RECENT WATCHES: Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (2024)

I was fourteen years old when “Sonic Adventure 2” came out. This means I was right in the target demographic to find Shadow the Hedgehog appealing. In retrospect, it's tricky to overlook how calculated a character Shadow was. The “Sonic the Hedgehog” fandom was already full of original characters that were barely anymore than different colored versions of Sonic. This was an official character with almost the exact same gimmick... Except he was also an edgy antihero with a tragic backstory and a plethora of superpowers. In other words, Shadow the Hedgehog felt a lot like a cheesy original character except he was one hundred percent official. Ashamedly, this strategy worked exactly as planned. Shadow immediately became the second most popular character in the franchise, launching a hundred other O.C.s. When Sega gave him his own game, allowing him to shoot a gun and ride around on a motorcycle, it almost felt like self-parody. 

I wasn't above being caught by this. I too loved Shadow when he first debuted. However, at some point, I woke up to the blatant corporate manipulation at play here and turned on the character. However, Shadow has now been an established part of the “Sonic” universe for over two decades. I've long since made my peace with the character. I would go so far as to call myself a fan of Shadow the Hedgehog, when he's written well. However, how would the character be integrated into the cinematic “Sonic the Hedgehog” universe? That was the question on my mind as I sat down to watch “Sonic the Hedgehog 3,” somehow the third big budget theatrical adaptation of the beloved series. The latest sequel, and Shadow's much-hyped debut, has been well received by fans. What would I, an ever-shrewd old man, think of this?

Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles' peaceful lives with the Wachowski is interrupted again when G.U.N. specifically recruits the furry alien heroes. A black hedgehog from the same world as Sonic, but far more powerful, is on a rampage in Tokyo. Kept on ice by G.U.N. for fifty years, this Shadow has a grudge against the organization. He proves too powerful for Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles to defeat on their own. This leads them to forming an uneasy alliance with their greatest enemy, Dr. Robotnik. The new team soon are led to the secret base of Dr. Gerald Robotnik, the villain's grandfather and the scientist who studied Shadow fifty years ago. He recruits his grandson and Shadow into a plot to activate the Eclipse Cannon, a planet killing weapon he designed. Sonic races to stop villains new and old, the fight quickly getting personal. 

To utilize the inevitable pun, “Sonic the Hedgehog 3's” script hits the ground running. Within the opening minutes, we are being presented with Shadow's back story. Not long after that, Sonic and his friends are already dueling against the new threat. By the half-way point, we've already had alliance switches and betrayals and dramatic revelations, heroes teaming up with villains, villains teaming up with villains, and then breaking apart again. The movie breathlessly races from one plot point, and accompanying set piece, to the next. MacGuffins come and go, heroes chasing after access cards and the Master Emerald. The script looks like it's going to shove in the “Sonic Adventure 2” plot point of G.U.N. chasing Sonic before going in a wholly different direction, which then set-up dramatic heist and confrontations between the good guys. “Sonic the Hedgehog 3” rarely slows down, trying to squeeze as much into its 110 minute run time as possible. I guess this is what happens when you're attempting to tell a blockbuster worthy script but keep it within the runtime restraints of a traditional kid's flick.

Part of why “Sonic the Hedgehog 3” feels stuffed to the brims has to do with a problem that is often encountered in this franchise: There's a lot of characters here. In the returning column, we have Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, Tom Wachowski, Maddie, Robotnik, Agent Stone, plus the Olive Garden guy and cameos for Wade Whipple, Maddie's sister, and the undercover G.U.N. Agent she nearly married in the last movie. To this already considerable cast, the film adds Shadow, Gerald Robotnik, Maria via the power of flashbacks, and Krysten Ritter as a new antagonistic G.U.N. commander. If the studio is going to pay recognizable actors like James Marsden and Ritter to be in the movie, it better give them things to do too. All of this must co-exist alongside the story of Shadow and Maria that the fans are truly here to see, as well as new additions these adaptations always feel the need to make. 

Part of why Hollywood struggled so long to adapt video games is because of the wildly different structural needs of both mediums. This has mostly been resolved by movies and games becoming a lot more like each other. The first two “Sonic” movies mostly invented their own narratives, drawing from the extensive back stories of the games, which probably was the best approach to take. “Sonic 3,” meanwhile, is the first movie to truly be adapted one of the game's plots, directly pulling a lot of ideas from “Sonic Adventure 2.” That doesn't mean only Shadow's backstory, as I expected. In the middle section of the film, both the good guys and villains seek access cards, the kind of fetch quest you'd fully expect from a video game. The sequel goes so far as to include the gravity switching gimmick that was so prominent in “Adventure 2's” later levels. One gets the impression that this is the movie Jeff Fowler and his team have really been wanting to make all along, rather than grafting bits and pieces of established “Sonic” elements on traditional kid movie set-ups. 

Fidelity to the source material is a lot less important to me than honoring the characters as we know them. The “Sonic” cinematic universe has increasingly revolved around the idea of family. Sonic finding his new family with the Wachowski defined the first movie, while the second was about him learning responsibility when faced with a sidekick that looked up to him and an equally powerful rival. Family continues to be a heavily touted theme, the script emphasizing Sonic's connection to Tom and how it compares to Shadow being treated his whole life as a science experiment. Robotnik ends up aligning with Gerald largely because his similar want for a bloodline. However, that is secondary to the theme the movie flatly states again and again: “Making good decisions,” as Tom puts it, especially when the world constantly tries to break your heart with its overwhelming awfulness. In other words: Shadow and Sonic both have great power but only one of them has learned great responsibility from a father figure. 

While this is the kind of easily grasped themes and ideas you'd expect from a kid's movie, repeated enough times for the little ones to pick up on it, I do think “Sonic the Hedgehog 3” actually pays proper tribute to its emotional center. The sequel is seriously invested in Shadow the Hedgehog, particularly how the loss of Maria weighs on him. A surprising amount of time is devoted to establishing Shadow and Maria's relationship, via lengthy flashbacks. Though hassled with the franchise's continued obvious soundtrack picks – why is a scene in the seventies featuring a Traveling Wilburies song? – these moments are genuinely adorable. When Maria is inevitably killed, the pain Shadow feels is sincere. As sarcastic as these films get, the emotional stakes remain one hundred percent serious. I didn't expect a “Sonic the Hedgehog” movie to feature a touching depiction of overcoming grief and learning to live beyond that heartache but here we are. 

When it was announced Keanu Reeves was cast as the voice of Shadow the Hedgehog, people got excited. This struck me as a little odd. I know Keanu is a beloved pop culture icon these days and I love the guy too. He's not truly a voice actor though, “Toy Story 4” aside. Much like Idris Elba as Knuckles, I can definitely feel some of that awkwardness coming through Reeves' performance. However, Keanu manages to find the heart of the character before the film is over. Ben Schwartz' take on Sonic is well established by now, the actor even getting a chance to stretch his dramatic legs a bit in this installment. I do wish Elba as Knuckles and Colleen O'Shaughnessey weren't increasingly sidelined by the story though, another side effect of the film having so many characters in it.

