The supersonic hedgehog is back and he’s not alone in this fantastic sequel to the hit video game adaptation.

Sonic has defeated Ivo Robotnik and had sent him to the Mushroom Planet while he has been adopted by Seattle police officer Tom and his wife Maddie. When Tom and Maddie tell Sonic they are heading to Hawaii to attend Maddie’s sister’s wedding, Sonic is left to stay behind and more important, not to do anything reckless. However, Sonic is about to get the shock of a lifetime. And it starts with the return of his old enemy.

Sporting a new look, Dr. Robotnik has returned to Earth and this time, he’s not alone. He has brought a superpowered echidna, Knuckles, to go after Sonic. The reason is that Sonic may hold the key to a source of ultimate power, the Master Emerald. When Sonic is nearly defeated after a tussle with Knuckles, he gets an ally of his own in the two-tailed fox Miles Prower, affectionally known as Tails. When Sonic learns about the Master Emerald and how he holds a map given to him by his former motherly figure, Longclaw, the duo embarks on a major quest to find the Emerald. But Robotnik and Knuckles are not far behind.

SEGA’s iconic mascot returns after the success of the original film, which can be said to be Jim Carrey’s comeback film. Carrey nearly stole the show, going back to his iconic brand of comedy in the role of evil Ivo Robotnik. Once again, Carrey returns, now sporting the Eggman look but still doing his brand of comic antics that made him a bonafide star. However, Carrey may have nearly stolen the show, but let’s face it.

Ben Schwartz’s voice work as Sonic is what makes the film fun to watch. It feels like this is a coming-of-age film for the hero hedgehog. Yeah, he’s still seen as a teenager looking for his way and despite his reckless behavior, he may be forced to grow up. When he learns he is the one who may be capable of protecting the Emerald from the wrong hands, yeah there are shades of Sonic being Sonic, but when it calls for it, he does show he has a heart and will go far and beyond for those he cares about. And that includes Tails, the new character introduced in the finale of the first film. The two-tailed fox is the perfect foil and ally for our hero as Tails is more than someone who looks up to Sonic, but if Sonic was James Bond, Tails is definitely “Q”.

Knuckles is a badass echidna and who better to have someone that depicts badassery as of late. That actor? Idris Elba. After showcasing some frenetic action in both Hobbs and Shaw and The Suicide Squad, Elba lends his voice to Knuckles, who is hellbent on finding Sonic and the Emerald, a source of ultimate power. But of course, there tends to be a sense of predictability as it pertains to a certain alliance. Nevertheless, there is some fun moments and fun “sonic” action that makes this sequel nearly as good as the original.

Sonic the Hedgehog 2 continues the magic and while the inclusion of Tails and Knuckles is wonderful, there is a sense of predictability that will leave one going “meh”. Nevertheless, this is still a fun sequel thanks especially to Jim Carrey’s return as Robotnik.

WFG RATING: B+

Paramount Pictures presents a SEGA Sammy Films production. Director: Jeff Fowler. Producers: Neal H. Moritz, Toby Ascher, Toru Nakahara, and Hitoshi Okuno. Writers: Pat Casey, Josh Miller, and John Whittington; based on the characters created by SEGA. Cinematography: Brandon Trost. Editing: Jim May.

Cast: James Marsden, Jim Carrey, Tika Sumpter, voices of Ben Schwartz, Colleen O’Shaughnessy, and Idris Elba; Adam Pally, Natasha Rothwell, Shemar Moore, Lee Majdoub.