Sonic the Hedgehog 2 review: Idris Elba voices an oddly sensual echidna in perplexing sequel

Get our free weekly email for all the latest cinematic news from our film critic Clarisse Loughrey Get our The Life Cinematic email for free Get our The Life Cinematic email for free SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Sonic the Hedgehog’s “gotta go fast” catchphrase apparently applies to film production schedules, too. Returning director Jeff Fowler and Ben Schwartz, the voice of Sonic, clearly have a lot of affection for the character – that’s understandable, since many people dedicated a good chunk of their childhoods to making that tiny creature do loop-de-loops on their Sega Genesis consoles. Knuckles and Dr Robotnik join forces to locate the Master Emerald, which allows its wielder to conjure anything the mind imagines – it gets compared in the film to the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man from Ghostbusters, but really sounds a whole lot like the Green Lantern’s powers. That extends to its treatment of wider pop culture – Sonic references Marvel’s Winter Soldier, the feud between Vin Diesel and The Rock, and Schwartz’s own role on Parks and Recreation.