As the first anniversary of Detective Pikachu beckons, here's why the live-action Pokémon movie is still the video game adaptation to beat, despite strong competition from Sonic the Hedgehog. Both Detective Pikachu and Sonic the Hedgehog faced low expectations prior to release, mainly because all past game-to-film adaptations are of notoriously poor quality. As well as the burden of a checkered history weighing down, Detective Pikachu had to overcome skepticism over the first live-action Pokémon movie ignoring Ash Ketchum and the main Nintendo game series, and instead drawing inspiration from a relatively obscure 3DS title. Meanwhile, Sonic the Hedgehog had to deal with its reputation (and its wallet) being crippled by a hasty redesign after the original Sonic creation looked more like a Lovecraftian abomination than a cute 1990s Sega icon.
Ultimately, however, both releases far surpassed the low expectations placed upon them. With Ryan Reynolds leading an utterly mad cast list featuring Bill Nighy and Rita Ora, Detective Pikachu released to strong reviews and was hailed as the first film to truly break the movie adaptation curse, successfully striking a balance between impressive Pokémon action, genuine laughs and the "it's you and me" spirit of the anime series. The Rob Letterman effort was a success at the box office too, grossing $433 million worldwide. Sonic the Hedgehog followed a similar pattern. Despite the enforced redesign and the video game movie curse still not completely destroyed, Sonic the Hedgehog was warmly received as a fun, light-hearted treat for both young fans and Sonic aficionados, and the Olive Garden-fueled movie would go on to break Detective Pikachu's domestic record as the highest-grossing video game adaptation ever.
In many ways, the fates of Detective Pikachu and Sonic the Hedgehog are closely tied. Released less than a year apart and both taking the same CGI anthropomorphic lead character route, the excitement generated by Detective Pikachu's visually stunning trailer undoubtedly contributed to the initial backlash over Sonic's haunting first design. In terms of story, tone and character, Detective Pikachu then blazed a trail than Sonic would broadly follow, eventually racing ahead of its predecessor in a blue blur. But while both video game movies deserve praise and offer plenty of entertainment, Detective Pikachu remains the one to beat.
Detective Pikachu Creates A Better Fictional World
Detective Pikachu held one major advantage over his blue rival from the very start: the world of Pokémon is more or less based on real life society. A society with flaming horses and monsters attacking each other with leaves, but a very human world nonetheless. By contrast, Sonic the Hedgehog comes from a land where an annoying bald scientist is the only human around; a place with lava pits, swinging platforms and a booby trap every other step. Naturally then, Detective Pikachu was always going to have an easier time adapting a believable and interesting setting.
Sonic the Hedgehog deals with this predicament by moving the titular speedster into the real world. Glimpses of Sonic's familiar green hills are seen in the opening scene and during the confrontation with Dr. Robotnik, but the bulk of the tale is a fish-out-of-water comedy with Sonic adjusting to life on 21st century Earth. Several pieces of lore are added to make this backstory work, with rings functioning as portals and Sonic in hiding from the echidna who dominate his own world. The changes generally work, and putting Sonic into a believable setting is perhaps the only way a live-action adaptation of the character could work.
But where Sonic the Hedgehog succeeds, Detective Pikachu excels. The bright lights of Ryme City are a haven for Pokémon fans, and every inch of the screen feels packed with hidden Pokémon, franchise references or other fun Easter eggs. With each watch, viewers will notice new creatures in the background or another neon shop sign calling back to the original video games, and this attention to detail helps create an immersive and fascinating fictional world. Detective Pikachu also offers a vivid depiction of what a real city filled with Pokémon would be like - both the fun and the danger. Tim and Pikachu visit an underground battle club, a businessman uses a Ditto to commit crime and Lucy shows how Psyduck's explosive power would work in real life (lots of foot-rubbing). Then there are the more light-hearted details; a DJ using Loudred as music speakers, the police partnering with dog Pokémon, and acknowledging how Cubone's backstory is actually really messed up. The Detective Pikachu world is a wonderfully realized alternate reality, whereas Sonic the Hedgehog's is one very much like our own, but with mad scientists and spouses who can't help but advance the plot every time they speak.
