Hi all! I shared my first Sonic edit on this forum so I thought I’d make a quick post about the follow-up. Sonic the Hedgehog 2: Battle is a continuation of Sonic the Hedgehog DX.
IFDB listing: https://fanedit.org/sonic-the-hedgehog-2-battle/
That edit consisted mostly of light trims, but this one is a bit more aggressive. While the first Sonic movie was a pretty straightforward buddy comedy for kids, Sonic 2 attempts to incorporate more of the video game lore. This is a great thing for us fans, but it results in what I think are essentially two movies competing for attention: a zany family comedy similar to the first film, and a more dense plot-heavy cgi action movie. I’ve attempted to balance these competing tones a bit better, so that the movie feels more focused. In doing so, I’ve leaned closer to the latter movie. It’s still lighthearted and family friendly, with plenty of Jim Carrey antics, but there are fewer extended detours into wackiness. The “Rachel’s wedding” subplot has been heavily pruned to the bare essentials, and an extended “dance battle” sequence in the middle of the film has also been removed. I’ve used some new techniques such as Premiere Pro’s “generative extend” to aid in creating seamless transitions. A full cutlist is below:
25 minutes cut.
-Added disclaimer about fanedits and the use of generative AI, as well as FE.org and Octorox title cards.
-Added a fine layer of grain to the entire film. This was needed because it helps to blend some shots that are zoomed in and/or extended with generative extend a bit better.
-Removed one instance of Robotnik tasting Sonic’s quill and getting zapped. I felt this joke was a bit overused.
-Removed montage of Jim Carrey doing spit takes while tasting the mushroom coffee. Now he just does it once.
-Removed the narration of Robotnik’s plan “Operation Kick Blue Butticus.”
-During opening city sequence, replaced Run DMC’s “It’s Tricky” with “Run Through the Speed Highway” Cash Cash RMX from Sonic Generations.
-Added a dreamlike effect to every flashback in the movie, so that some newly added flashbacks fit in a bit better.
-Rescored Sonic falling overboard with a version of the classic Sonic drowning music from Sonic Generations
-Removed flashback to Tom entering Sonic’s room, which was an extended sequence of fart jokes.
-Removed instances throughout the film of Sonic being referred to by Tom and Maddie as a “kid” as well as Sonic calling Tom “dad”. The themes of family are still there, but I prefer to think of the Wachowskis as a found family rather than a traditional nuclear family unit. Also Sonic is typically portrayed as an older teenager.
-Cut down Sonic teasing Tom and Maddie in the “Sonic Air” boarding sequence.
-Removed the entire scene featuring Sonic Facetiming with Tom in Hawaii, as well as Rachel and Randall’s introduction. After Tom and Maddie leave, we don’t see them again in this edit until the actual wedding.
-Removed Robotnik’s “Wizard of Oz” joke, which felt a bit tired.
-Removed Robotnik calling Knuckles his “bestest friend forever and ever.”
-Trimmed a bit of Jim Carrey acting like he has rabies.
-Sonic still makes a joke about Tails’s “butt turning into a helicopter” but trimmed Tails reaction, including him calling it a “buttcopter.”
-Removed Robotnik saying “Earth is my turf, G.”
-In the scene in Wade’s garage, removed Wade’s introduction, cutting right to Sonic talking about Knuckles and the Master Emerald.
-Cut both instances of Wade’s “Stay Puft Marshmallow Man” reference.
-Cut Wade thinking Longclaw was Sonic or Tails’s dad.
-Trimmed some of Wade’s joke about his classmate named Knuckles.
-Removed entire scene of Tom and Randall playing volleyball in Hawaii, as well as the following sequence with Jojo and Maddie.
-Sonic no longer says “I absolutely cannot find my way” in the snow, since Maddie’s setup is gone.
-Added some extra winter storm ambience to the scenes outside in the snow.
-Used a flipped shot from a later deleted scene to remove the bar patron’s aggressive overtures and Tails passing out. The dance battle sequence is also cut, so it didn’t make sense to foreshadow that the people in the bar might have a beef with Sonic and Tails. Instead they just think they’re a bit weird.
-Removed Robotnik’s joke about “The Secret”
-Cut entire dance battle sequence and the sequence leading up to it. Instead we transition from Robotnik, Knuckles and Stone in the Mean Bean to Tails and Sonic lounging on the bar and talking. Used generative extend and a digital zoom to make this transition work. I felt the sequence really dragged down this section of the film, and the bar patrons all felt like cartoonish stereotypes. I prefer the human characters be a bit more grounded to contrast with the zaniness of Sonic, Robotnik and pals.
-Cut Robotnik’s joke about calling an Uber.
-Rescored part of the snowboarding sequence with Tee Lopes’s remix of Ice Cap Zone from Sonic 3.
-Trimmed Rachel’s indignant reactions to Tom’s phone going off.
-As Tom realizes he’s mixed up the rings, added a quick flashback to him teasing Jojo. This was necessary since the earlier scene was cut.
-Trimmed Rachel’s “Snow my God” pun to just “Oh my God”. I don’t think every character needs to be a constant joke delivery machine.
-After Sonic and Tails get washed up in Hawaii, and Rachel says “Oh Lord, there are two of them now”, cut to Knuckles and Robotnik finding the ruins. The entire sequence of Sonic and Tails getting captured by GUN and Maddie having to bust them out is removed, as is Randall’s betrayal and Rachel’s revenge on him. Used generative extend to aid in this transition.
-In the sequence where Maddie, Tom, and Sonic see a green beam appear in the sky, used a combination of cropping, speed ramping, cutting and generative extend to remove Command Walters tied up in the background. He doesn’t appear until later in this edit. Also cut away from the scene early when Tails wakes up.
-In the following scene, cut away when Wade busts in and Agent Stone puts his hands up, removing some additional banter.
-When Knuckles punches through the wall in the ruins, trimmed Robotnik’s joke about interior design. He now just says “Wow, that really opened up the space”.
-Trimmed Robotnik telegraphing his betrayal of Knuckles, including the Limp Bizkit joke.
-Trimmed Robotnik’s “I think I just threw up in my mouth” reaction to Sonic’s earnest speech. This movie has a habit of undercutting nearly every earnest moment with a joke.
-Removed Robotnik’s pun about Sonic “losing the quill to live.”
-Removed Robotnik calling Knuckles a “dimwitted celestial skintag”
-As Sonic almost drowns, added a rendition of the classic Sonic drowning music from Sonic Generations.
-Trimmed Wade and Agent Stone’s banter about the “prop bagel.”
-Cut Robotnik using the Emerald’s power to make autotune music.
-Cut Robotnik and Wade’s “snack plate” exchange.
-When Commander Walter exits the chopper, added a brief flashback from his appearance in Sonic 1 to reorient the audience (since his earlier scenes were cut).
-Cut commentary from the GUN soldier about Wade’s incompetence as a police officer.
-Rescored some of Sonic Team’s encounter with Robotnik’s mech with the Death Egg Robot’s Boss Battle theme from Sonic Generations.
-Rescored Sonic Team working together to defeat the robots with an instrumental version of the Sonic Heroes theme by Crush 40 (instrumental version by “CG Instrumentals” on YouTube".)
-Added a short version of “All Hail Shadow” by Crush 40 after Shadow is revealed in the post-credits scene.
-Added the full vocal version of “Sonic Heroes” by Crush 40 to the credits.
Please feel free to PM for info on how to watch!
