“Sonic The Hedgehog 2” is a special-effects-driven, live-action and animation feature movie based on a video-game character.

The movie is fun, fast-paced and has an uplifting message of kindness, friendship and family.

To get there, there’s enough destruction, explosions and fighting to make a Wile E. Coyote-Road Runner “Looney Tunes” cartoon (1952-’63) look like a walk in the park.

“Sonic the Hedgehog 2,” based on the Sega game, has a great lead character with a great name.

Sonic (voiced by Ben Schwartz) is a wide-eyed teen, prone to impulse-control problems, and has blue fur.

In “Hedgehog 2,” Dr. Robotnik (Jim Carrey) is a mad scientist with a mustache that would make Hercule Poirot wax with envy.

Sonic’s cartoon cohorts include his buddy, Tails (voiced by Colleen O’Shaughnessey), a yellow fox, and his nemesis, Knuckles (voiced by Idris Elba), an anteater.

The plot has to do with Robotnik trying to find the Master Emerald to control the world.

The voice talents of the three lead animation characters are memorable, with Schwartz endearingly annoying and Elba a gruff-voiced standout.

The integration of animation and live-action in “Sonic the Hedgehog 2” is impressive. Not for a moment do you doubt the interaction of Sonic and his anthropomorphic pals and the humans.

Of course, given the giddy excitement of animation, the human actors pale in comparison.

Nonetheless, Jim Carrey as Dr. Robotnik is up to his usual hilarious facial and body language tricks. If this is Carrey’s last role in the movies, as he has hinted it might be, it’s one to savor.

I would have liked to see more of Carrey in “Sonic.” The introduction of Robotnik on Planet Mushroom provides him with a lot of funny business reminiscent of the Wizard in “The Wizard of Oz” movie (1939). Sonic’s gold rings, which provide travel portals, seem to be an update of Glinda’s soap bubble in “Oz.”

James Marsden (Tom), soldiers on gamely as the sheriff of Green Hills, Montana. He and his wife, Maddie (Tika Sumpter) are the adoptive parents of Sonic.

In supporting roles are Natasha Rothwell as Rachel, Maddie’s sister, who is marrying Randall (Shemar Moore).

Director Jeff Fowler (Oscar nominee, with Tim Miller, animated short film, “Gopher Broke,” 2004; director, “Sonic the Hedgehog,” 2020), keeps “Sonic the Hedgehog 2” fairly interesting given the paucity of the plot in the screenplay by Pat Casey and Josh Miller (co-writers, “Sonic the Hedgehog”) and John Whittington (“The Lego Batman Movie,” 2017).

More character interaction, less special effects, guys.

“Sonic the Hedgehog 2” could have been so much more. Instead, “Sonic the Hedgehog 2” hedges its bets so that we come back for more.

“Sonic the Hedgehog 2” will be of chief interest to elementary school children who convince their parents to take them to the movies and to parents who want to take their children to a mostly inoffensive movie.

“Sonic the Hedgehog 2,”

MPAA rated PG (Parental Guidance Suggested Some material may not be suitable for children. Parents urged to give “parental guidance.” May contain some material parents might not like for their young children.) for action, some violence, rude humor and mild language; Genre: Action, Comedy, Science-Fiction, Animation; Run time: 2 hours, 2 minutes. Distributed by Paramount Pictures.

Credit Readers Anonymous:

In the “Sonic the Hedgehog 2” opening credits, Sonic’s gold rings replace the stars in the Paramount logo and the “Green Hills Zone” theme music from the video game is heard. Closing credits include a montage of scenes from the film in video-game graphics. There’s a teaser scene mid-end credits and an end-credits tag: “Sonic the Hedgehog 3” and “Shadow will return.” Live-action scenes were filmed in British Columbia, Canada, and Hawaii.

At The Movies:

“Sonic The Hedgehog 2” was seen at Dolby Cinema at AMC, The Promenade Shops at Saucon Valley, Upper Saucon Township. It’s a good theater to experience a movie like this.

Theatrical Movie Box Office, April 15-17: “Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore” opened at No. 1, with $43 million, in 4,208 theaters, sending “Sonic the Hedgehog 2” packing from its one-week perch at No. 1 to No. 2, with still solid $30 million, in 4,258 theaters, $119.6 million, two weeks.

3. “The Lost City” stayed in place, $6.5 million, in 3,430 theaters, $78.5 million, four weeks. 4. “Everything Everywhere All At Once” moved up two places, $6.1 million, in 2,220 theaters, $17.6 million, four weeks. 5. “Father Stu,” opening, $5.7 million, in 2,705 theaters; $8 million, since opening. 6. “Morbius” dropped four places, $4.7 million, in 3,462 theaters, $65.1 million, three weeks. 7. “Ambulance” dropped three places, $4 million, in 3,412 theaters, $15.6 million, two weeks. 8. “The Batman” dropped three places, $3.8 million, in 2,535 theaters, $365 million, seven weeks. 9. “K.G.F.: Chapter 2,” opening, $2.8 million, No other data as of deadline. 10. “Uncharted” dropped three places, $1.1 million, in 1,311 theaters, $144.9 million, nine weeks.

Box office information from Box Office Mojo as of April 17 is subject to change.

Jim Thorpe Film Festival:

The fifth annual Jim Thorpe Independent Film Festival is April 21-24, Mauch Chunk Opera House, Jim Thorpe.

Typically screened are 90 international films, including world premieres and United States and Pennsylvania premieres of feature films and short films in a variety of genres. There are concerts and festival parties. Information: https://www.jimthorpeindiefilmfest.com/media

Unreel,

April 22:

“The Northman,”

R: Robert Eggers directs Alexander Skarsgård, Nicole Kidman, Claes Bang and Ethan Hawke in the Action, Adventure, Drama, Fantasy, History, Thriller. A Viking prince attempts to avenge his father’s murder.

“The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent,”

R: Tom Gormican directs Nicolas Cage, Pedro Pascal, Demi Moore and Jacob Scipio in the Action, Comedy, Crime, Thriller. Nicolas Cage is paid to attend a billionaire fan’s birthday party. It’s no piece of cake.

“The Bad Guys,”

PG: Pierre Perifel directs the voice talents of Sam Rockwell, Marc Maron, Awkwafina and Craig Robinson and the Animation in the Adventure Comedy Crime Family film. Animals try to do good. The results are criminal.

“The Duke,”

R: Roger Michell directs Jim Broadbent, Heather Craney, Stephen Rashbrook and James Wilby in the Biography, Drama, Comedy. A 60-year-old London cabbie steals a valuable Goya portrait of the Duke of Wellington from the National Gallery.

“Petite Maman,”

PG: Céline Sciamma directs Joséphine Sanz, Gabrielle Sanz, Nina Meurisse and Stéphane Varupenne in the Fantasy Drama. Nelly, who has lost her grandmother, is helping her parents clean out the childhood home when she makes a new friend who is building a treehouse.

“Hostile Territory,”

R: Brian Presley directs Matt McCoy, Brad Leland, Brea Bee and Lew Temple in the Drama, History, Western. A Union soldier is presumed dead and his children are sent to an orphanage in post-Civil War America.

Movie opening date information from Independent Movie Database as of April 17 is subject to change.

Two Popcorn Boxes out of Five Popcorn Boxes