Let’s get this out of the way, Sonic is a movie for babies, Sonic fans will probably like it, but there’s no doubt in my mind that if the blue blur were created solely for this movie, no one would be going to see this except for parents and kids.
That said, the film isn't terrible, more mediocre. Sonic himself is fun with a memorable voice performance by Ben Schwartz that exudes a childlike wonder that kids will identify with and adults will find endearing. His rapport with James Marsden’s character Tom is also sweet even if it doesn't really evolve much. The show stealer here is definitely Jim Carrey as Dr. Robotnik, he’s bringing all his magical manic powers to this role and I’m absolutely here for it. The film was at it’s most entertaining when Carrey was onscreen.
Sonic definitely looks much improved from those early trailers and the CGI does it’s job well enough. I'm glad the efforts by the effects team didn’t go to waste on a total dumpster fire of a movie.
There’s a lot of little nods to the games for the adult Sonic fans that are going to check this out, the town is called Green Hills, Sonic has an alternate world he can go to that’s a clear lighthearted jab at Mario, little stuff like that, I was most amused by Robotnik’s transformation at the end of the film, into something more, familiar.
One thing the film is obnoxious about is product placement, there’s a straight up Zillow ad in the middle of the movie, the camera hovers a little too long on Robotnik’s Freightliner truck, but the worst of them is Olive Garden. First of all, Olive Garden is garbage and you should never eat there. The film markets Olive Garden twice, both times playing it off like a joke, but the jokes aren’t funny because it’s just them trying to sell you Olive Garden while winking at the camera that they're doing just that. Make sure to explain to your children that Olive Garden is trash before entering the theater or you might find yourself staring at some overcooked pasta swimming in watery unseasoned sauce later that evening.
So overall, it’s a fun enough film with some very noticeable flaws to even the most casual of film goers. Great, that’s all your kid is going to care about, go see the movie. Sure, I could make fun of the nonsense plot that sidesteps all consequences when it’s convenient but it feels too much like beating up a child, it’s fine, enjoy.
5/10 Stage Clear