Following “Sonic the Hedgehog 2,” Jim Carrey announced his retirement and the character's fate in that film seemed potentially final, should the star really not come back. Well, Carrey loves money enough to return for part three, as both Robotnik and his grandfather. This means we get a double-dose of Carrey's manic comedy. The make-up effects that transform him into the 100 year old Gerald are good. In general, the illusion of one actor playing two characters that often interact is pulled off successfully. While Carrey's clownery is amusing, there are multiple moments when his buffoonery becomes difficult to sanction. A dance sequence among security laser or the increasingly nutty finale feel like moments when the star's chaotic energy take over the movie, to its detriment. Robotnik also gets a genuine character arc and I'm not sure Carrey is able to pull it off in-between all his extended mugging. 

Another reason “Sonic 3” feels a little overstuffed is because it has to make room for its human co-stars. Tom and Maddie get a sequence devoted to themselves, in which they sneak into a G.U.N. building in London. It is an inessential sequence, to say the least. Ritter, a decent actress, is given very little to work with as Rockwell. She's simply another obstacle for the heroes to run around. In general, the tension between what the fans most want to see – Sonic and his friends doing stuff – and the need for these films to be live action family-friendly comedy continue to make these unsteady affairs. Except for Lee Majdoub's agent Stone, whose role as Robotnik's loyal sidekick has expanded naturally into a full-on homoerotic will-they-or-won't-they? Majdoub and Carrey's banter continues to be a highlight of these movies.

My continued suspicion that these films would be a lot better if they were entirely animated is furthered by the last act. That's when “Sonic 3” becomes a colorfully directed action flick, the CGI hedgehogs blasting around the world and into outer space with enough verve to outclass some recent, bigger budget superhero flicks. The film also makes sure to get a prominent song on the soundtrack, once again suggesting that Fowler knew exactly what kind of fan service he had to include. I have a lot less investment in “Sonic Adventure 2's” plot than most but it was nice to see a “Sonic” movie truly push the limits of what its hero can do on-screen.

That evident desire to give people exactly what they want continues into the inevitable sequel baiting mid-credits scene. The “Sonic the Hedgehog” movies continue to exist in a bizarre space between special effects driven spectacles and goofy kid movies full of wacky comedy. The compromise agreed upon to make these movies possible continue to stick out badly. If I had seen this during the peak of my teenage Shadow fever, I probably would have loved it. “Sonic the hedgehog 3” feels like a movie primarily made for those people. The older I get, the more ambivalence I have towards franchises existing primarily to appease fans and activate nostalgia-driven dopamine rushes... From a simple factor of loyalty to the source material and on-screen flash, “Sonic 3” is easily the best entry in the series. How I'll feel about it in the future remains to be seen. But at least it beat the "Lion King" prequel at the box office... [7/10]

Halloween 2023: October 29th

Five Nights at Freddy's (2023)

In 2013, unsuccessful Christian game designer Scott Cawthon released "Chipper & Sons Lumber Co." The game was poorly received, with the few who did play it saying the characters were unintentionally creepy and moved like old Chuck E. Cheese's animatronics. Cawthon decided to lean into this with his next release, creating a horror game that featured intentionally creepy animatronics characters. The result, "Five Nights at Freddy's," became an immediate phenomenon, especially with kids. Bolstered by a litany of YouTube reaction videos, the game soon spawned multiple sequels, spin-offs, an obsessive fandom, and a metric fuck-ton of merchandise. Obviously, Hollywood came knocking after that. A film version was announced in 2015, with Blumhouse coming on-board in 2017. After several years in development, filming moved forward with "The Wind's" Emma Tammi directing. The cinematic "Five Nights at Freddy's" reached theaters in time for Halloween of this year, to rabid anticipation from fans and general bafflement from everyone else.

As as a child, Mike Schmidt's brother was kidnapped and presumably murdered by an unknown man. The incident haunts him still and he has reoccurring dreams about it. As an adult, Mike is the caretaker of his younger sister, Abby. Threatened with losing custody of her, Mike takes the only job he can get: a nighttime security gig at an abandoned restaurant/arcade called Freddy Fazbear's Pizzeria. Mike soon discovers that Freddy's is at the center of an unsolved series of child murders from the eighties. Also, the restaurant's rickety animatronic animal band spring to life at night, attacking anyone they deem an intruder. His dreams about his brother intensifying, Mike soon realizes he has to unravel the mystery at Freddy's if he hopes to keep Abby safe. 

I've never actually played any of the "Freddy's" games and am not that familiar with the series. But my girlfriend is a fan, so I've picked up on a few things over the years. I know this universe has quite an elaborate, convoluted backstory. The greatest weakness of the film adaptation is how the script — co-written between Cawthon, Tammi, and "Tragedy Girls" filmmaker Tyler MacIntire — tries to squeeze in as much of that lore as possible. There's often long stops in the pacing devoted to explaining something or setting up a plot device for later use. One character in particular, a beat cop named Vanessa with seemingly nothing else to do, exists primarily to dump expositionary monologues. I guess this is inevitable when you are adapting a game series that delivers it's story more through background details than a forward narrative. The result is a movie that is quite awkwardly paced. Freddy Fazbear doesn't even appear until about forty minutes into the film, with long stretches of the story taking place away from the abandoned pizza parlor. Seems to me that the isolation and atmosphere of its setting is mostly what made the games scary but the movie doubles-down on narrative instead. 

Yet, when the "Five Nights at Freddy's" movie gets out of its own way, it can be effective. I was skeptical if the cute, highly toyetic animatronics could actually be made scary. The fact that I find Freddy and the gang are so goofy looking has been the main roadblock to me getting into this series. Yet the film does occasionally pull it off. The moments when the machines move off-camera, glaring suddenly into the security camera, or their eyes softly glow in the dark, actually work for me. The highlight of the film is a sequence where some intruders enter the parlor and are picked off one-by-one. This is the moment when "Five Nights" feels the most like a throwback slasher movie, devoted to the ol' stalk-and-slash. And it works, largely because the excellent creature effects add a realistic heft and weight to the robots and because the dilapidated setting can genuinely be eerie at times. 

However, "Freddy's" is a franchise mostly beloved by children. You can feel the movie frequently pulling back on the scariness and gore. Which makes the more violent scenes feel tonally out-of-place. But I'm not sure that tonal consistency was a big concern here. The film indecisively dangles the animatronics in-between being figures of fear and misunderstood softies. A long sequence in the middle features the heroes playfully interaction with the robots, even including some broad physical comedy. Moments like this is what most reminds me that this is a movie for eight-year-olds. Eventually, the film decides Freddy and the gang are dangerous monsters with sympathetic origins. Yet that uncertainty does hang in the air, over whether we are supposed to be afraid of the robots or want to give them big hugs. 

