---
title: "Sonic the Hedgehog 2"
year: 2022
kind: "film"
canonical: "https://film.one/film/sonic-the-hedgehog-2"
fi1m_id: "sonic-the-hedgehog-2"
imdb_id: "tt12412888"
tmdb_id: 675353
wikidata_id: "Q105970894"
fi1m_score: 58
critics_score: 51
critics_reviews: 21
published: "2026-10-05T16:26:41.838099+00:00"
updated: "2026-10-05T16:26:41.993061+00:00"
region: "CA"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (2022)

Directed by Jeff Fowler · 2h 03m · CHVRS PG · Action, Adventure, Family, Comedy

## Identity

Sonic the Hedgehog 2

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/film/sonic-the-hedgehog-2
- **Type:** Film
- **Fi1m ID:** sonic-the-hedgehog-2
- **IMDb ID:** tt12412888
- **TMDB ID:** 675353
- **Wikidata ID:** Q105970894
- **Same entity:** https://www.imdb.com/title/tt12412888/, https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/675353, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q105970894

**Fi1m score: 58** · Critics 51 from 21 reviews

*In a sentence:* Jim Carrey does all that exercise and the film still takes two hours to get anywhere

> Jim Carrey supplies the laughs, and the animated characters make agreeable company. But a distracting wedding subplot and 123-minute runtime stretch a modest family adventure beyond what its story can sustain.

## Synopsis

Sonic (voiced by Ben Schwartz) faces Dr. Robotnik (Jim Carrey) again, with Tails (voiced by Colleen O’Shaughnessey) and Knuckles (voiced by Idris Elba) joining the adventure. Away from the hedgehog’s confrontations, a wedding in Hawaii gives the human characters concerns of their own. Tom Wachowski (James Marsden), Maddie Wachowski (Tika Sumpter) and Rachel (Natasha Rothwell) are also drawn into proceedings. Sonic has a villain to stop, while the wedding introduces a separate set of complications, and the story moves between the animated characters’ action and the humans’ celebrations.

## Review

Jeff Fowler’s *Sonic the Hedgehog 2* is intermittently funny, energetically performed and too padded to earn a general recommendation. It wants to enlarge the family adventure, giving Sonic more animated company and keeping a separate human story in play. That is a reasonable ambition, but 123 minutes leaves an awful lot of space for material that would barely support a brisker film. There are stretches when the characters are good company, followed by stretches when we simply want the story to get on.

Jim Carrey is the clearest reason to persevere. His Dr. Robotnik is performed with such extravagant physical effort that even familiar villainous business becomes entertaining. We laughed at that bodily fuss: he makes the character’s self-importance funny before a joke has properly arrived. The performance has a looseness that the rest of the film could use, and Jeff Fowler gets more comic value from letting him carry on than from many of the scripted gags.

Ben Schwartz gives Sonic enough vocal lift to make even routine chatter sound eager. Colleen O’Shaughnessey brings a welcome brightness to Tails, and Idris Elba gives Knuckles sufficient presence to justify adding another character. These performances supply much of the warmth that the busier scenes lack. We would happily spend more time with them, especially when the alternative is another diversion involving the humans.

The screenplay by Josh Miller, Patrick Casey and John Whittington keeps interrupting that appeal with a wedding in Hawaii. A detour can be worth taking, and Natasha Rothwell has the comic assurance to make parts of this one work alongside James Marsden. But the change of emphasis lasts too long, and the film has to spend time recovering the pace it has surrendered. Their scenes belong to a broad family comedy that never quite fits around Sonic’s adventure.

Brandon Trost’s cinematography makes the action reasonably easy to follow, without giving it much personality beyond the characters doing the running. Luke Freeborn’s production design gives the wedding its own look, but the location never becomes interesting enough to justify the time spent there. The effects are less persuasive, with an unfinished look in places that makes the physical danger harder to believe. The action has energy, though too little of it feels consequential.

Jim May’s editing maintains a hurried pace within individual sequences while leaving the larger problem of length untouched. Those passages can be busy and the film can still drag; here, that happens often enough to become wearing. Junkie XL’s music reinforces the hurry, but does little to give successive bursts of action a different feel. The quieter comic moments struggle to compete with all this effort to keep things moving.

Family adventure does not need an unfamiliar story, but it does need to know when the joke has landed and when to move on. This sequel keeps adding incidents long after its characters have done enough to win a little affection. Existing Sonic enthusiasts may be patient with that. For a household without a committed supporter, we would choose something shorter.

