Film Review: action, adventure and slapstick in Sonic the Hedgehog 2

Sega's blue blur goes fast, with Jim Carrey and Idris Elba in glorious pursuit - but an ill-advised subplot costs this family comedy some gold rings

Sonic the Hedgehog, voiced by Ben Schwartz: trades Green Hill Zone for the silver screen

★★★☆☆

Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (PG) opens with Sonic’s former nemesis Dr Robotnik (Jim Carrey) exiled to a distant planet, where he bemoans his lot as ‘a featured player in the theatre of the absurd.’ Defeated in the original Sonic the Hedgehog by the speedy blue hedgehog, Robotnik seizes his opportunity for revenge when he is rescued by the powerful Knuckles (voiced by Idris Elba). Returning to Earth, Robotnik and Knuckles seek out the magic emerald which will give them unlimited power as they pursue their nefarious schemes.

Can Sonic (voiced by Jason Schwartz) save the day once more?

Slickly produced, and featuring impressive visual effects (one sequence offers a self-conscious nod to Raiders of the Lost Ark), Sonic 2 is at its most entertaining when Jim Carrey is stomping around chewing the scenery and twirling his handlebar moustache.

An ill-advised subplot featuring a wedding in Hawaii slows the story’s momentum, however, unnecessarily side-lining the dynamic, irascible Sonic and his ridiculously wicked foes.

When the main characters are in play, Sonic 2 delivers plenty of thrills and spills — although whether fans of the little blue hedgehog would prefer to be controlling his high-speed adventures or passively absorbing the action is another question entirely.

(cinema release)