I have no idea if Emma Tammi is a "Five Nights" fan girl. I would guess so, as the film feels chained to fan expectations and respect for canon. Yet I do think Tammi makes an overall good-looking movie. The cinematography is solid, with a slow zoom into the neon sign outside the establishment being the coolest moment. The production design is strong, with the derelict location feeling fittingly unkept. The cast is decent. Josh Hutcherson is a serviceable lead, Piper Rubio is cute as the little sister, and Matthew Lillard is fittingly off-beat in a key role. Really, the only time "Freddy's" really made me roll my eyes are during the extensive dream sequences. It's an ungainly plot point. The ghost kids element falls into all the clichés of that troupe that I find goofy and insufferable. Then again, Tammi's "The Wind" worked best when emphasizing atmosphere and isolation, over its limp attempts at jump scares and horror stereotypes, so this seems to be a re-occuring trend for her. 

Ultimately, I feel like "Five Nights at Freddy's" probably would've been a far more effective horror movie if it simply went back to the premise of the original game: A guy, forced into this situation by economic pressures, alone in a building with wandering robots that want to kill him. However, that's really not what the "Freddy's" is. Instead, it's made to please longtime fans that expect to see certain things and have their beloved mythology honored. (Such as jarring cameos from YouTubers.) I guess that's what big budget adaptations are in this very online world of ours. Still, I didn't hate "Five Nights at Freddy's." In fact, I think it's almost a good movie. Once it gets through a bumpy first half, this turns into a solidly amusing monster movie for kids. Considering the track record of video game movies and the niche aspects of the source material, it could've been a lot worse and altogether more inaccessible. Maybe this is the best we could've expected from a movie about murderous, singing pizza robots. [6/10]

The Mask (1961)

When I think of exploitation and horror films made by our brothers to the north, my mind immediately goes to the likes of David Cronenberg, Ivan Reitman, and Bob Clark. However, the story of Canuxploitation go back much further than that. Canada has had its own, small film industry since the early days of the art form. It wasn't until the fifties that Canadian producers became interested in producing films for other markets, made in their own country. As far as every source I've read knows, 1961's “The Mask” is the first horror made entirely in Canada by a Canadian crew. The film would be picked up for U.S. distribution by Warner Brothers, making “The Mask” also among the first Canadian films to reach a wide audience. Nowadays, the film is regarded as not just a historical artifact but an oddball cult favorite. 

Psychologist Dr. Allen Barnes has a distressing visit with his patient, Michael. The man complains of murderous dreams and mentions feeling powerless against some force. That night, Michael commits suicide. Shortly afterwards, a package arrives at Barnes' office. Inside, is a skull-shaped, tribal mask used by the Aztecs during rituals of human sacrifice. Barnes feels compelled to put the mask on and, when he does, has vivid visions. He quickly becomes addicted to the mask's powers and finds himself driven to murder. Allen's girlfriend and partners try to intervene, while a detective investigates the killings. 

From the first interaction between Dr. Barnes and his disturbed patient, it's clear that “The Mask” is operating on a heightened level of reality. The performances are stilted and stage-like. The actors tend to say everything they are feeling at any given moment. This becomes especially evident when it becomes clear what “The Mask” is about. After putting the mask on for the first time, Dr. Barnes is immediately addicted to it. His girlfriend recognizes a change in his behavior and appearance right away. It seems, mere hours after using the mask for the first time, Allen has changed from an upward member of society to a desperate junkie. That includes perpetual five o'clock shadow sprouting up on his face. The film features scenes of Allen's girlfriend asking him to choose between her and the mask and his friends and family coming together to beg him to stop. Allen even says he can quit any time he wants, he just doesn't want too. Ultimately, “The Mask” is a highly melodramatic anti-drug metaphor that's about as subtle as that implies.  

And what kind of drug does the mask most resemble? Probably some sort of powerful hallucinogenic. When Allen wears the mask, he's greeted to bizarre visions. He sees the mask – sometimes floating on its own, sometimes worn by a woman, sometimes worn by a corpse – throwing fireballs in his face. He sees zombies and ghouls lunging at him, in vaguely temple like sets that are thick with fog. One particularly vivid sequence has him floating down a Styx-like river, led by a rotten-faced ferryman. It's all pretty crazy stuff. Some of the images, like snakes emerging from a cadaver's eye sockets or a pair of gloved hands floating above a sofa, are even somewhat creepy. That everyone in these fantasy sequences wear masks of different sorts further lends an air of unreality to the proceedings. 

What makes these hallucinations all the more vivid is that they are in color, while the rest of “The Mask” is in black-and-white. That is where the film's central gimmick emerges: These trip scenes were originally presented in 3D. (Making “The Mask” Canada's first 3D movie too.) Each time Allen is compelled to wear the mask, a voice booms out to “PUT ON THE MASK,” which was an order to audience members to put on their 3-D glasses. One presumes that most of “The Mask's” budget was spent on these sequences and the 3-D technology necessary to film them. This probably explains why the rest of the movie is so dull. Oh, there's some cool, black-and-white photography. But far too much of “The Mask's” non-trip sequences are devoted to people standing around in plain rooms, having very dry conversations. 

That is the zone “The Mask” resides in. The film slingshots between delightfully nuts fantasy scenes and dull, overly dramatic grounded sequences. Whether the former is worth sitting through for the latter is a matter of opinion. I'm sure “The Mask” is a blast to watch on a big screen, in 3-D, where its fantasy sequences can really be enjoyed at their full potency. Watching at home and flat, it's a frequently slow experience broken up by fantastically surreal moments. If nothing else, it's a defiantly quirky note for the legacy of Canuxploitation to begin with. [6/10]

50 States of Fright: Almost There

Earlier this year, when studios started performing the incredibly scummy move of removing content from streaming services to cut costs, Roku yanked all the content they acquired from the long-since-dead Quibi. This meant promising horror anthology series “50 States of Fright” is now totally unavailable through any legal means. But everything survives in the world of internet piracy. If producers are going to screw over artists just to save a few bucks, then stealing stuff becomes the only way to appreciate certain programs. I enjoyed the previous two episodes of “50 States of Fright” I watched, so decided to look at the Iowa set episode, “Almost There.”

Written and directed by Scott Beck and Bryan Woods – forever categorized in my brain as the “A Quiet Place” guys – “Almost There” starts Taissa Farmiga as Hannah. A young engineer, Hannah is still haunted by memories of her Amish mother, who killed herself and Hannah's sisters by dropping them in front of a moving train. Hannah receives a phone call in the middle of the night from Blake, a mechanic working on a wind turbine. A fire in the control room means the turbine might collapse, forcing Hannah and Blake to ascend the massive structure. This means Hannah must confront her fear of heights and the ghosts from her past. 

