Paramount's Sonic the Hedgehog movie has its first trailer and everyone seems to agree that it looks like the stuff of nightmares. Yeah, it's made for kids, but it also looks like it will commit every cinema sin that movies like The Smurfs and Alvin and the Chipmunks have done, even if Jim Carrey looks like he's having a lot of fun as Doctor Robotnik.
So why are fans hating on Paramount's video game adaptation but loving Legendary's Pokemon: Detective Pikachu, even though both films aren't out yet? Simply put, Detective Pikachu actually looks like a product that has some love and care put into it, while Sonic looks like a cheap, cash grab.
First, most of the "realistic" Pokemon look great. Sure, there are some off-looking monsters like Likitung, but they all look updated for the right reasons. Sonic, on the other hand, looks like he would have benefitted from the filmmakers making him appear like his video game counterpart since he is now a CGI abomination. Yeesh.
Detective Pikachu also embraces the franchise's roots. Simple things like Pokemon trainers existing, mentions of a Pokemon League, and Pikachu saying "great Arceus" show that the people making this film love Pokemon. Compare that to Sonic, which has him in the "real world" and using his rings to teleport people away Doctor Strange-style, it's clear that they didn't even play any Sonic games.
We're willing to be proven wrong of course but with Detective Pikachu coming out next week and already receiving positive reactions, it seems like Sonic has some stiff competition.
Pokemon: Detective Pikachu comes out on May 10. Sonic the Hedgehog comes out on November.
Read: First Sonic The Hedgehog Trailer is Worse Than We Thought