After settling in Green Hills, Sonic (Ben Schwartz) is eager to prove he has what it takes to be a true hero. His test comes when Dr. Robotnik (Jim Carrey) returns, this time with a new partner, Knuckles (Idris Elba), in search of an emerald that has the power to destroy civilizations. Sonic teams up with his own sidekick, Tails (Colleen O’Shaughnessey), and together they embark on a globe-trotting journey to find the emerald before it falls into the wrong hands.
For in-depth thoughts on Sonic The Hedgehog 2, please see my colleague Dom Fisher’s review from its original theatrical release here.
Video Quality
The 4K UHD Blu-Ray of Sonic The Hedgehog 2 offers a tremendous depth of quality that is a dazzling feast for the eyes, but the exact level of improvement is difficult to ascertain given this release does not come with a Blu-Ray. Skin tones appear incredibly natural with healthy doses of crisp detail apparent on faces such as pores and makeup. The increased range of the color spectrum is pretty mind blowing with this feature. The Dolby Vision and HDR enriches the colors to unbelievable heights when it comes to vibrancy. You can take a look at any of the breathtaking environments throughout the film and be blown away. Nearly everywhere you look you will see backgrounds that are overflowing with eye-popping hues.
The highlights in the film are well defined with whites perfectly pure and balanced with no instances of blooming to be found. Elements in the film taking place in the cover of darkness are vivid and finely delineated. The black levels are especially strong in this presentation, staying deep and inky with great detail. This 4K UHD presentation really delivers on all fronts including strong showings in clarity and color. The Blu-Ray is more than likely great, but Paramount has delivered another demo-worthy transfer on this latest 4K release.
Audio Quality
This disc comes equipped with a grand Dolby Atmos presentation that, like its predecessor, packs one heck of punch from beginning to end. From the opening, the soundscape is set to deliver an expansive experience suitable for an adventure of this scale. Dialogue is presented perfectly clear without ever being overwhelmed by any of the competing sonic (no pun intended) elements. The heavy effects, crashes and explosions provide an all-encompassing soundscape that kicks in throughout all the speakers. The low end is engaged in a really memorable way that will have your house shaking.
Sounds are appropriately rendered with precise directionality from the more kinetic action scenes to interpersonal moments of dialogue. Ambient details are plentiful and quite satisfying in the rear and overhead channels. The overhead channels serve to complement the other channels rather than carry the main load, which adds a nice sense of space to the mix. Musical cues and the buoyant score envelope the room with a vengeance. The mix is a definite winner from Paramount not to be missed.
Special Features
- Audio Commentary: Director Jeff Fowler and the Voice of Sonic, Ben Schwartz, provide a very fun and informative track that gives a lot of entertaining details and background information on the shoot. Ben does a phenomenal job of keeping the track lively and coaxing interesting anecdotes from Jeff including the unused opening scenes, casting Idris Elba as Knuckles, the on-set voice of Sonic, how the pandemic impacted certain elements of the production and more. Honestly, these two are among my favorite duos I have heard on a commentary in some time.
- Animated Short – Sonic Drone Home: A new five-minute short in which Sonic, Tails and Knuckles visit a junkyard and stumble into a conflict with a nemesis. There is an amusing bit about narration that really works well, and overall this is a fun addition.
- Deleted and Extended Scenes: Seven scenes of unused material totaling 17 minutes are provided here which include a trippy alternate opening on the mushroom planet, Sonic attempting to cover up his sneaking out, Wade getting to meet Tails and more.
- Bloopers: A three-minute collection of flubbed lines, goofing around, malfunctioning props and more. When you have Jim Carrey in your film, you are going to have a lot of bloopers with his goofy antics.
- Music Video: Kid Cudi – “Stars In The Sky: A three-minute music video is provided here.
- Finding Your Team: A nearly seven-minute piece which shows how the creative team has evolved from the first film, the familial atmosphere on set, the trick to acting against a computer-generated character, the direction of Jeff Fowler, the performances both on-screen and behind the microphone and more.
- The Powerful Puncher – Knuckles: A six-minute look at the fan-favorite character who has been brought into this installment, details about his background, the voice performance from Idris Elba, his design, his larger place in the Sonic universe and more.
- Rapid Fire Responses with Ben Schwartz: A three-minute series of questions with Schwartz which allow the comedian to bounce around and offer up great tidbits.
- Robotnik Reimagined: A six-minute look at the continued evolution of Robotnik, his place in this installment, the unhinged performance from Jim Carrey and more. Despite what some reports say, we hope to see Carrey return to the role in the future.
- A Sibling For Sonic – Tails: A five-minute look at the lovable sidekick, how he has been adapted to the big screen, the voice performance from Colleen O’Shaughnessey and more.
Final Thoughts
Sonic The Hedgehog 2 keeps the series running at full speed with its perfect blend of humor and adventure. Ben Schwartz continues to be the ideal voice of our titular character, and the new faces such as Tails and Knuckles provide exactly what fans crave from a follow-up. As with the original film, Jim Carrey proves to be the MVP with his appropriately unhinged performance that draws on all of his strengths as an actor. This installment could probably use a little more editing to trim off some of the more sluggish beats, but this is a sequel which by and large delivers everything you want from it. Paramount Home Entertainment has released a 4K UHD Blu-Ray with a stellar A/V presentation and a strong array of supplemental features. Fans of the franchise should buy with confidence. Recommended
Sonic The Hedgehog 2 is currently available to purchase on 4K UHD Blu-Ray, Blu-Ray, DVD and Digital.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the 4K UHD Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: Paramount Home Entertainment has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.