When you add “Almost There's'” three parts together, it runs about the length of a normal TV episode. Yet, since “50 States of Fright” was made for Quibi's “quick bites” format, that means it has to establish its story fast. This actually works really well, as it means “Almost There” doesn't waste any time detailing Hannah's past trauma and getting us right into the action. From the opening minutes, we know why Hannah is haunted, why she fears heights, and that she'll have to confront both of them to do her job and save the day. That Farmiga is good at immediately gaining audience sympathy, and establishing a can-do attitude, makes “Almost There” all the more compelling right out of the gate.

“Almost There” also has a hell of a setting. Most of the episode is devoted to a Hannah and Blake climbing up the practically endless ladder in the middle of the turbine. This generates tension right away, as the audience is dangling right alongside the characters over a great height. When things inevitably go right, whether that's from a falling tool or the lights going out, you can't help but flinch. All the more-so when they are accompanied by a grisly sight of a breaking bone. Yet Beck and Woods, following the same formula laid out in their “Haunt,” do give Hannah a triumphant ending... Only after a last minute jump scare and action-packed climax, that admittedly got me. In other words, “Almost There” is pretty good! I wish it was actually available through legal means now and that its creators could be paid for their work. [7/10]

Backwoods (2019)

Here's another more recent short included in Severin's folk horror box set. A fairly close adaptation of H.P. Lovecraft's “The Picture in the House,” the short follows a genealogist traveling through the New England backwoods. After a storm rolls in, he takes shelter in a seemingly unoccupied house. However, he soon discovers that the desolate location does contain one resident: An old man with a long, gray beard and a strange accent. He shows the traveler a very old book. Though the man is illiterate, he still looks at the pictures with rapt attention. These etchings concern cannibalism and arcane rituals. As the man goes on about the particular hunger the images stir in him, the traveler realizes he is in danger.

If you're going to watch “Backwoods,” it will probably help you to read the Lovecraft story first. Ryan Mackfall's short keeps things as vague as possible. The protagonist has no name and the details of why he's in this place or what he's doing are never expounded on. We don't even see the old man's face until the very end. The man's peculiar accent is so thick that it's often tricky to understand what he's saying. The film ditches the deus ex machina ending of Lovecraft's story but doesn't come up with an alternative. Instead, “Backwoods” just kind of stops. What happens to the characters next is certainly heavily implied but it's all up to audience guess work to decide where things actually conclude here. 

What “Backwoods” lacks in clear narrative, it makes up for in atmosphere. The production design and cinematography is very good, quickly establishing a dreary and overcast ambiance. The set-up, of being stuck in an isolated house with a weird old man, does create a certain tension in the viewer. Combining the man's rantings with visual flashbacks weren't necessary, as the briefly glimpsed obscene images in the book tell us all we need to know. It's clear that Mackfall and his team are quite talented and even capable of creating a spooky feeling. Still, “Backwoods” would be better served by actually having an ending. [5/10]

RECENT WATCHES: Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (2022)

As a kid, I always hoped a “Sonic the Hedgehog” movie would get made. It’s a franchise I’ve been obsessed with since I was tiny. I’ve spent more hours than I could count reading the comics, watching the cartoons, and playing the video games. Naturally, the “Sonic” movies I’ve imagined in my head over the years were steeped in the obscure lore of the franchise’s further reaches. When a “Sonic” was actually made, it was instead a fairly grounded and basic kids movie. But I still liked it, as it exceeded my low expectations. Now, two years later, “Sonic the Hedgehog 2” has been made. The sequel brought Tails and Knuckles, Sonic’s most popular companions, to the big screen. With them, it seemed the movie series was digging more into the parts of the “Sonic” series that I really love. 

Since the end of the first film, Sonic has continued to live in Green Hills, Montana. At night, he sneaks out and uses his super speed to fight crime, to mixed results. After being left alone at home, while Tom and Maddie are on vacation, Sonic gets a real chance to test his mettle. Dr. Robotnik has returned, escaping the mushroom world he was stranded on last time. And he has a partner. Knuckles the Echidna is a proud warrior with the same sort of powers as Sonic, determined to settle a centuries old rivalry between tribes. When Tails — a young fox also from Sonic’s world — arrives, a race is soon on. Robotnik is after the Master Emerald, a legendary relic that can grant incredible powers to whoever wields it. Sonic and Tails want to make sure he doesn’t succeed, soon pulling the gullible Knuckles along with them. 

As I said before, a movie with Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles in it is something I’ve been dreaming about almost literally my entire life. The first movie managed to surprise me because I expected it to be an atrocity. A lot more was riding on this sequel, for me personally. Too much, I think. Throughout this motion picture, I had to repeatedly remind myself that this movie isn’t for me. This isn’t the “Sonic” I would write. This is a breezy flick for kids to enjoy and their parents not to be too annoyed by. There are fart jokes. There are easily understood pop culture references, via Ben Schwartz’ constantly quipping Sonic. There is an extended dance number set to a top twenty pop hit, a sequence that felt especially gratuitous to me. These are not things I, personally, want to see in a “Sonic” movie. I don’t necessarily hate their inclusion. Schwartz is funny and the dance scene has a couple laughs. But moments such as these definitely had me second-guessing whether I was having a really good time or not, 

Then again, “Sonic 2” shouldn’t be measured against the half-mad imaginings of a life-long “Sonic” nerd. This is both a video game adaptation and a kids’ flick about a cuddly, sarcastic CGI animal. By those metrics, “Sonic 2” succeeds by just being fairly narratively coherent and having actual character arcs for its protagonist. In the first movie, Sonic was just trying to find his place in this mixed-up, crazy world, learning along the way that his friends are who he fights for. In the sequel, the hedgehog is learning to be a superhero responsibility. The opening, mad cap chase scene, where Sonic foils a high speed pursuit, wrecks as much chaos as it mends. All throughout the film, Sonic is waiting for the moment to prove himself. Considering the cinematic Sonic is more of an impulsive kid than any other version, this is a strong arc to graft to him. 

The first film mined a lot of cuteness, and even something like pathos, out of Movie Sonic’s status as a lonely kid. The sequel expands on that some. Sonic’s not so lonely now, as he’s got a home, substitute dad and mom, and even a suitably cute dog. Yet he’s still in search of some peers his own age, other cartoon animals he can relate to. Naturally, Tails and Knuckles provide just that. The sequel provides the inevitable cheer moment, when the Sega-created trio stand together as heroes. And, yeah, I internally cheered for that too. Yet the scenes of Sonic acting as a mentor to Tails or a friend to Knuckles are almost more satisfying. Our little blue son is growing up and watching that happen is pretty sweet.

