 hours long, making it doable for younger kids who can get antsy sitting in their seats.  There also isn’t any type of graphic violence (the type of violence that can be seen in The Witcher or Bad Boys For Life, which is a movie I loved, but I won’t be letting my son watch any time soon).  There are some fight scenes like a bar fight, but the bar fight is more comical than violent.  As a result, Sonic is a kid friendly movie, and one that I didn’t regret taking my son to see.

DO YOU NEED TO BE A FAN OF THE VIDEO GAME IN ORDER TO APPRECIATE THE MOVIE? 

No.  Absolutely not.  While fans of the video game will no doubt find the movie nostalgic, this movie can be a complete stand alone.  Although now my son wants to play the video game!

Overall Thoughts

Prior to seeing the movie, I wondered if it would be the type of movie that only kids would like.  Kids movies can be hit or miss sometimes from a parent’s perspective.  For example, my husband and I will take our son to see a movie he really wants to see, even if it’s not our jam.  But Sonic is definitely not one of those movies.  It’s a movie that the whole family can enjoy.  While kids will love the bathroom humor and Sonic in general, adults will appreciate the pop culture references and character interaction.  I don’t know who was laughing more throughout the movie, me, my husband, or our son.  And that’s a win in my book.  After the movie ended, my son told me that he loved this movie more that Detective Pikachu (and that says a lot coming from him) and also that he wanted to buy it on DVD so he can watch it at home.  I explained to him that he needs to wait until that happens.

For the movie itself, there is a post-credit scene that you’ll want to stick around for!

About Sonic the Hedgehog:

Based on the global blockbuster video game franchise from Sega, SONIC THE HEDGEHOG tells the story of the world’s speediest hedgehog as he embraces his new home on Earth. In this live-action adventure comedy, Sonic and his new best friend Tom (James Marsden) team up to defend the planet from the evil genius Dr. Robotnik (Jim Carrey) and his plans for world domination. The family-friendly film also stars Tika Sumpter and Ben Schwartz as the voice of Sonic.

In the meantime, if you are looking for cute Sonic-themed valentines, check out this article written by my friend Tania.