As one of history’s greatest minds, Albert Einstein had many incredible ideas. One of his most famous statements comes in his 1935 collection of writings, The World As I See It, where the iconoclast boldly states “The most beautiful experience we can have is the mysterious. It is the fundamental emotion that stands at the cradle of true art and true science”, and while this was composed several decades before its inception, there is very little doubt that this was likely written in direct response to Sonic the Hedgehog 2. We have truly achieved something of staggering proportions with Jeff Fowler’s second outing in trying to bring the iconic Sega character to the screen – and after the ill-fated adaptation a few years ago, it seemed like we had seen the last of this menacing, blue-tinted mammal who uses his excessive speed to wreak havoc and occasionally save the day. Whatever demented the filmmakers to venture into the world again is unknown, but somehow, it managed to be a considerable improvement (although that is not a particularly difficult task – the first film was atrocious in most areas, whether it be the writing or poorly-constructed narrative style), and it makes for a suitably entertaining, if not relatively minor, offering that gives us the relevant amount of excitement and enjoyment required to embrace this film – and while it may be just about as minor as any other video game-based film, Sonic the Hedgehog 2 is worthwhile, if only for the sake of giving us something to do for a couple of hours.

Putting all humour aside, Sonic the Hedgehog 2 is a surprisingly entertaining film, although not one that is particularly great on its own. It is an unequivocal improvement on the previous film, but it also depends on our ability to align with the often peculiar wavelength present in this film. Ultimately, what makes the film work is that Fowler and his cohorts knew exactly what audiences wanted, and never once deviated from delivering exactly what we’d expect. Many viewers have lamented on this wave of films based on video games being extravagant and well-made, but lacking the heart of the source material – inarguably, it can be challenging to take something as involving as a game and bringing it to the screen, since the reason the source medium is so popular is because the audience is placed in a very active position, whereas film versions tend to throw us into more passive roles, almost to the point where we start to feel the urge to guide the narrative in the same way as we would were we to be playing a game. Sonic the Hedgehog 2 feels like a video game transposed onto film – it is colourful and eccentric, and it has the right balance of humour and action to keep us entertained. It may not be revolutionary (although to be fair, unless someone aims to deliberately subvert the elements that make video games popular, there is very little that can be done to make these films radically different), but it offers a sufficient amount of valuable entertainment to allow those two hours to pass by without too much hassle.

If there is one flaw that persists throughout the film, it would likely be that Sonic the Hedgehog 2 isn’t entirely sure as to who its audience is – logically, we’d expect the film to be aimed at younger viewers, and it is mostly aligned with their sensibilities, whether it be the bright colours or infantile humour. Yet, there are several moments in which we get the feeling that this was pitched to slightly older viewers, specifically those who grew up playing the video games. They’re obviously not essential, but having prior knowledge (even a marginal amount) does substantially enrich the experience, since we can pick up on many of the references and hidden clues that would otherwise be missed by those without prior knowledge. It’s always dangerous to make a film that includes such material, since it runs the risk of alienating a large portion of the potential audience that may be otherwise deterred from giving the film a chance, since the natural fear of not being able to understand the references is certainly not without merit. However, the film contrasts its use of existing knowledge with a more engaging and interesting approach to the narrative, with a number of jokes that aren’t restricted to the Sega universe, but instead draw on references to pop culture as a whole – there are certain moments that should have many film lovers chuckling, such as throwaway references to The Day the Earth Stood Still and Risky Business, which add to the film’s genuine attempt to be appealing to an audience much broader than just those who are enamoured with Sonic the Hedgehog and his ragtag group of lovable misfits.

What is most interesting about Sonic the Hedgehog 2 is how every viewer who decides to see this film is doing so for a different reason – for some (normally younger viewers), it is likely because it contains a sufficient amount of family-friendly entertainment, featuring colourful characters that may be familiar to them. For slightly older viewers, it’s an exercise in nostalgia – many grew up playing these games, and the film does admirably well in paying sufficient homage without being seen as solely pandering. Personally, I will rarely turn down the opportunity to see Jim Carrey, one of our finest performers, treading the boards once again. This has become an increasingly rare occurrence, since the actor has gradually receded away from the public eye – so to see him not only playing yet another eccentric character suited directly to his off-the-wall personality (which is even more impressive considering that he has been quite open about his opposition to sequels, doing very few across his prolific career), but doing it in such a way that we are reminded of what a genius he is, makes the entire film worthwhile. Carrey is absolutely hilarious, and rises above the sometimes cheap humour to deliver another knockout performance that is comedic perfection in an otherwise forgettable film. Carrey alone is worth the price of admission, so the fact that Ben Schwartz and newcomer Idris Elba are doing terrific work in their own right, as well as the ever-reliable Natasha Rothwell (who is undergoing a meteoric rise to become one of our greatest modern character actresses), who joins Carrey in realizing the inherent absurdity of the film, and leans into it with the full might of her talents, which considerably improves the film. In terms of its characters, Sonic the Hedgehog 2 pays sufficient tribute, and brings these iconic figures to life in a way that feels incredibly genuine.

Sonic the Hedgehog 2 is not great art – some may question if it even counts as art in the first place. It is neither good nor bad, which means it doesn’t have the benefit of being a strong achievement, nor the peculiar charm of being a memorable disaster. It is a decently-conceived, well-made action-adventure that honours the legacy of an iconic character in a way that feels much more well-formed than we’d have expected (especially in comparison to the previous film). This mainly comes from the sensation that the film was made by people who genuinely love Sonic the Hedgehog and wanted to do justice to an iconic character and the peculiar worlds in which he inhabits. It’s wildly entertaining and has a lot to keep the viewer engaged – the humour is sharp and the production value, while not the most creative, is at least well-utilized and interesting enough to hold our attention and keep us invested in the world of the film. This isn’t going to change cinema or redefine the genre, but rather prove that existing properties can make for suitably thrilling and engaging work, granted the audience is willing to give it a chance. Sonic the Hedgehog 2 is not a bad effort, and it has a lot of heart, which was previously missing in the first entry into what appears to be a planned franchise – and if it can keep this same endearing energy and maintain a consistent tone of just trying to give viewers a good time, then it certainly warrants whatever success comes its way in the future.