Detective Pikachu Caters To A Wider Audience
Both films contain fart jokes, let's get that right, but in terms of tone, Detective Pikachu covers more bases and pleases a wider audience than Sonic the Hedgehog is likely to. Both video game adaptations are essentially kids' movies that look to cater for fans of the original video games who are now old enough to have youngsters of their own, but Sonic the Hedgehog perhaps pitches itself a little younger than its Poké-rival. Sonic's tale is one of a young, cuddly misfit looking to fit in with society and make a friend, but can't because of a cartoonish villain wanting to poke and prod him in a lab. It's a simple story all ages can get behind, but while Sonic the Hedgehog does pay homage to the original video games, the connection is a fairly loose one, allowing those who think the Sega Genesis is a long-lost bible chapter an easy entry point into the film. A grown-up audience can absolutely enjoy Sonic the Hedgehog, but in terms of structure, tone and ethics, the film is extremely family friendly.
On the other hand, Detective Pikachu is willing to dive into more mature themes. By no means will Quentin Tarantino be concerned, but Detective Pikachu features storylines that kids' films generally wouldn't approach. The illicit battle between Pikachu and Charizard feels like a fight rather than a sporting contest, with a real sense that the loser is going to take a firm beating unless Nurse Joy is around. The central theme of experimentation on Pokémon draws parallels to real-life animal testing and the Bill Nighy-possessed Mewtwo is a generally more formidable villain than the full-fat, undiluted Jim Carrey seen in Sonic the Hedgehog.
In terms of callbacks to the video games, old-school Pokémon fans will definitely come away happier than the Sega veterans, as Sonic the Hedgehog's origins are more subtle and deep-rooted. The hedgehog loses his rings when he gets hit and defeats Robotnik exactly how he does in the original Genesis title, but these moments are easy to overlook for anyone who isn't actively watching out for video game references. Detective Pikachu does exactly the opposite and wears its heart on its sleeve, instantly appealing to lapsed fans whose love for Pokémon in 2020 is mostly nostalgic. Ryan Reynolds sings the original Pokémon anime theme, and Justice Smith's protagonist is a young office worker who used to love Pokémon, directly mirroring a large section of the grown-up audience.
Detective Pikachu Better Captures The Spirit Of Its Franchise
The Sonic the Hedgehog video games are all about fast-paced action, crazy environments and stuffing as many gold rings as possible into... somewhere. This is fairly thin concept for a feature film, so Sonic the Hedgehog wisely introduces many new story-based elements, such as Sonic's loneliness, the uncertain future of James Marsden's character and Robotnik working for the US government. While these additions serve to make Sonic the Hedgehog a more interesting film, they arguably also detract from the spirit of fun and fantasy that upheld the video game series. Casting Sonic is somewhat of an insecure hero with no friends, always on the run from villainous pursuers, takes the character's traditional personality on quite a wide detour.
While Detective Pikachu may not be a straightforward Pokémon adventure of the kind Ash Ketchum or Red experienced, the spirit of both the early video games and the popular anime series is keenly felt throughout the live-action movie. Just like Ash and Pikachu, Tim and his own yellow mouse begin their friendship on shaky ground, but soon become inseparable allies willing to risk their lives for each other. The message of harmony between people and Pokémon traces all the way back to Professor Oak's opening black-and-white monologue in the original Game Boy release. Furthermore, the inclusion of Mewtwo as a man-made villain also derives from the first generation of games, and was adapted previously for the first animated Pokémon movie.
Although it might come in very different packaging, Detective Pikachu conjures up the same feelings as the Pokémon video games or anime series did previously, and fans of all ages would've exited theaters wishing these magical, collectible beasts were real. Perhaps because Sega's franchise has seen more ups and downs, the Sonic the Hedgehog movie offers a very different experience than its past output, whether on consoles or in cartoon form. While this doesn't make Sonic's cinematic debut any less entertaining, it does mean Detective Pikachu has to be considered more successful as an adaptation.