Old School Sonic Fans: The Movie is For Us
If you were a kid or parent around 1991 on, you know Sonic the Hedgehog. For many people my age and my brothers’ age, he was a childhood icon and the star of a video game franchise the world renown. While Sonic still has a following of younger kids today, however, it’s not nearly as large as the older fan base from when the older games originally came out.
Now, why do I bring up an older fan base? Simply put, on a whim I decided to see the Sonic movie Wednesday night. The theater was mostly empty (because, well, it was a Wednesday night), save for only a few more people around my age. I initially found that strange; it was a kid’s movie, so why weren’t there families and children?
It didn’t stop there. As I watched the movie, it was filled with references and jokes that didn’t seem nearly as aimed at a younger audience. In fact, there were a number of scenes and Easter eggs that seemed more pointed towards people who have the experience dealing with adult life, as well as those more familiar with the older games.
It hit me then that this movie may be PG, and may be suitable for all ages; however, this was very much marketed to older fans of the series.
As someone who grew up with the characters, played the games, watched the TV shows and read comics, I appreciated this. While ultimately it wasn’t a groundbreaking movie and had plenty of problems in the production, the byproduct was a movie that looked to be made by and for people like me. People that loved Sonic, loved the series and would come to see something to remind them of their childhood.
Whether it turns out disappointing or one of your favorite movies; if you’re like how I described myself earlier, this movie is worth a watch. While I left the theater still trying to decide if it was deserving of praise as a movie, I found myself actually enjoying the idea of a sequel.
If you feel like giving it a shot, grab yourself some rings and dash to the theater this weekend and treat yourself to a blue blur of nostalgia.