And what of those beloved “Sonic” cast members that are now movie stars? How does the film handle Miles “Tails” Prower? Pretty well, I’m happy to say. His backstory is different, owing to the changes the movies have made to established “Sonic” lore. His personality is intact though. Tails is still the flying, boy genius able to invent almost anything the ridiculous plot requires. Despite his superhuman skills, he still doesn’t believe in himself much and looks up to Sonic as a big brother figure. The two CGI critters have an amusing chemistry together and it leads to more than one simply adorable moment. With regular Tails voiceover actress Colleen O'Shaughnessey returning to the role, it really does feel like Tails stepped right out of the cartoon or games. 

Knuckles, meanwhile, got the celebrity voiceover upgrade, with Idris Elba playing the echidna. Elba mostly does a decent job, though he sounds a little bored or out-of-his-element sometimes. He's still a physical rival to Sonic, imbued with similar (and still unexplained) powers to the movie-verse's hedgehog. He's also pretty gullible, which the screenwriters have turned into an overly literal mindset that reminded me a lot of Dave Bautista's Drax the Destroyer. Like that Marvel superhero, Knuckles is a proud warrior guy hyper-focused on his goal that eventually is accepted into the hero's improvised family. It's a transition that happens perhaps a little too quickly, over the course of about two scenes, but I was mostly pretty satisfied with how Knuckles was handled. 

Different as their backstories may be, I think "Sonic 2" mostly does right by its characters. The biggest issue facing the "Sonic" sequel, and maybe the entire film series going forward, is one of tonal identity. The first movie fit comfortably into the "live-action kids comedy starring a CGI cartoon character" genre, albeit with bigger action set-pieces and more callbacks to the source material. The second film is torn between this tone, heavy on the comedy and superfluous subplots starring fleshy humans, and something more akin to the aforementioned Marvel movies. "Sonic 2" devising its own mythology, separate from the games and comics. (And quite different, in a way that didn't entirely sit well with the pedantic nerd side of me.) The film's backstory is full of eons-old rivalries between warring factions, trying to control a massive source of power that change the nature of reality. We even get a fairly epic exposition dump, brought to life through stunning traditional animation. As "Sonic 2" goes on, the stakes get higher... Yet the film still seems reluctant to leave its small town setting behind, making sure the world-endangering theatrics never feel too severe. At some point, the people who make these movies are going to have to decide if "Sonic" is a goofy comedy, akin to "Alvin and the Chipmunks" or "The Smurfs," or if they're Paramount's attempt to forge their own universe of epic superhero movies. 

This uncomfortable divide is most apparent in the role the film's live action cast plays. James Marsden's Tom is ported off to Hawaii for most of the movie, which you would think would be an excuse to remove this largely superfluous character from a story that doesn't need him. But you don't pay a sort-of movie star like Marsden the big bucks and not use him. So Tom and his wife Maddie weave their way back into the story eventually. Okay, I guess it's possible someone out there was invested in the trials and tribulations of Doughnut Lord and Pretzel Lady. This doesn't explain why a lengthy chunk of the movie, halfway into its two hour run time, is devoted to Maddie's sister being angry at her fiancée and going on a BrideZilla rampage. It's agonizing, as if “Sonic 2” randomly switched reels with “Diary of a Mad Black Woman” for several minutes. Why is precious screen time in a Sonic movie devoted to the comic relief antics of a boisterous bride? 

This is not the only unnecessary, and frankly annoying, digression involving the live action cast. Tom's dim-witted deputy Wade gets far too much screen time, another symptom of the sequel's refusal to expand pass Green Hills for long stretches of the story. But one cast member at least does the extra leg-work. Jim Carrey, sporting Robotnik's traditional bald head and giant mustache this time, hams it up to his usually extreme levels. While you can debate how accurate a Robotnik that makes him, it's absolutely entertaining to watch. Carrey makes sure there's never much of a wait between funny moments, gratuitously stretching and contorting his face and body in a gloriously ridiculous fashion. My favorite moments is when he mimes playing his leg as a guitar or his liberal application of the phrase “hater.” The movie also smartly brings Lee Majdoub back as Agent Stone, Robotnik's loyal henchman. He has several cute scenes with Carrey that will make the shippers loose their minds. 

A lot of the complaints I've had here won't matter to most people. For the most part, “Sonic the Hedgehog 2” is an entertaining mixture of humor and action sequences. I still don't know if Jeff Fowler has much of a visual eye as a director, as most of the movie is pretty pedestrian looking. However, he is good at engineering a decent action scene. A snowboarding sequence down a mountain side escalates nicely. When Sonic and Knuckles finally fight it out, it's a well done confrontation. One of my favorite scenes in the film has Sonic overcoming his fear of water. The last act definitely sets out to top the original's finale, in terms of special effects and collateral damage, and I would say it succeeds. Ultimately, “Sonic 2” is at its best when skillfully integrating elements from the original games into its silly plot. An extended set piece in the second half directly references the most difficult stage from the original game, with explicit shout-outs to many of the level's elements. I really enjoyed that.

By the way, the theater I saw the movie in was packed. There were many children present, all of whom were very into the film. While exiting the theater afterwards, I saw at least one little boy in “Sonic” shirt with matching red and white shoes. There is a part of me that's definitely pleased, and maybe even touched, to see that this dumb-ass franchise I love for some reason has already endeared itself to the next generation. And that almost makes the fact that “Sonic the Hedgehog 2” left me slightly disappointed, if still mostly entertained, all besides the point. This series is set to continue and I think it's entirely possible that, someday, it will mutate into a version of “Sonic” I'm really fond of. For now, I'll just admit that I hoped part two would be a little more impressive than it proved to be, while also mostly enjoying it. [7/10]

OSCARS 2022: Free Guy (2021)

What do you think of Ryan Reynolds? I can still remember when he was just the guy from “Van Wilder.” When his strong performances in quirky indies like “Buried” or “The Voices” proved that he could be more than just a hunky, obnoxious smart-ass. He won me over to such a degree that I even enjoy the “Deadpool” movies, which I find strike a winning balance between smarm, sweetness, and over-the-top violence. A lot of people never reached the “won over” stage though, because Reynolds has a vocal hatedom online. I certainly understand where those folks are coming from, how his smart-alack persona can be insufferable. It certainly doesn't help when Reynolds stars in movies like “Free Guy.” The heavily promoted, Disney-backed, high concept comedy now joins the list of random-ass movies to have Oscar nominations thanks to a single nod in the Visual Effects category. 

