Sonic’s a super surprise
Sonic the Hedgehog
(PG, 99 mins)
Directed by Jeff Fowler Reviewed by Graeme Tuckett ★★★1⁄2
The history of video game and toy franchise movie adaptations is a long, hilarious, gruesome, and occasionally wonderful place to spend a little time.
For every absolute triumph, there are a dozen that went down like a lead canary, as the movie and toy company execs belatedly realised that just because we recognise the name, doesn’t mean you don’t still have to make a decent movie.
My favourite example, which I’d forgotten about until the very good Netflix show The Toys That Made Us reminded me it ever existed, is the 1987 Masters of the Universe movie, starring Dolph Lundgren as He-Man, of course, and the brilliant Frank Langella as Skeletor.
If you want to laugh straight off the side of the couch at how wonderful a truly lousy film can be, then Masters of the Universe cannot be more highly recommended.
Likewise, I reckon, the utterly deranged – and now cult 1993 movie – Super Mario Brothers, with Bob Hoskins and John Leguizamo tearing it up as the plumbers who just want to save the world, while the batrachoid Dennis Hopper tries to destroy time and space itself.
Trust me, if you’ve read this far, you’ll love it.
But, in the 21st century, the demented and the deranged don’t turn up on our screens as often as they did when Hollywood was still finding its way in the genre, and more likely to take a punt on a couple of chancers with a good pitch. These days, the video game formula is set in stone. The only deviations allowed are a betterthan-average script and cast. So, it makes me happy to come back with the news, after somehow seeing the film twice today (long story) that Sonic the Hedgehog is a far-betterthan-average thrash at the genre.
Ben Schwartz (Parks and Recreation) and James Marsden (X-Men) are both absolutely fine as the voice of the interdimensional, superfast hedgehog and his human friend who will aid him in defeating the baddies, while Tika Sumpter (Ride Along) lifts every scene she gets as Marsden’s wife and saviour. But what lifts Sonic ,I reckon, is a signature turn from Jim Carrey, chewing the scenery as the villainous Dr Robotnik, with a warmth and generosity towards the lesser lights around him that has not always been a noticeable part of Carrey’s work.
It all adds up to a film with very few surprises, but several happy treats. If you’re in charge of an under-10, you’ll be happy you had the excuse to go.