Sonic the Hedgehog: The Movie (1995)

Note: I know I already made another film similar to this but hey, I like to experiment!

Sonic the Hedgehog: The Movie is a 1995 live-action/animated action-adventure comedy film based on the video game series Sonic the Hedgehog created by Sega. It was directed by Joe Dante and Gore Verbinski (the latter's feature directorial debut), produced by Steven Spielberg, Neil H. Moritz, Colin Wilson, and Paul Freeman, and written by Verbinski and David Koepp, while Naoto Ohshima (co-creator of Sonic) and Tom Kalinske (at the time, president of Sega of America) served as executive producers. It was produced by Sonic Team Pictures, Original Film, 20th Century Animation, Toei Animation, and Studio Junio (Toei and Junio provided the traditional animation for the characters) and distributed by 20th Century Studios and Sega. The film stars Josh Keaton as Sonic the Hedgehog and Metal Sonic, Christina Ricci as Cindy Washington, and Jim Carrey as Dr. Ivo "Eggman" Robotnik along with supporting roles from Tara Strong, Bob Hoskins, Ariana Richards, Robin Williams, Thom Mathews, Crispin Glover, and John Malkovich. It revolves around Sonic, Miles "Tails" Prower (Strong), Knuckles the Echidna (Williams), Amy Rose (Richards), Mighty the Armadillo (Mathews), and Ray the Flying Squirrel (Glover) in their quest to collect the seven Chaos Emeralds to transport themselves back to their home planet Mobius after a diabolical scheme by Eggman (Carrey) caused them to transport to the human planet, Earth, and they also team up with teenage girl Cindy Washington.

Sonic the Hedgehog: The Movie's development began as far back as mid-1992, during the production of the TV series Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog. It was announced that 20th Century Fox made a deal with Sega of America to produce a film based off their Sonic franchise. Several directors were picked such as Michael Bay, Roland Emmerich, John Landis, and Sam Raimi but the directors picked ended up being Joe Dante (known for the Gremlins films) and Gore Verbinski (in his feature directorial debut, who would later go onto direct films such as Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl and The Ring). The entire film was going to be traditional animation but it later turned to live-action/traditionally animated film, with Toei Animation and Studio Junio staying on as rhe animation companies. Josh Keaton was cast as Sonic the Hedgehog in early 1994, being just 15 years old at the time, making him the youngest person to voice the role of Sonic. Dante and Verbinski made Keaton, Strong, Richards, Williams, Mathews, Ricci, and Glover go on trips together to make their characters be REAL friends. Filming began in March 1994, a month after the release of the highly anticipated Sega Genesis game Sonic the Hedgehog 3. The first trailer of Sonic the Hedgehog: The Movie was revealed on December 18, 1994.

Sonic the Hedgehog: The Movie 's reveal at a Sega conference in December 1994 led to massive hype and anticipation, as well as interviews with the crew and cast members. Sonic the Hedgehog: The Movie was released in 1,000 theaters on July 24, 1995, accompanied by its own short film. Upon release, Sonic the Hedgehog: The Movie received acclaim for its performances, visuals, music, direction, pacing, environments, and themes. The film was made on a $85 million budget and grossed $359.4 million, becoming the third highest-grossing film of 1995. The film launched the careers of director Gore Verbinski and writer David Koepp and actors such as Josh Keaton and Tara Strong. The film would later receive two sequels: Sonic the Hedgehog 2 and Sonic the Hedgehog 3. In retrospective, Sonic the Hedgehog: The Movie has been considered one of the greatest films of all time. Its performances, visuals, and direction have received unaimous praise to this day.

Plot
The film starts out with Sonic narrating in his home planet Mobius, a planet that supports life, water, and oxygen (similar to its counterpart Earth) located on the opposite side of the Solar System and the Sun. Sonic has several friends such as kid genius, Tails, well-mannered Knuckles, fangirl Amy, serious Mighty, and happy-go-lucky Ray. Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, Amy, Mighty, and Ray live in a local town called Green Hill, where they use yellow gold rings as their currency. Their #1 enemy: Dr. Ivo Robotnik (also called Eggman), traveled from a planet known as Earth to Mobius to study Sonic and his friends, but he started doing more evil things. Eggman has his own creations called Badniks. Badniks are his henchmen that he uses little birds called Flickies to control them. Sonic and his friends save the Flickies by destroying the Badniks. One day, Sonic and the others are battling Eggman like they always do. However, Eggman leads Sonic into a trap. Sonic collides with Eggman's robot into the ground so hard that it ends up shaking Mobius and cracking the top of the Mobius Mountain, but Eggman wasn't in the robot. It turns out, Eggman celebrates his unknown plan far away. Sonic enters Tails' workshop using a code and goes to comfort him. Ray comes in and tells Sonic and Tails that Eggman is looking for the lost seven Chaos Emeralds in the Mobius Mountain. The Chaos Emeralds are mystical gems which can grant a living being, immense power. In a comedic moment, Sonic asks Ray how he got in the workshop, and Ray says that Sonic left the door open. Ray tells Sonic to call up the gang to see what Eggman is gonna do on the top of Mobius Mountain.

