Sonic the Hedgehog Movie Review

It’s been a long road of wondering just how a Sonic the Hedgehog movie would play out, and just what the focus of such a movie would be. As the years went on, we got some news and a trailer showing… the thing. But since the backlash and redesign, things have been feeling pretty positive for it.

Sure, it was probably never going to be a massive standout in terms of plot. Never breaking any ground or giving unexpected twists. But what is here is a joy to watch and gives plenty of action and laughs for an audience to experience. Even non-fans of Sonic can find things to enjoy about it.

As is the standard for bringing a character into the movie world through CGI, the plot of this one focuses on an origin story. That being the enmity between the titular hedgehog and Doctor Robotnik. The personalities of the two seem similar yet different enough, so while this is its own universe, it does feel as though the two have been built from their main universe counterparts.

Sonic within this universe has the reason for his abilities changed slightly, with his speed coming from the unlimited energy his quills possess that are charged through his emotions. This is the main hook of the story, being the reason he comes to Earth in the first place as well as the reason Robotnik is drawn to wanting to capture him.

Despite not being anything groundbreaking in terms of plot, the emotion within the scenes is still done right. The first emotional scene seems a tad rushed, but it is the crux of Sonic’s emotional state through most of the rest of the movie. Only in the climax does his stance of run and hide change, bringing out the hero he’ll soon become (though still with the boundless energy fully in place).

Robotnik is cool and calculated, being quite eccentric but not yet manic. Having never being wrong or lost a battle, it is the actions of Sonic and the unpredictableness he brings that forces Robotnik’s manic side as he gains a thirst for winning against this unbeatable foe. Jim Carrey worked his magic in making this version of Robotnik work, just as Ben Schwartz does for Sonic.

The other main character of Tom Wachowski fits the bill just fine. He’s a cop who dreams of going big within his job, feeling that his time within the small town of Green Hills is done. The main reason for his existence is as a friend and partner to Sonic, and that role is something James Marsden plays well.

The coming together of Tom and Sonic is believable through the actions that happen, as is the start of the battle that runs through most of the movie. From that point on, there’s plenty of action and character interaction that present a lot of fun. The emotional stakes are interspersed within all this whimsical action, and mostly works. Several points do fall flat, but nothing that seriously affects the overall quality of the movie.

Sonic moves fluidly and is full of life, so I have to give the animators credit for that. The music adds to the experience, with some references in both music and other areas that Sonic fans are sure to enjoy if they spot them.

Overall, this is worth a watch. As already said, even if it isn’t groundbreaking, it is still a competently made movie with action and character. Sure, it rushes through some things, but everything it sets out to achieve is still able to be recognised and understood. Sonic the Hedgehog's first foray into the movie world has gone successfully, and I hope a sequel can continue to offer more within it.

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker Spoiler Free Review

The end of a trilogy and the end of the Skywalker Saga. Is it wrong for me to say the best thing to come from this new trilogy is a LEGO game that will contain all nine films for what sounds to be one of the greatest LEGO – and possibly Star Wars – games of all time? I know that sounds like there’s nothing redeemable about the trilogy or this film, but that’s where you’d be wrong. I don’t hate The Rise of Skywalker, just as I don’t hate the Sequel Trilogy, but there has been a lot of missteps within the execution of all three films within it.

The Rise of Skywalker follows the trend of being good but not great. Sure, there’s plenty of great sequences and a load of character interactions that work, but it still cannot escape from the fact that it never seemed to have a coherent plan. The one theme – the most central theme, I would say – has been done better within the Original Trilogy. That being the actions of your family don’t define your character, only what you choose to be. But Rise of Skywalker still manages to make it work despite the lack of that coherent plan.

From the off it is clear the film tries to do too much. It throws itself at giving a reason for it to exist with a new big bad – that being the Emperor. Dodgy execution aside, it works for the film. This is The Skywalker Saga, and every story needs an antagonist. Which big bad has been present in both other trilogies pulling the strings of every major event of the galaxy? Palpatine. Which big bad has been actively working to destroy the Skywalker line? Palpatine. So despite what might have previously been set up, he is here again to close the saga out with a storyline that works.

However, while that works, and I have no real issue or problem with the rest of the film, there’s a big problem that needs to be said. The storyline with Palpatine works, but attached to it is something for the rest of the Resistance to do. Dealing with Palpatine is a Force-user thing, but as seen from the trailers it forces in a huge secret fleet to be dealt with as well, and it is here things… fall. Bluntly put, it has no real reason to be here. The only thing it serves is as an action piece, and it fails at doing that. There’s no true narrative line with the sequence, being there to offer a mirror of Return of the Jedi. And then it just ends. Because it needs to, not because it makes sense for it to do so.