*Fi1m score 58, published 5 October 2026.*

## What the critics say

The reviews lean mixed on Sonic the Hedgehog 2, with Jim Carrey’s uninhibited physical comedy providing the clearest point of agreement across otherwise divided verdicts. Praise also clusters around the lively voice performances and the addition of Tails and Knuckles, while sympathetic critics find enough energy, game references and comic business to make it enjoyable family entertainment. Even several detractors identify Carrey as a welcome source of fun.

The most persistent complaints concern excessive length, overstuffed plotting and human-character detours, particularly the wedding subplot. The spread is wide: Paste regards the sequel as a satisfying step forward for fans, while Little White Lies finds it creatively empty and faults the unfinished-looking computer graphics. There is disagreement even over the diversions: Den of Geek welcomes Natasha Rothwell’s scenes with James Marsden as relief from the computer-generated action that other reviews find more appealing.

## Straight answers

**Is Sonic the Hedgehog 2 worth watching?**

*Sonic the Hedgehog 2* has enough laughs for committed Sonic enthusiasts, but we score it 58 and cannot recommend it generally. Jim Carrey’s physical comedy and the animated characters provide agreeable company; the lengthy Hawaiian wedding subplot and 123-minute runtime make this a harder sell for a household without an existing fan.

**How long is Sonic the Hedgehog 2, and what is it rated?**

*Sonic the Hedgehog 2* runs 2h 03m and is rated PG by the CHVRS in Canada. It is an action and adventure film.

**Where can I watch Sonic the Hedgehog 2 in Canada?**

*Sonic the Hedgehog 2* is streaming on Crave, Paramount+, Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV in Canada, and it is also available to rent from Apple TV and Amazon Prime Video from CA$4.99. It leaves Paramount+ on 25 October. Availability is checked daily; the links above go straight to each service.

**How does Sonic the Hedgehog 2 compare to Pokémon Detective Pikachu?**

*Sonic the Hedgehog 2* offers energetic family action where [*Pokémon Detective Pikachu*](https://film.one/film/pokemon-detective-pikachu) offers a muddled detective mystery; both have talking creatures who are better company than their human counterparts. We favour Pikachu for its appealing city setting, and Sonic for Jim Carrey’s physical comedy, though Sonic’s lengthy wedding diversion makes patience a requirement.

**What should I watch after Sonic the Hedgehog 2?**

After *Sonic the Hedgehog 2*, try [*Pokémon Detective Pikachu*](https://film.one/film/pokemon-detective-pikachu) (2019, Fi1m 65): Another game adaptation whose talking creatures are better company than its human plot. Then [*The Mask*](https://film.one/film/the-mask) (1994, Fi1m 71): Jim Carrey gets more room for physical comedy and cartoon misbehaviour; and [*Paddington 2*](https://film.one/film/paddington-2) (2017, Fi1m 91): For family comedy that gives its human supporting cast useful things to do.