Later, Eggman and his robots dig into the deep of Mobius Mountain, and Tails, Knuckles, Amy, and Ray are battling Eggman's badniks on top of the Mobius Mountain while Mighty doesn't want Sonic to go, as he fears something bad will happen. Sonic makes it to the mountain, as Mighty secretly follows behind. Sonic arrives in time but everyone complains that he is late. Sonic tries to spindash into Eggman's mech, but Sonic accidentally collides with the Chaos Emeralds, causing him, Eggman, Tails, Amy, Knuckles, Mighty, and Ray to get transported to Earth along with the Emeralds (Side note: the reason why only Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, Amy, Mighty, Ray, Eggman, Egg Robo, the Badniks, and the Chaos Emeralds got transported to Earth and not anybody else in Green Hill or Mobius was because the Chaos Emeralds only affected those in the radius of Mobius Mountain, which in that case was Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, Amy, Mighty, Ray, Eggman, Egg Robo, the Badniks, and the Emeralds itself). On Earth in the bustling metropolis of Station Square, 12 year old Cindy Washington has just moved into the town with her father David, who is a businessman. Cindy is a shy girl and mostly keeps to herself, especially when she has her first day of school the next day. Her mom Kenzie died in a fatal car accident, which caused Cindy and her father to go into several struggles.

Sonic and Tails are transported to Station Square but Sonic doesn't know where Tails is. Sonic causes traffie and police try to catch Sonic with a net but Sonic easily outruns them, until the police use their fastest car, the F-Zero. Sonic is seen taunting the officers, to their frustration. Sonic travels at the speed of sound, shocking the officers visibly, which leads to him getting launched up in the air by a ramp. Sonic lands into a swimming pool in Cindy and David's backyard. Cindy sees water splashing outside as she's going to sleep but does not mind this. Sonic, after almost drowning, manages to make it onto solid ground and seeks into Cindy's window, attempting to find shelter. Cindy unpacks her stuff and throws a sock at Sonic, which leads to him responding angrily. Cindy faints, wakes up when Sonic revives her, and freaks out thinking its an alien or demon. David also freaks out but Cindy says that Sonic is not harmless. Eventually, Sonic earns the appeal of Cindy and David when he explains his backstory, as his plan is to use the seven Chaos Emeralds to transport home. The two allow Sonic to stay at their place until they figure out what to do with him. The next morning, David brings Cindy to school, and Cindy gets popular for living in Wittenson, a part of Station Square that is believed to be cursed. and agrees to host their Halloween party there. Her classmate Annie plots with her friend, Vector, to humiliate Kat during the party. Sonic watches a news report of a pink hedgehog (Amy) getting captured by the U.S. government in Area 57, and Sonic goes out to rescue her.

Mighty and Ray are transported to the Dark Lands, a lost, decayed and destroyed continent on Earth hidden behind Antartica. Mighty and Ray were teleported there along with Eggman's badniks, and they defeat some of the badniks and hide in an abandoned castle with cave-like drawings from hundreds of years ago. They run into Professor J. Brooks, a scientist who went to the Dark Lands to explore it, and helps Mighty and Ray on their quest to get home. On the way, they fight some more badniks and even run into two Chaos Emeralds in two scattered rocks. Meanwhile Sonic infiltrates Area 57 and rescues Amy but not until its raided by Eggman. Sonic and Amy are falling from a long height until Tails comes in with his Tornado to save them both. Cindy and David come home to see Sonic with Tails and Amy. Sonic, Tails, and Amy are wanted by the government, and so is Eggman, so they must go into hiding. Knuckles is in the Station Square sewers, and searches for the Master Emerald. Knuckles finds the Master Emerald, as well as two other Chaos Emeralds. Knuckles heads out of the sewers and starts gliding around Station Square. Eggman builds a new lair inside of Station Square's Central Tower while Cindy and David prepare for their party, and Sonic, Tails, and Amy help them. Eggman creates new badniks and drones, but has an idea for a robot version of Sonic. Eggman starts building the robot, with its codename being: "Robo Sonic." Mighty, Ray, and Brooks exit the Dark Lands and make their way to Station Square after hearing the news report of a blue alien-like demon roaming around (Sonic). Meanwhile, at night, Sonic takes Cindy to a beautiful grassfield where they admire the environment and the fireflies. Sonic teaches Cindy a lesson to always run toward your fears and never be afraid. Cindy tells Sonic about the story of her mom, and Sonic says: "I'm sorry about your mom. You know, we can all be gone unexpectedly. We could be having fun and then, your life is taken instantly. That's why we gotta live life to the fullest in the time we have. At least, that's what I figure." and then hands a flower to Cindy.

