I was really looking forward to seeing Sonic the Hedgehog in 2020, mainly because of all the trouble surrounding its initial design. The original look for Sonic was truly awful, and it’s easy to unfairly blame the visual effects artists and animators. They put in a lot of extra hours, they're underpaid, and they were given an unrealistic deadline to produce something great. Thankfully, most people now recognize that the studio executives are really to fault. The online community expressed their opinions respectfully, but something unusual happened this time: the studio actually listened and decided to delay the film so Sonic could get a better visual makeover. I don't think studios should usually give in to audience demands like that, especially when it comes to social media criticism; otherwise, movies would be constantly delayed over design choices or adaptations. However… In this instance, I’m glad they did. A lot of people wonder how the film would have done with the original design. It would have been a disaster. There's no way anyone could have enjoyed it with that previous Sonic. The new design not only does justice to the character’s appearance but also fits the movie’s overall tone. Jim Carrey delivers an exaggerated, cartoonish performance, which wouldn't have worked at all if Sonic looked realistically rendered. Having both the hero and villain act like cartoons prevents any awkwardness. Sonic is truly the best part of the film. If you’re familiar with the games and have a strong connection to the character, there are plenty of moments to appreciate. He looks great, sounds fantastic (thanks to Ben Schwartz's excellent voice work), and his personality really captures the essence of the video game character. Everything directly related to Sonic is faithful to the source material, which should please every fan. My main point is: if you’re a fan of the little blue guy, I can’t imagine anyone being disappointed. Unfortunately, he's honestly the only truly great aspect of the movie. It's fun to watch Jim Carrey return to his comedic roots and have so much enjoyment in his role. Still, his performance is uneven. When he's mocking someone, it's quite funny, but his antics don’t always land well. Again, though, I think he stays true to the original Dr. Robotnik, who was never a “normal” person. James Marsden does a good job as Tom, but his character remains just "Sonic's pal." My biggest concerns are with the screenplay. I never expected it to be an Oscar-worthy story. I simply wanted a straightforward plot that would allow Sonic to shine, and in that respect, the film delivers a basic storyline. However, there’s an excessive amount of clichés, a complete lack of surprises, and some narrative choices raise logical questions. There are three scenes with blatant product placement—some of the most obvious and cringe-worthy examples since the Transformers movies. It feels like the movie pauses for commercial breaks. Subplots intended to create tension don't get resolved by the end. Storylines that seemed important earlier are completely forgotten and never addressed again. Every character serves as comic relief, everyone gets a chance to be the "clown." I repeat: I didn’t expect a brilliant screenplay. But is it too much to ask the writers to show the same dedication and creativity as the VFX artists who worked on Sonic? That team put in an incredible amount of effort to create a perfect design. Why couldn't the writers try harder to craft a more engaging, original, and sensible story? The way Dr. Robotnik is introduced and the freedom he has to do whatever he wants is ridiculous. Everything involving the human characters raises too many questions and causes eye-rolling. I’ve commented about the film online, and some people told me that “I was overthinking it” or "expecting too much from it." I understand those observations completely. But I don't think I’m overanalyzing things or expecting a masterpiece. Why should people simply accept that a movie "can't be better than what it is"? Why can’t people hope for the potential of a Sonic film? Why settle for just saying it's “not bad”? To be completely honest, I wanted to like this movie more than most people did. The controversy surrounding Sonic's design and the unfair blame placed on the VFX artists left me wanting to absolutely love the film so I could support all the hard work that went into it. I appreciate everything Sonic-related in the movie: his design, voice, and personality are spot-on, and I can’t imagine a single fan of the little blue hedgehog being disappointed. However, even with a good cast and 90s' Jim Carrey at his best, Sonic the Hedgehog is full of clichés and questionable story decisions that cause eye-rolling. It has some of the most obvious and cringe-worthy product placement since Michael Bay’s Transformers films. Characters feel like they came from a Hollywood recycling bin, and side stories are abandoned without resolution. It's an enjoyable adventure for families on a Sunday afternoon, but I can't lie: I wish it had been more entertaining and less frustrating from a storytelling perspective. Rating: C+

Source on TMDB