Director Jeff Fowler’s 2020 movie “Sonic The Hedgehog” gives audiences a surprisingly clever, cute and family-friendly experience that appeals to fans of all ages.

“Sonic The Hedgehog” had an incredibly rocky road to the big screen. Upon its first trailer release back in November 2019, audiences and critics everywhere panned the title character’s design for being disturbingly uncanny.

With an initial release date set around Thanksgiving 2019, the skilled team of animators heard the masses’ complaints and added $5 million to their already astronomical budget of $90 million to fix Sonic’s design. The respect earned for the director and animators for listening to their audiences secured many box office tickets from fans who were formerly disgusted by the film. 

“Sonic The Hedgehog” hits hard with action right off the bat. Beginning with a cold opening that takes place just before the climax of the movie, Sonic narrates to the audience about how he needs to tell his story from the beginning. 

This film adds to Sonic’s already surprisingly deep background and lore by showing the audience how he came to Earth from his original world. Fans of the video games should be very familiar with the gold rings that Sonic collects throughout his adventures. These rings are given a refreshing new purpose in the story and are ever-present in the plot. 

Jim Carrey’s introduction as the evil Dr. Robotnik is done in a way that only the wonderfully manic actor can perform. Carrey’s portrayal of the antagonist is equally easy to love as it is easy to hate, in the best way possible. 

Even the most minor of details in this movie have clearly been well thought out by the artists and editors. The fact that Sonic’s shoes are mismatched and being held together by tape adds a cute element that can be easy to miss. Additionally, the soundtrack to this film includes classics such as “Blitzkrieg Bop” by the Ramones and “Don’t Stop Me Now” by Queen that only add to the film’s likeability.

There are a handful of Easter eggs and references to the movie’s video game source materials. One line has Robotnik state that Sonic’s quills, which contain the power of electricity, are “おもしろ” or “interesting” in Japanese. This is clearly a nod to the game’s Japanese roots.

Despite this movie being the underdog of modern films, there are still some minor problems that should be acknowledged. With this being an animation-live action hybrid that is aimed at younger audiences, there are some silly jokes that will seem juvenile to audiences who are just there for the nostalgia. For every unnecessary quip from Sonic, there is another great song from the soundtrack or another hidden reference to find that makes up for it.  With an average score of 79 percent on Rotten Tomatoes and a 94 percent rating from Fandango, “Sonic The Hedgehog” may be the first video game movie that actually lives up to the expectations of its source material. 

Be sure to stay for an after-credits scene that features a familiar face from the Sonic games.