That aforementioned high concept can essentially be boiled down to “What if Ryan Reynolds was in a video game?” But to go into a little more detail than that... “Free Guy” is set in the world of Free City, a massively popular online game where players can complete missions or reek havoc in a cartoonish metropolis. Guy is but one of hundreds of NPCs that gamers can attack. Yet after getting a glimpse of a mysterious player named “Molotovgirl,” Guy suddenly develops free will of his own. He sets out about trying to achieve good deeds in the game, becoming an internet meme in the process. As he gets closer to Molotovgirl – actually a programmer named Molly, whose A.I. software was stolen to create Free City – he becomes involved in a quest to find hidden code that proves the theft.

“Free Guy” is one of the worst things a comedy can be: Painfully unfunny. Every attempt to make the audience laugh comes off as utterly desperate. The film obviously wants to emulate the edgy humor of the “Deadpool” films. Yet this is a PG-13 Disney+ exclusive. Its dick jokes and occasional crude asides can't help but feel like the most empty provocations possible. Most of the jokes play off Guy's naïve nature and the mayhem around him. This is a one-note gag, rendered barbless because the violence is so sanitized. There's a lot of absurd humor here. Players wear outrageous outfits, like a pink bunny suit. Guy activates wacky power-ups, like a full-body cushion or power shoes that result in broad physical gags. It's all so exhaustingly wacky. By the time the film includes deliberate shout-outs to “Star Wars” or “The Avengers,” it feels like a hopeless attempt to win over the audience by nodding – in the most thuddingly axiomatic ways possible – at mega-popular franchises. 

Part of why the humor in “Free Guy” is so totally ineffective is because there's nothing honest or genuine about the story. This is an excessively broad and cartoonish motion picture that still attempts to include some sincere heart. Via the unrequited romance between Keys, the guy working with Free City's owner in hopes of uncovering the code he stole, and Molly. Keys programmed his crush on Molly into Guy, which is why he connects with her. This subplot comes off as more creepy than sweet, Keys pining for this woman who clearly isn't interested in him. The story of game creators getting ripped off by a rich, stupid millionaire and attempting to steal back their invention feels like an attempt to justify the premise, not a natural evolution of it. Or what about Guy's friendship with another NPC, who lacks his free will? That's a joke the film hopelessly returns to even though it's utterly stagnant, in both laughs and pathos. “Free Guy” comes off as staggeringly hollow in so many of its choices. 

When working with such a fistular script, you really can't blame the actors for giving weak performances. Ryan Reynolds wears a massive grin throughout the entire film, which quickly becomes off-putting. The character's gee-shucks attitude bumps up against the more typically Deadpool-ian quibs, which makes Reynolds' performance seem insincere. He also gets a phony emotional arc, as Guy eventually has to struggle with being a creation and not an independent, living being. Jodie Comer and Joe Keery are forced to be invested in this bullshit, obviously not being able to sell it. The worst performance belongs to Taika Waititi as Antwan, the film's villain. Waititi, an immensely funny and talented comedic performer, is forced to trail off the weakest possible jokes and pop culture references in an obnoxiously thin bad guy role. If Waititi embarrasses himself, so does Channing Tatum in his mugging cameo as the avatar of a nerdy Youtube streamer. (Who is actually a nerd who still lives with his mom, a joke I can't believe movies were still telling in 2021.)

Since the movie is nominated for its visual effects, I'll say this much:  Some of the digital effects are pretty cool looking. Like when Guy uncovers a hidden paradise or when the city degrades into data. But some of the other effects, like when Ryan Reynolds' face is Deep-Faked onto a giant bodybuilder's frame, are incredibly shitty looking. “Free Guy” wants to be liked, to be seen as hip and fun. This boundless desperation is most apparent in the cameos it gives to prominent Youtube Let's-Players. The whole movie, from the way its game combines elements of “Grand Theft Auto” and “Fortnite,” feels like a pathetic attempt to be popular with the youths. When combined with a meaningless script, a lack of actually funny comedy, and an adrift cast, it makes “Free Guy” a deeply uncomfortable and un-entertaining experience. [4/10]

RECENT WATCHES: Sonic the Hedgehog (2020)

Anybody who has known me for a long time knows that, among my many other pop culture obsessions, a big one is Sega's “Sonic the Hedgehog” franchise. Yes, I am one of those accursed and infamous “Sonic” fans that haunt the internet. It seems ridiculous that a premise as dumb as a blue hedgehog that runs fast and fights robots could launch a passion that has been burning for almost thirty years now. Yet that's the truth. That simple original video game has, to date, led to six animated series, three separate comic book universes that span well over five hundred issues, and a bunch of other games of wildly varying degrees of quality. My love for “Sonic” is such that I launched an entire other blog to discuss it.

As you'd imagine, I had a lot of expectations riding on the cinematic adaptation of “Sonic the Hedgehog.” Video game movies are notoriously bad, a sentiment I can attest to after spending a whole month watching them last May. The “Sonic” movie was certainly shaping up to be another such fiasco, after the disastrous first trailer came out, revealing a incredibly disturbing design for everyone's favorite blue hedgehog. In an unprecedented move, Paramount Studios responded to the overwhelmingly negative buzz by delaying the movie and completely redesigning the titular character to be less terrifying. The faithful new design of Sonic was extremely well received by fans, turning the impression of the movie completely around and resulting in surprisingly strong box office. But the question remains to be asked: Is the “Sonic” movie actually any good?

From a plot perspective, the “Sonic” movie barely resembles any previous incarnation of the character's story. Born with super speed and electric powers, Sonic the Hedgehog had to flee his home world as a child after being pursued by other forces, via portal-generating magic rings. He's spent his whole life living on Earth, hanging out in the woods around the small town of Green Hills, Montana. He's developed an admiration for the town's sheriff, Tom Wachowski. Tom and his wife are about to move to San Francisco. Sonic feels so lonely that he accidentally generates an electric pulse, attracting the attention of the government. They send mad scientist and drone specialist Dr. Ivo Robotnik to track down the responsible party. After Sonic's magic rings accidentally get transported to San Francisco, Sonic and Tom have to go on a road trip together. Robotnik, growing increasingly unhinged, pursues them.

Speaking as a man who has spent far too much of his life thinking about Sonic the Hedgehog, what was my initial reaction to the cinematic adaptation? “That was cute.” Indeed, “Sonic the Hedgehog,” both the character and the film, is reasonably adorable. I'm not just talking about how he looks. This version of Sonic is very different from previous incarnations. He's essentially a great big kid. His super-speed is paired with the kind of energy only a small child riding a serious sugar high can compare to. He loves life, sometimes to the point of obliviousness when he's annoying people, and wants to experiences as much of it as possible. What keeps this boundless enthusiasm from being excessively irritating is the melancholy quality it's paired with. This Sonic is also really lonely, which adds a new dimension to Sega's super-fast mascot. We are used to seeing Sonic run fast, fight bad guys, and deliver one-liners. Seeing him regard his own emptiness is something new and I applaud that.

