On February 14th a blue hedgehog ran onto the big screen leaving the world in anticipation as to how the movie turned out. Prior to the release date, the internet was outraged at the first trailer, released April 30th, 2019, and led to a major redesign of the character. Multiple animation companies worked on the CGI of the character, but an artist, Tyson Hesse, was brought in to revamp the design of Sonic. 

Eventually, the second trailer was released on November 12th, 2019 and praise filled the comment section of YouTube. Sonic’s look was tremendously improved with his eyes enlarged, hands covered in gloves, and body proportions were adjusted. He no longer resembled a small child that looked like Sonic, but now brought back that nostalgic feeling when you see this character. Subsequently the outrage was tempered and everyone excitedly waited for the movie’s debut. Opening weekend the movie brought in $58 million and topped the box office charts. According to rottentomatoes.com, the audience gave it a 98% rating while critics gave it a 64%. Logistics wise Sonic the Hedgehog did amazingly well for the backlash it received at the beginning of its production and there are talks of a possible sequel. 

Continually, the casting for the film was spot-on as each actor played their character fantastically.  Sonic, voiced by Ben Schwartz, is a talkative, hyperactive, and funny main character that keeps the movie light-hearted. He’s complemented by his co-star Tom Wachow, played by James Marsden who is a level head cop throughout the movie who balances Sonic. The iconic Jim Carrey played Doctor Eggman, also known as Dr. Robotnik, and this portrayal is quite different from other Sonic series. In this film, Dr. Robotnik works for the U.S government and has no idea of Sonic’s existence until he finds him. Sonic’s backstory is also completely different from the comics; in the movie, he’s from a different universe where he’s being raised by an owl and in early sonic comics he gained his supersonic speed from Dr. Robotnik. 

Overall, the quirky humor, deep themes, nostalgic vibes, and loveable characters make this movie enjoyable for all ages. Although some speed bumps were hit the outcome was better than expected. I highly recommend any Sonic fan or curious moviegoer to watch the film yourself to form your own opinion if the CGI improved. The director’s choice to go back to the drawing board to fix the character’s design helps immerses the audience in the world of Sonic the Hedgehog.