Sonic the Hedgehog (Film Review)

2020 Paramount Pictures
Directed by: Jeff Fowler; Written by: Pay Casey and Josh Miller
Starring: James Marsden, Ben Schwartz, Tika Sumpter, and Jim Carrey
MPAA Rating: PG; Running Time: 99 Minutes
The Nicsperiment Score: 7/10

Sonic is a lightning-fast, anthropomorphic blue hedgehog from another planet. He's on the run from some foul critters who want to use his speedy power to their own ends, and he's bouncing from planet to planet by the use of some golden rings given to him by his owl guardian, Longclaw. Sonic eventually ends up on Earth, and finds it to his liking, except for the fact that he has to keep his existence completely hidden from all of humanity. The blue wonder settles into the podunk Montana town of Green Hills(!) and finds a surrogate family in friendly Tom and Maddie, the town's police chief and vet, respectively...only Tom and Maddie don't know it. Poor Sonic is all alone, reduced to staring through Tom and Maddie's window as they watch movies or play board games, as Sonic fantasizes about living a normal, sociable life.
When the loneliness becomes too much to bear, Sonic rage runs, releasing so much energy, he causes a town-wide blackout, attracting the attention of the brilliant, but nutty and evil government scientist, Dr. Robotnik. It's time for Sonic to hit the road again, only this time, through a series of mishaps, his magic rings are accidentally warped to the top of a skyscraper in San Francisco before he can leave Earth. Soon, Tom's discovered a desperate Sonic, and the two are on a road trip, on the run from the crazed Robotnik and his deadly Sonic-hunting machines.
So...
Yes, Paramount Pictures made a movie about a 30-year-old video game series where the only objective is to run fast, collect rings, and get to the end of the stage. Bad idea. Video game adaptations never work. They then applied the oldest, most overused framework to that video game adaptation--the road picture. The film even underwent an embarrassing CGI overhaul, as Sonic's original (far from the video game) design was widely mocked. And yet, against all odds, the family friendly cinematic incarnation of Sonic the Hedgehog works.
It all starts with Sonic himself--the redesign is a charmingly similar take on Sonic's original appearance in the 1991 Sega Genesis video game. He's voiced here by Ben Schwartz who does a great job of conveying Sonic's short attention span and "Gotta go fast!" attitude without ever becoming irritating or wearing out his welcome. The film and Schwartz himself do a great job of making Sonic immediately relatable, as well, as the film's simple, but well-executed themes of loneliness and the longing to belong are timeless and universal. James Marsden and Tika Sumpter also take what could be thankless roles as Sonic's human foils, and inject into them a charming, salt-of-the-Earth decency and positive energy that's contagious.
Speaking of energy, as Dr. Robotnik, Jim Carrey is able to somehow rediscover his manic 90's muse, as the veteran actor/comedian resurrects the fast-talking, off-the-wall lunacy of his glory days. Kids will enjoy Carrey's goofiness, but adults will enjoy his addition to the film even more, as Carrey's lines are smartly written and a perfect fit for his old persona. It's a performance sure to stir some nostalgia in those who remember Carrey's comedic heyday, while also adding some more hilarious moments to his legacy--he's even got a delightfully bizarre song-and-dance number.
Most importantly, Sonic the Hedgehog doesn't got bogged down in tedium, or over-complicate its simple plot. It sticks to what works, zipping from Point A to Point B without short shrifting its characters. As an added bonus, fan service moments are not only spot-on, but integrated seamlessly to avoid distraction (even the first game's music makes some appearances!).
Did a movie studio have to make a movie about this video game? Should movie studios ever make a movie about a video game? Probably not. All things considered, though, as an adaptation of a video game that only utilizes two buttons, Sonic the Hedgehog is nearly the best possible outcome.