It is true that loving a small town, staying put in one location for a long time, having few friends, and traveling via sports utility vehicle is pretty antithetical to Sonic as we know him. A big factor pasting over these differences is Ben Schwartz' vocal performance. Schwartz makes this Sonic way more likable than he probably would've been otherwise. Schwartz' energetic delivery makes even the dumber lines – random references to Vin Diesel or ride-sharing – reasonably amusing. He gets a lot of credit for the movie's various laughs, his delivery turning wooden lines into solid chucklers. Schwartz is clearly having a blast in the part and that sheer joy goes a long way.

I'll admit, just seeing Sonic on a real movie screen – hearing the words “Robotnik” and “Power Rings” spoken by actual actors – was a truly gratifying feelings. But I'm not blind to the facts about Paramount's “Sonic the Hedgehog.” This is very much a typical kid's movie. It even starts with a “You're probably wondering how I got here” moment, a cliché so hoary I thought it was totally discredited. There's a deeply out-of-place fart joke. There's also some truly baffling product placement from Zillow, Olive Garden, and Lenscrafter. Most of the scenes focusing on Tom Wachowski, especially those concerning his job, could not be more perfunctory. James Marsden, almost reprising his role from “Hop,” gives a competent but totally passionless performance. The road trip plot structure, as others have pointed out, recalls several other films about CGI animals hanging out with normal people. This is, in many ways, exactly the kind of middle-brow studio product I was totally ready to consume when the “Sonic” movie was first announced.

However, “Sonic the Hedgehog” also has plenty of elements in its favor. Famously skinny Jim Carrey playing the typically egg-shaped Dr. Robotnik wasn't exactly spot-on casting. Carrey, as you'd expect, brings a typical level of rubber-faced manic energy to the part. That, however, has value too. Watching Carrey mug it up is fun. Such as an impromptu dance number in his laboratory or the various over-sized reactions the film's outrageous scenarios provide him with. Yet the movie doesn't stray as far from canon Robotnik as I expected. This Ivo still prides himself on his intelligence and sees the rest of the world as inferior to him. Sonic and Tom challenging his superiority infuriates him. (The movie even adds to his line of groveling sidekicks, this one played by the amusingly deadpan Lee Majdoub.) The movie adds backstory about being an orphan and being bullied in high school, which works pretty well. Carrey's Robotnik is different but, ya know, I do like it.

From early on, I declared that an ideal “Sonic” would probably have to be animated. It seems to me that the film's producers kind of agree. Director Jeff Fowler's only previous credit is an animated short film called “Gopher Broke.” One of the film's best moment is entirely animated. That would be a lengthy prologue, set on Sonic's home world. Here, we meet Baby Sonic – a clear attempt to cash in the sudden fad of baby characters – and his guardian, a giant owl named Longclaw. (Apparently inspired by a minor character from the obscure British “Sonic” kid's books.) The sequence lovingly recreates the checkered landscapes and giant loops of the original Genesis game. In a move that truly delighted me, there's even an appearance from a clan of tribal echidnas. If the entire movie had been like this, I'm certain I would have loved it even more. For the record, Fowler's direction adds some flair to the action sequences but is generally pretty flat.

The unexpected appearance of the Knuckles Clan is not the only shout-out to the deeper “Sonic” lore contained within the film. In fact, the movie includes a number of references I was happy to catch. Sonic says he's gotta go fast, refers to himself as the Blue Blur and his archenemy as Eggman, and declares something no good. He strikes poses right out of the “Sonic Adventure” disc art. Sanic is glimpsed. The famous rings sound effect chimes. Sonic eats a chili dog. The word “Badnik” appears on-screen. A familiar melody is heard in the score. Sonic wins the day by launching himself repeatedly at Robotnik's hovercraft, which vaguely resembles the Egg-Mobile. Some of these possible homages are so deep, they might very well be coincidental. Yes, Movie Sonic has a race car bed. Is this an intentional nod to the Archie comics series? If so, did someone involved in this film read my tongue-in-cheek essay about said vehicle-shaped sleeping surface? That's a possibility I can't even begin to entertain, least I die of absolute joy.

It is clear to me that 2020's “Sonic the Hedgehog” was made by fans of the franchise. Yet the film has an uncertain relationship with one element of the series, that even Sega itself tends to forget about. Sonic the Hedgehog, as we all know, is a socialist hero and an icon of environmental activism. As you probably guessed, this goofy kid's movie doesn't really address either issue. (I'm not the only person to notice this.) If you squint, you can kind of see it. Yes, Movie Sonic is on the run from the government. Robotnik's drones were apparent active in the Middle East, which raises a number of hilariously dark implications. Yet the movie's co-lead is also a cop operating out of a speed trap, so I don't think I can credit the film for a proper anti-authoritarian subtext. Maybe in the sequel.

Yes, a sequel. In this age of franchise over-saturation, every studio flick wants to spawn a series and most of them are hopelessly overeager in that regard. As I expected from the first trailer, “Sonic” basically acts as the origin story for the version of Sonic and Robotnik we are most familiar with. The latter, especially, undergoes a drastic transformation before the end. Without getting too spoiler-y, another beloved “Sonic” cast member appears in a mid-credits teaser. I have lots of thoughts about a potential sequel but I'll just say this: I hope a follow-up – which seems totally plausible, considering the movie's surprise box office success – shows us more of Sonic's world and less of Earth. If a sequel follows that lead, I'm absolutely certain it'll be superior to this first film.

Which, I want to reiterate, I enjoyed immensely. I've now seen it twice and I had a great time on both viewings. Is this the “Sonic” movie I would have written? Absolutely not. Does it have the potential to launch a “Sonic” film franchise I could love? Yeah, I think it might. Would I like the movie as much as I do if it was about some other nostalgic property? Probably not! I'm totally happy to admit that pandering to middle-age nerds by filling a typical studio product with occasional call-backs to obscure bullshit appeased me. By showing a clear love of its source material and being fairly fleet-feeted and entertaining, “Sonic” manages to be one of the better video game movies. It might still rank as mediocre by most barometers, which mainstream critics have more-than-recognized, but I would be lying if I said this film filled me with anything but absolute joy. [7/10]

VIDEO GAME MOVIE MONTH: Pokemon Detective Pikachu (2019)

Like most ten year old Americans in 1998, I was swept up in “Pokemon” fever. I can distinctly recall racing home from school around three in the afternoon, in hopes of not missing more than a few minutes of the anime, which was airing in syndication at the time. I grabbed up plenty of the toys, especially the pocket-sized figurines of the various monsters. I had a small binder full of the trading cards. I even convinced my dad to buy me a Gameboy Color specifically to play the games. However, my passion for “Pokemon” cooled after a few years. I remember playing “Pokemon Gold” but, even by that point, I was loosing interest. A lot of that interest had transferred over to “Digimon,” easily the superior anime, and then much weirder shit.

