The Sonic The Hedgehog 2 Joke That Really Crossed The Line
Contains spoilers for "Sonic the Hedgehog 2"
When it comes to four-quadrant films, creators have to walk a fine line between family-friendly humor and cheeky innuendo that satisfies parents, while cruising safely over the heads of their innocent offspring. DreamWorks got a lot of praise for the way it managed this tightrope walk with the "Shrek" franchise. Unfortunately, attempts to thread this needle often lead to cringe-worthy moments just as often, and "Sonic the Hedgehog 2" is not immune to this vice.
In the case of "Sonic 2," there's a joke delivered by Jim Carrey that feels so out of place, it's guaranteed to make you physically uncomfortable when you hear it in a theater full of tykes. While it hasn't been confirmed if it was a line written into the script or a flash-in-the-pan ad lib from Carrey in full Dr. Robotnik mode, one thing is for sure: Hearing the film's villain quote former President Donald Trump wasn't on our bingo card going into this thing.
Dr. Robotnik quotes Donald Trump in Sonic the Hedgehog 2
In the film's final act, after good has once again triumphed over evil, the hedgehog has one last talk with his foe. Having gone complete Super Sonic with the power of Master Emerald, he gives Robotnik the usual schtick, declaring their battle over and criticizing the big baddie for all the damage he caused. It's here, though, where Robotnik makes the rather shocking argument that "there were good people on both sides," a clear nod to Donald Trump's impolitic response to a deadly white supremacist rally held in Charlottesville, Virginia, in 2017.
It's hard to imagine a film where a joke like this would fit, and "Sonic the Hedgehog 2" certainly isn't the one. Carrey's off-screen politics have been widely publicized, so we wouldn't be surprised if this offhand comment was his own addition, but we doubt we'll ever find out for sure. However it came about, it was the wrong note to hit. Hear it for yourself in theaters now.