| Shadow the Hedgehog | |
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Directed by |
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Produced by |
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Written by |
Tim McCanlies |
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Starring |
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Music by |
Japan: |
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Cinematography |
Hisao Shirai |
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Studio |
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Distributed by |
Japan: |
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Release Date(s) |
November 11, 2005 |
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Language |
English |
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Budget |
$40 million |
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Box office |
$209.7 million |
Shadow the Hedgehog (シャドウ・ザ・ヘッジホッグ Shadō za Hejjihoggu?) is a 2005 American-Japanese computer animated dark fantasy action film directed by Richard Rich in the English version with the Japanese version directed by Kunihiko Yuyama, the chief director of the Pokémon television series. The plot centers on the attempt of Shadow the Hedgehog, a creation of Doctor Eggman's grandfather, Professor Gerald Robotnik, to learn about his past while suffering from amnesia.
It was released in North America on November 11, 2005, produced by 4Kids Entertainment and distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures. The film was rated PG-13 from MPAA rating because of it's darker, and more violent tone.
Shadow the Hedgehog was a commercial success with a worldwide gross of US$ 209 million, but received mixed reviews.
Plot[]
The French Narrator introduces a new Sonic the Hedgehog movie, hosted from Montreal, Quebec, Canada as it was in 1918. From his army shelter-house, Perky the Cat, in a Cold War uniform costume, is introducing the late period of World War I and talking about how historical it was. However, Patty, in a futuristic robotic soldier costume, appears and says that World War I times were "lame" and the futuristic Worldwide Cyber War is "where it's at". They begin arguing over whether Sonic himself likes the World War I or the future war better, and while working at his home, Sonic feels a disturbance, and tells Tails and Knuckles that "I've got the strangest feeling that somewhere a cat and puffin are arguing about me. And, for some reason, the cat is winning." As Perky and Patty continue to argue, Perky begins the Shadow movie.
At the beginning of the film, Shadow suffers from amnesia. Other than the events since Sonic Heroes that took place three months prior, Shadow remembers only two things: his name and his attempt to escape the space colony ARK with his creator's granddaughter Maria, who was killed by G.U.N. soldiers. Having walked through a room filled with androids that looked like him during the events of Sonic Heroes, Shadow wonders if he too is an android. The film starts with Shadow reminiscing outside the city of Westopolis when the alien race Black Arms drops out of the sky and invades the city. One Black Arms alien, Doom's Eye, approaches Shadow, and the Black Arms's leader Black Doom tells Shadow of an old agreement Shadow made: to bring Black Doom the Chaos Emeralds. Stunned that Black Doom knew his name, Shadow searches for the Chaos Emeralds to learn about his past.
As he begins his quest, Shadow aids several other heroes. After collecting five of the Chaos Emeralds, Shadow encounters a confrontation with the G.U.N. Commander, who reveals the reason for his antipathy against him as he witnessed the Ultimate Lifeform's creation by Gerald and Black Doom fifty years ago, along with his relationship with Maria. Shadow dodges a bullet from the Commander's gun, while the Commander himself questions if Shadow really did lose his memories. Shadow on the other hand promises to submit to justice if it turns out he really was responsible for the death of the ARK's population, walking away and leaving the Commander to question his own beliefs. Shadow helps Vector the Crocodile search for the ARK's computer room to stop the ARK's passageways collapsing. Eggman shows up on the ARK after Shadow grabs the last Chaos Emerald and exclaims that although his grandfather created Shadow, he should give him the Chaos Emeralds. After Shadow refuses, a confrontation between the two begins with Shadow winning. With all seven Emeralds in his possession, Shadow makes a despondent monologue concerning himself as a disastrous military experiment that never should have been initiated. As Shadow sadly trudges off, Vector makes a feeble attempt to cheer him up, raising the possibility that Shadow has misidentified his origins, but Shadow ignores him.
Over the commercial break, Perky and Patty continue to fight, now keeping score between the future and the past. Perky brings in a real live World War I soldier, but Patty brings in a futuristic robot super-soldier who begins repeatedly shooting the CW soldier with lasers.
After the cartoon, Perky is shown sitting outside his cave, apparently having lost to Patty. However, Patty comes outside and invites him back in, where Soldiery the WWI soldier and the Robot Android Cyborg DX-294888 do a rap called "When Worlds Collide". The song montage features scenes from the first two Sonic films. The film ends with Patty giving Perky a "gift": a WWI tank, which begins chasing him as Perky says bye to the audience.
Cast[]
Production[]
Development[]
Writing[]
Music[]
The film's score was composed by Jun Senoue, Yutaka Minobe, Mariko Nanba, Tomoya Ohtani, and Kenichi Tokoi; it was arranged by Jun Senoue, Yutaka Minobe, Keiichi Sugiyama, Mariko Nanba, Tomoya Ohtani, Lee Brotherton, Masahiro Fukuhara, and Kenichi Tokoi.
Animation[]
Shadow the Hedgehog was the first in the Sonic the Hedgehog film series produced and shot in 35mm anamorphic format. The director felt that a widescreen image was crucial, as a nostalgic reference to old action-adventure films presented in the Cinemascope format (2.35:1), noting Raiders of the Lost Ark as an inspiration. At the peak of it's production, 270 animators, artists and technicians were working on Shadow.
Like Sonic the Hedgehog, American computer animators handed the computer animated Sonic characters.
Rating[]
Though filmed with the intention of receiving a PG-13 rating, Shadow the Hedgehog received an unofficial R rating by the MPAA on September 15, 2005. Rich, angered said "the MPAA changes their rules willy-nilly and it depends on who’s seeing your actual movie at the time." Director John Moore said the same thing during production of Max Payne.
On September 30, 2005, a trailer confirmed a PG-13 rating, "for violence, and mild language".
Release[]
Reception[]
Box office[]
Critical response[]
Accolades[]
Soundtrack[]
- Main article: Shadow the Hedgehog (soundtrack)
Shadow the Hedgehog is the soundtrack to the film in the United States of America, It was released on November 30, 2005 on Audio CD.