### Reviews we read (21)

- **Radio Times**, Patrick Cremona (70/100, inferred): The headline frames the sequel as more hyperactive hedgehog fun, suggesting a positive verdict. Its energetic, hyperactive feel is the only apparent point of praise in the accessible text. [Read](https://www.radiotimes.com/movies/sonic-the-hedgehog-2-review/)
- **Screen Daily**, Tim Grierson (66/100, inferred): The accessible material identifies this as a review but does not reveal the critic’s verdict. The standfirst highlights the sequel’s high-octane approach and increased meta humour. [Read](https://www.screendaily.com/reviews/sonic-the-hedgehog-2-review/5169046.article)
- **The Hollywood Reporter**, Justin Lowe (65/100, inferred): Lowe finds the sequel frantic and entertaining for family audiences, though it feels overstuffed and does not expand the franchise in a meaningful way. He praises Jim Carrey’s physical comedy and Ben Schwartz’s lively voice performance, while noting that Sonic’s frantic tone grows tiring. [Read](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/sonic-the-hedgehog-2-james-marsden-jim-carrey-1235118991/)
- **RogerEbert.com**, Nick Allen (2.5/4): Allen finds the sequel entertaining but overstuffed. He singles out Jim Carrey’s energetic performance as a bright spot. [Read](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/sonic-the-hedgehog-2-movie-review-2022)
- **Total Film**, Bradley Russell (3/5): The critic finds this a lively but uneven sequel that confirms the franchise still has momentum. They praise Jim Carrey’s performance and the sharper action, while criticizing the Hawaii wedding subplot and familiar story beats. [Read](https://www.gamesradar.com/sonic-the-hedgehog-2-movie-review/)
- **IndieWire**, Siddhant Adlakha (C-): The critic finds the sequel charmless, overlong, and incoherent, with little engaging action or character development. They single out Colleen O’Shaughnessey’s lively Tails performance as a rare bright spot. [Read](https://www.indiewire.com/criticism/movies/sonic-the-hedgehog-2-movie-review-1234713957/)
- **The AV Club**, Todd Gilchrist (C-): The AV Club finds the sequel an improvement over its predecessor, but says it is overlong and too rushed to land effectively. It singles out Jim Carrey’s maximalist performance for praise, while criticizing the distracting wedding subplot. [Read](https://www.avclub.com/sonic-the-hedgehog-2-review-jim-carrey-ben-schwartz-idr-1848748873)
- **The Guardian**, Leslie Felperin (50/100, inferred): Felperin finds the sequel mildly amusing and competently assembled, but ultimately unremarkable and overlong. She singles out Jim Carrey’s energetic Robotnik performance, while noting the film’s disparate storylines only sort of come together. [Read](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2022/mar/28/sonic-the-hedgehog-2-review-no-surprises-in-segas-speedy-critter-sequel)
- **Variety**, Peter Debruge (45/100, inferred): Debruge finds the sequel fun and clever at first, but says it turns generic and overstays its welcome. He praises its playful nods to the games and Jim Carrey’s villainous performance. [Read](https://variety.com/2022/film/reviews/sonic-the-hedgehog-2-review-1235216807/)
- **Time Out**, Olly Richards (2/5): Richards advises readers not to rush to see the sequel. He describes its antics as hectic and the film as inane. [Read](https://www.timeout.com/movies/sonic-the-hedgehog-2-2022)
- **Empire**, John Nugent (25/100, inferred): Nugent finds the sequel generic, overlong family entertainment that amounts to a half-baked distraction. He singles out Jim Carrey’s committed, over-the-top performance as its near-saving grace. [Read](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/sonic-the-hedgehog-2/)
- **Vulture**, Bilge Ebiri (25/100, inferred): Ebiri finds the sequel baggy, bloated, and a disappointment compared with the first film. He praises Jim Carrey’s comic delivery, but says the film lacks the earlier movie’s improvisatory spark. [Read](https://www.vulture.com/article/review-sonic-the-hedgehog-2-with-jim-carrey-and-idris-elba.html)
- **Little White Lies**, David Jenkins (1/5): The critic pans the sequel as a rushed, creatively empty cash-in. They single out its unfinished-looking computer graphics as especially poor. [Read](https://lwlies.com/reviews/sonic-the-hedgehog-2)
- **Paste**, Matt Donato (7.5/10): Donato finds the sequel a satisfying, fan-friendly step forward, despite some frayed plotlines and juvenile gags. He especially praises Jim Carrey’s physical comedy and the lively performances of Sonic, Tails and Knuckles. [Read](https://www.pastemagazine.com/movies/sonic-the-hedgehog/sonic-the-hedgehog-2-review)
- **Digital Spy**, Ian Sandwell (70/100, inferred): The critic finds the sequel a nostalgic, energetic joy for fans, though its excessive runtime and weak human-character subplots hold it back. They praise the lively animated characters, especially Idris Elba’s Knuckles and Colleen O'Shaughnessey returning as Tails. [Read](https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a39539270/sonic-the-hedgehog-2-review/)
- **The Wrap**, Carlos Aguilar (70/100, inferred): The critic finds the sequel a surprisingly satisfying, enjoyable family follow-up, despite its disposable-franchise feel. Jim Carrey’s uninhibited performance and the screenplay’s sharper comic moments stand out for praise. [Read](https://www.thewrap.com/sonic-the-hedgehog-2-film-review-sequel-idris-elba-jim-carrey/)
- **Eye for Film**, Andrew Robertson (60/100, inferred): The critic finds the sequel entertaining but overly familiar, ultimately calling it mostly harmless. They single out its barrage of references to other films and games, while noting that the action provides some fun. [Read](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/sonic-the-hedgehog-2-2022-film-review-by-andrew-robertson)
- **NME**, Alex Flood (3/5): The review finds the sequel an enjoyable fan-pleaser, though overlong and slowed by detours from its central story. It praises Ben Schwartz’s lively, well-judged performance as Sonic and the fun addition of Tails and Knuckles. [Read](https://www.nme.com/reviews/film-reviews/sonic-2-review-3196134)
- **Den of Geek**, David Crow (2.5/5): Crow finds the sequel a slight improvement but still a bland, tedious experience, apart from its appeal to young fans. He singles out Natasha Rothwell’s comic scenes with James Marsden as a welcome, CG-free reprieve. [Read](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/sonic-the-hedgehog-2-review/)
- **/Film**, Josh Spiegel (3/10): The critic finds the sequel wearying, unfunny, and overlong, though not demonstrably worse than the original. He singles out Jim Carrey’s energetic performance as a bright spot amid the film’s weak humor and bloated setpieces. [Read](https://www.slashfilm.com/820554/sonic-the-hedgehog-2-review-an-overlong-and-exhausting-sequel/)
- **The Playlist** (30/100, inferred): The headline signals a negative verdict on the sequel. It faults the film for speeding past what makes the series special. [Read](https://theplaylist.net/sonic-the-hedgehog-2-review-this-speedy-sequel-zooms-past-what-makes-the-series-special-20220404/)

