As January gets underway and the dust from CES 2024 settles – that's the world's largest technology show, based in Las Vegas – I'm going to be spending a chunk of the weekend watching nonsense movies, both on the plane journey back home and on the best streaming services in my living room.
And Netflix just landed a perfect new number one that not only reminds me of my childhood, but is a must-watch gaming adaptation. Yes, I'm a major fan of Sonic The Hedgehog 2, the sequel to the (originally controversial) movie, which I even watched at the cinema when the action-comedy launched in 2022.
It's not just me who's a Sonic fan, clearly, as while the blue streak failed to wow critics – the sequel landed a so-so 69% on score aggregator site Rotten Tomatoes – it was audiences that rallied around his on-screen presence. Indeed, the same Rotten Tomatoes page gives Sonic 2 a massive 96% audience score (it's as if someone flipped the numbers, Two-Tails-style).
As you can see from the trailer embedded above and the screengrabs in the gallery below, Sonic The Hedgehog 2 is a zany movie that's perfect for families with kids, just as much as it'll resonate with those of us who used to play Sonic games back in the 1990s and beyond. That it's taken so long to bring Sonic to screen and make such a success is quite the surprise to me, but the Jeff Fowler-directed movie ticks all the boxes – and there's even a third movie in the works!
The casting of Jim Carrey as Dr Robotnik was something I originally thought was a poor decision, but his madcap approach to playing the bad guy really carries weight in both the original and this sequel. James Marden's 'Donut Lord' role entertains, while Idris Elba's appearance as Knuckles was certainly a surprise addition.
So if you're feeling in the mood for watching a largely nonsensical caper about Sonic and Tails, then join me in celebrating Sonic 2's rise to the top of Netflix's movie charts this week. If you're a first-time viewer then I'm sure you'll appreciate why it netted such a high score from so many fans. Or if you're simply fighting jetlag, like me, then it's a great colourful explosion to entertain the eyes – even on a repeat viewing!
