Sonic the Hedgehog

NZ release: 28 May 2020

Parental guidance recommeded for younger viewers Rated on: 28 June 2020

sonic

What’s it about?

A scientist with evil intentions discovers an extraterrestrial hedgehog and plans to exploit its superpowers for his own selfish gain.

The facts 

  • Directed by Jeff Fowler
  • Stars Ben Schwartz, James Marsden, Jim Carrey and Tika Sumpter 
  • English language
  • Runtime: 98 minutes
  • Based on the Sega video game by the same name 

Why did it get this rating? 

This film was cross-rated by the Film and Video Labelling Body. You can find out more about cross-rating here.

Violence

There’s a bit of violence, including weapons like missiles, arrows, drones, bullets and laser beams, as well as some physical fistfights with punching. No blood is shown. Some of the moments to look out for include: 

  • Two characters are pushed off a building, however they are saved before anything happens to them.
  • Drones cut through the top of a moving car while a family is inside, causing it to spin around.
  • During a bar fight, characters throw punches at each other. A man gets thrown into a window.
  • A character is shot by a laser beam and falls from a building, hitting trees on the way down.
  • A character is shot in the leg with tranquiliser and faints.

Mild language

A character says “son of a -”, but the sentence cuts off. There are two uses of the word “hell” and one character says “bon sang” which means “damn it” in French.

Sad scenes (spoiler)

  • Sonic is knocked out by an explosion. He appears to be dead for a short time but turns out to be fine.
  • At the start of the film, Sonic’s parental figure is shot in the chest with an arrow. After they tell Sonic to go through a portal by himself, he runs and then turns back but the portal has closed. It is implied that this character dies.

When content stays with you

We all have our boundaries, and it’s completely okay if something you’ve watched is weighing on your mind. If certain content lingers with you, consider having a chat with friends or whānau to debrief about what you’ve just seen. But if you’re still feeling affected, please reach out to any of the following helplines for support.  

Further information 

Recent featured decisions

20 August 2025

Violence, offensive language, drug use and content that may disturb

Hank Thompson, a burned-out former baseball player, is suddenly pulled into a deadly fight for survival in the criminal underbelly of 1990s New York, forced to navigate an underworld he never thought he’d enter.

Read more

21 August 2025

Violence

While working on a humanitarian placement in French Guiana, UK Prime Minister Abigail Dalton’s husband, Dr. Alex Anderson, is kidnapped. At the same time, French President Vivienne Toussaint is blackmailed, forcing the two leaders, despite their rivalry, into a dangerous political showdown where every choice comes with devastating consequences.

Read more