From reports of early viewings of Sonic the Hedgehog, it seems clear the film is based on the little seen early Arthur Miller play The Disappointments of my Father.
In the play, the author used the theatrical device of a giant blue hedgehog that can run really fast to examine the post-war crisis in masculinity amongst blue-collar America.
“Yeah, there’s a lot of Miller in the movie,” explained director Jeff Fowler.
“That bit where Sonic the Hedgehog runs really, really fast and jumps up to grab a golden ring, that’s straight out of the second scene of the play where the father, after having been fired, runs really fast and jumps up and grabs a golden ring.
“To be honest, it’s pretty hard to make any film about a giant blue hedgehog that can run really fast without referencing Arthur Miller in some way.”
However, fans were disappointed by the Arthur Miller influence.
“Man, I’ve been playing Sonic since the 90s,” tweeted former British Chancellor Alistair Darling.
“I was stoked for this movie and now I find out that it’s just a rehash of that old Arthur Miller play? I’m bummed.
“Also, the hedgehog looked shit.”
Arthur Miller fans were bemused.
“I’m not sure why anyone would base a film on The Disappointments of my Father,” said one.
“I mean, no one’s heard of it, it’s not really one of his classics and frankly, it doesn’t even really exist. Seem stupid to me.”
However, despite the controversy, there is a history of videogame movies leaning into classic theatre with Resident Evil: Afterlife borrowing from ‘Tis Pity She’s a Whore and Mortal Kombat being little more than Long Day’s Journey Into Night with violent fatalities.
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