## Details

- **Director:** Jeff Fowler
- **Director:** Jeff Fowler
- **Screenplay:** John Whittington, Josh Miller, Patrick Casey
- **Story:** Patrick Casey, Josh Miller
- **Cinematography:** Brandon Trost
- **Editor:** Jim May
- **Music:** Junkie XL
- **Production design:** Luke Freeborn
- **Costume design:** Debra McGuire
- **Producer:** Hitoshi Okuno, Toru Nakahara, Neal H. Moritz
- **Cast:** Ben Schwartz as Sonic (voice); James Marsden as Tom Wachowski; Tika Sumpter as Maddie Wachowski; Colleen O'Shaughnessey as Tails (voice); Idris Elba as Knuckles (voice); Jim Carrey as Dr. Robotnik; Natasha Rothwell as Rachel; Adam Pally as Wade Whipple
- **Runtime:** 2h 03m
- **Certificate (CHVRS):** PG
- **Release (Canada):** 8 April 2022
- **Genres:** Action, Adventure, Family, Comedy
- **Budget:** $110 million
- **Box office:** $405 million
- **Trailer:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=47r8FXYZWNU

## Where to watch in Canada

- Crave: streaming
- Paramount+: streaming, hd, leaving 2026-10-25
- Amazon Prime Video: add-on, uhd
- Apple TV: add-on, hd
- Apple TV: rent CA$4.99, hd
- Amazon Prime Video: rent CA$4.99, uhd
- Amazon Prime Video: buy CA$19.99, uhd
- Apple TV: buy CA$19.99, hd

*Checked 2026-10-05.*

Also available in: AE, AR, AT, AU, BE, BG, BR, CA, CH, CL, CO, CZ, DE, DK, EC, EE, ES, FI, FR, GB, GR, HK, HR, HU, ID, IE, IL, IN, IT, JP, KR, LT, MX, MY, NL, NO, NZ, PA, PE, PH, PL, PT, RO, RS, SE, SG, SI, SK, TH, TR, UA, US, VN, ZA. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country.

## Awards

- Kids' Choice Award for Favorite Movie 2023: Kids' Choice Award for Favorite Movie (won)
- The Game Awards − Best Adaptation 2022: The Game Awards − Best Adaptation (nominated)

## If you liked this

- *Pokémon Detective Pikachu* (2019), Fi1m 65: Another game adaptation whose talking creatures are better company than its human plot. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/pokemon-detective-pikachu.md)
- *The Mask* (1994), Fi1m 71: Jim Carrey gets more room for physical comedy and cartoon misbehaviour. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-mask.md)
- *A Town Called Panic* (2009): Fast, cheerfully absurd animation that understands the value of a short running time.
- *Paddington 2* (2017), Fi1m 91: For family comedy that gives its human supporting cast useful things to do. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/paddington-2.md)
- *The Mitchells vs. the Machines* (2021), Fi1m 76: Frantic animated action with family relationships strong enough to justify the noise. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-mitchells-vs-the-machines.md)

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/film/sonic-the-hedgehog-2