If one half of the ending act is bad, then, is the film worth a watch? There’s some great character interactions throughout, with other action set pieces being better. The film does also mirror other scenes from the Original Trilogy (and one from Force Awakens), with most of them working to either naturally fit with the story or offer a nice bit of nostalgia from familiar sequences of the past. There’s also familiar musical cues returning and merging well with the new. And speaking of the music, it works well at doing what it sets out to do, offering plenty of impact when required. Some scenes don’t use music, and these also manage to land an impact.

And even though it rushes through things as it tries to fit an extra hour of content into its already long runtime, its easy to understand where things are going even if smaller details are lost or the impact is lessened. As a standalone entry, then, it’s great to go into. Tied as it is to the Sequel Trilogy, it offers a good enough ending for both it and the entire saga – even if it most of it was possibly only planned after The Last Jedi ended production. But as said, even through that botched execution, it manages to make it work. That’s all that can really be said for it.

It’s a difficult one to really give a recommendation for. The sequel trilogy has gone for a mostly tame expansion of the galaxy, except where Force powers are concerned. This trilogy has really gone to the extreme with that. However, as I said, it works as a standalone film that anyone looking for a simple, fun space adventure can enjoy. Looking deeper into it reveals the cracks and issues of the entire trilogy, and though Star Wars fans can enjoy the various factors it brings, if you aren’t invested in what came before it is unlikely you will find much to love with this one.

As I said at the start, it seems wrong for me to say that the best thing this trilogy has brought me is a LEGO game that sounds to be the greatest one yet. Though I love what this trilogy has brought us, I also can’t overlook the flawed execution and sloppy management it has been given. They are good films that, while not adding a whole lot to the galaxy, have allowed for new things to come through other mediums. Though Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Isacc and the rest of the cast won’t ever return to the big screen, they have set up a piece of the timeline ripe for exploration through novels, comics, videogames, and even TV series, and that is always a great thing for those who want it.

The Magic Roundabout - Moonlit Critbit [TV&Film]

With Ice Age being my first film on DVD in my own collection, it would only be a matter of time before that collection grew. Being young, there weren’t many opportunities to expand it, but over the years I amassed a great collection of films. One of which was added early on and became a favourite of mine for a few reasons.

I had no experience of The Magic Roundabout series, with the movie being my first outing with the cast of animals, humans, and spring-things. It also became a way for me to be introduced to several music performers – with one of those bands becoming one of my greatest favourites.

The movie features two of those songs very close to each other. The opening credits – featuring Magic by Pilot. Then You Really Got Me by The Kinks, except this version being sung by two of the cast. It’s a fun take on the song, and in just that scene the character of all the cast is present.

Another show of character is the flashback/dream sequence to before evil’s escape, with all the characters enjoying themselves on a sunny day, as Mr. Blue Sky by ELO plays. It was this song and this scene together that my love for ELO started, as I’d always be associating that song with this movie and specifically that scene. The scene captures the contrast between the two times perfectly, and is one I always remember fondly.

I Love To Boogie by T.Rex being a part of the end battle shows that this is about as light-hearted a story as you can get – even with the end of the world villain plan. Oh, there are parts where it takes itself serious to allow the characters to express themselves in the situation, but this isn’t supposed to be a dark tale.

Dougal is the star. The catalyst of the plot. And a loveable dog who learns a lesson – sort of. Then there’s Ermintrude, the singing cow who sees herself as a sensational star – even if all but one disagree. Brian might be a snail, but he’s a brave fellow even if he fumbles with expressing his feelings of love. Dylan is my second favourite of the cast, the carefree rabbit who keeps his cool no matter the situation.

Also a part of the cast are Zebedee, Florence, the other two children – named Basil and Coral here, along with Mr Rusty – the faithful roundabout operator. Only Zebedee – the jack-in-the-box creature – has any importance, with the others being trapped on the roundabout for most of the movie when it becomes encased in ice. The humans serve the story of being those characters our heroes are rescuing, adding flavour to the dream sequence with Florence also being a part of Dougal’s nightmare when all looks lost.

These characters are another of the reasons this became a favourite of mine. There’s plenty of end of the world scenarios in a variety of movies so the characters really have to sell it. Since there’s something to like about all of them, it works. The third reason would be the references it makes [which were boosted to a massive degree in the American version which from what I understand took over the entire movie] and the well-executed jokes.

Yes, it’s very Saturday-morning-cartoonish, and in a way feels more like set-pieces of such cartoons than an actual self-contained movie, though I certainly love how Zeebad is the epitome of such cartoons. His plan, his emotions, and even personality match the villains found in such cartoons. However, it has the perfect blend of music and character, and the action scenes are still well crafted.

It might not be one of the greatest movies around, but for the experience it has given me and the introduction to several things – ‘cus, hey, I sure did look back on the history of The Magic Roundabout series and take an interest in it after this movie – it holds a place as one of those greats for me.

Moonlit Critbit Series

Ice Age Series / Dragon Quest Heroes: Rocket Slime / The Magic Roundabout