But for the rest of the world, Poke-fever never really ended. Over two full decades after the franchise's beginning, Pikachu and his other pocket monster friends – tallying around 811 now – remain beloved pop culture staples. The anime is still running. The games are still event releases that drive conversations all around the internet. There's been at least 21 animated “Pokemon” movies released over the years. Now, the time has come for a live action one. “Pokemon Detective Pikachu” has been similarly enthusiastically received, the trailer being widely accepted as one of the year's best. People were even wondering if the video game movie curse has been broken. Which makes “Detective Pikachu” a fitting choice to close out Video Game Movie Month.

Instead of adapting the mainline “Pokemon” series, the basis for all those anime movies, of Ash or Red trying to catch 'em all and be the very best like no one ever was, “Detective Pikachu” draws from a mystery-solving spin-off. After his dad seemingly dies in a car crash, young insurance salesman Tim Goodman ventures to Ryme City. Instead of being kept in Pokeballs and being forced to fight for human's enjoyment, people and Pokemon peacefully co-exist in the city. That's when Tim discovers a deerstalker cap wearing Pikachu that speaks English, that only he can understand. The Pikachu has some connection to Tim's dad and is certain he's still alive. Unwilling at first, Tim soon teams up with the highly marketable little critter to unravel the mystery.

First and foremost, does “Detective Pikachu” break the video game movie curse? I'll concede that the film is definitely much better than the majority of video game adaptations. As crowd-pleasing spectacle, “Detective Pikachu” definitely works. The movie features its share of impressive action sequence. A fantastically exciting, and mildly surreal, sequence involves characters trying to escape the massively shifting landscape as three giant tortoise Pokemon grow up around them. Action scenes, like Pikachu and Tim escaping a horde of mad monkeys or a fight between a scarred Charizard and the titular detective, are energetically directed. Even in a family flick like this, there's still a finale packed full of urban destruction. It is, admittedly, a pretty good urban destruction filled finale. A series of flaming parade balloons make for an especially memorable set piece.

Perhaps even more importantly, the world of “Detective Pikachu” brilliantly works. No, many of the questions I have about the ramifications of this universe remain unasnwered: Do people eat Pokemon? Where do all these pocket monsters poop? Why are private citizens allowed to cock-fight cute creatures with the equivalent power of WMDs? However, Ryme City is a pretty cool place. The setting has so much character. You see humans and Pokemon interacting in minor ways in the background, every corner of the film full of so much personality. The special effects, the classic Pokemon designs being smoothly transferred into real life, are also extremely good. That helps the audience further buy into this fantastical world on-screen.

For all the qualities of “Detective Pikachu” that work, I never quite connected with the film. Something about the story's emotional core rings hollow. Tim's background is rift with so much tragedy. Even before his dad goes missing, he has a dead mom, a distant relationship with the aforementioned dad, and is a general outcast. The bond he'll form with Pikachu is developed soon enough, his disinterest in Pokemon obviously setting up him falling in love with a pocket monster later. From the moment we meet the talking Pikachu, he's cracking jokes in Ryan Reynolds' voice. That snideness makes it hard to relate too much to the life-changing friendship they are supposedly forming. The scene where Tim is moved to tears by Pikachu being injured feels deeply unearned. We jump right from the “hating each other” part of the buddy cop formula to the “loving each other” part without the necessary middle section where the partners gain a begrudging respect for each other.

Though it's hard to believe, “Detective Pikachu” is still ostensibly a mystery. Sadly, the movie underwhelms in that regard as well. In fact, the script cheats several times before the end. Fully immersive holograms that can perfectly recreate recordings, even apparently angles the camera never caught, is a very contrived plot turn. Similarly unlikely plot devices, like perfect mind control and magical new powers, crop up before the end. The true villain of the story is immediately identifiable the minute he appears on-screen. The exact nature of his master plan is especially baffling, shifting how humans and Pokemon interact in a way I still don't completely understand.

Still, there are plenty of things to enjoy about the film. The cast is likable, for one thing. As Tim, Justice Smith is an entertaining lead. The slightly irritated quality he brings to the lead plays off the crazy world and critters he encounters along the way. Ryan Reynolds still seems like an odd choice to voice the electric rat – should've been Danny DeVito – but he attacks the part with gusto. Kathryn Newton has a decent amount of attitude as Lucy, the hotshot would-be reporter Tim teams up with. I also liked her Psyduck sidekick, always one of my favorite Pokemon. And, since this is a Hollywood movie based on a Japanese property, Ken Watanabe is legally obligated to show up.

“Detective Pikachu” is amusing. It's a big budget family fantasy film that includes shout-outs to both “Aliens” and Michael Haneke, so it's impossible to say I wasn't entertained. Choosing to forego the story fans all expected in favor of something different, right from the get-go, was a smart move. However, “Detective Pikachu” still has the problem of attempting to transfer video game lore and logic into a narrative motion picture. Audiences don't seem to have minded. The film has predictably been a box office success. Legendary Pictures already has more “Pokemon” movies in development. I didn't dislike the film, even if the adorable charms of its fuzzy titular investigator only goes so far. [6/10]

After watching a whole month of video game movies, what have I learned? The Japanese do it better than Americans. A lot of video game movies have a frustrating disregard for what they are adapting. Yet fidelity to the source material doesn't necessitate quality. The pacing needs of a motion picture – rising and falling action – and that of a video game – rising action that constantly moves forward – are totally different. This is the conflict video game adaptations most struggle to overcome. I think future video game movies should pull from games with deep lore and interesting characters, while also realizing there's no need to replicate the exact structure of a game's plot or mechanics. (I also learned that Uwe Boll is a more interesting filmmaker than Paul W.S. Anderson.)

And there will be many more video game movies in the future, especially as gaming continues to grow to dominate the market. Within the coming months, we'll see movies based on “Sonic the Hedgehog – a topic I already have many thoughts on – as well as “Monster Hunter,” “Dynasty Warriors,” and a new “Doom” film. A CGI animated “Mario” feature from Illumination is in the pipleine. So is a new “Mortal Kombat” film. Movies based on “Minecraft,” “Five Night's at Freddy's” “Mega Man,” and “Uncharted”  are just some of the announced projects that sound like they might actually get made. With the recent announcement of Sony creating a new production company specifically to adapt video games into movies, it doesn't look like this cinematic trend will slow down any time soon.

At the beginning of May, I wondered if I would still think a month of video game movies would be a good idea by the end. I can soundly say it was a bad one, as watching so many lousy films in such a short time frame was exhausting. But there are still plenty of game movies and more being made, and I'm an idiot, so there's also a chance I'll do this again. Until that time comes, the arcade is closed.