On the TV, before Cindy goes to school, Sonic finds a news report of a mystical gem (a Chaos Emerald) at the local toy store. As they can't get Cindy to help, Sonic, Tails, and Amy decide to get the Emerald with David through a team effort. Eggman locates Sonic and his friends and find David as the one who is protecting them. David fends off Eggman for a while before going into the store. Eggman follows, but in a comedic moment, walks through a cloud of smoke coming out of a bar to make himself look menacing. Knuckles is nearby and has located Eggman and spies on him but sees Sonic in there, and goes into the store. In the toy store, Sonic, Tails, and Amy are chased by several kids. They're all confused by kids to be toys. Tails is grabbed by a  girl and is scanned, David searches for them, Amy tries on different clothing, and Sonic reunites with Knuckles. They're all chased by kids around the store. Eggman gets a leafblower to suck Tails in. Sonic, Knuckles, and Amy find the Emerald. Knuckles and Amy use a skateboard to escape while Sonic runs through the store. Eggman sucks Knuckles into the leafblower. Amy tricks Eggman into having Egg Robo jump into the leafblower, but David also tricks Eggman, and the leafblower is turned on blow, which blows Eggman into an elevator and releases Knuckles and Tails. Eggman arrives on another floor and is arrested. Cindy and David decide to have fun with the gang by doing stuff such as playing board games, like a newfound family. At night in prison, Eggman orders one of his badniks to release him the next morning. Sonic wonders with Tails if they'll ever get home, but Amy reassures Sonic, as Knuckles carefully watches the Master Emerald while trying not to fall asleep, funnily. The next morning, Eggman's flying badniks help him escape albeit not the way he wanted, and Eggman goes back to his base to continue work on "Project: Robo Sonic."

Eggman finally finishes his robot, a robot Sonic that has all of his powers and abilities and even the same voice: Metal Sonic (Eggman used a voicechip and artifical intelligence to make Metal's voice match Sonic's voice). Eggman sends Metal Sonic to hunt down Sonic and his friends. Mighty and Ray along with Brooks, roam the street and find Metal Sonic. They confuse him for Sonic, which leads into a fight although Metal Sonic ends up running away. The next day on October 31, The Halloween party kicks off upstairs; Annie and Vector's prank is thwarted by Amy and Tails, and they flee in terror. The party is ruined when Eggman and Metal Sonic burst in and start causing havoc. Ray, and Mighty come and fight Eggman while Sonic fights Metal Sonic, but Sonic is beaten badly by Metal Sonic, and Metal Sonic and Eggman escape. News of the invasion is reported to Station Square's president, Mike Hannal, and Hannal deems Sonic and his friends as heroes, and has dinner with them at the White House. Eggman finds the seventh Chaos Emerald, and screams happily. Eggman decides that he and Metal Sonic need to strike their heart, and they attack David and Cindy at their house. While at the devastation. Eggman, Metal Sonic, and the badniks find the seventh Chaos Emerald at the basement of their lair, and plan a terrorist attack on Station Square. However, Metal Sonic interrogates Sonic and gives him a deal to join him and Eggman, saying that the humans are worthless, as Metal also says: "You either die a hero or live long enough to become the villain. In spite of everything you'll do for them, they'll eventually hate you." The next afternoon, they do their terrorist attack plan. Badniks spread all around the town as buildings are destroyed. Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, Amy, Mighty, and Ray arrive as they use the six Emeralds they have to stop Eggman's plans as the military and police arrive.

Eggman uses the power of the Emeralds to summon up Mobius into Earth. This causes several debris from Mobius and Station Square to fall. Sonic is brutally beaten up by Super Metal Sonic (who uses the Emeralds), but his friends help him. Sonic comes back out, and Mighty shoots the Emeralds to a place where Sonic can easily reach it. Sonic is almost evaporated/incinerated by Super Metal Sonic's heat ray, but Tails and Knuckles save him using a manhole cover, saying "Nothing can hurt us as long as we're together." Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles jump into the Emeralds and transform into Super Sonic, Super Tails, and Super Knuckles. They defeat the badniks, free the Flickies, and evaporate Super Metal Sonic by using their combined Chaos Blast on him. Eggman is apprehended by the FBI and Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, Amy, Mighty, and Ray are declared heroes. Mobius disappears from Earth, rendering Sonic and the others unable to go back.

Afterwards, Cindy and David start to live a great life. Sonic sends a signal to other Mobians on Mobius directing them to Earth. As Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, Mighty, Amy, and Ray have a toast outside, Cindy calls them in for the cake they were promised earlier. As the others go inside, Sonic stops for a moment and looks up at the viewer(s), as a sign of saying "thank you." Tails calls Sonic, and Sonic enters the house. The credits conclude with Sonic and the others waving goodbye toward the audience. The last shot is the cake, and Sonic is heard gratefully saying "Thanks for watching everyone!