February saw lots of surprises when it came to movie releases with “Harley Quinn: Birds of Prey” underperforming at the box office, “Sonic the Hedgehog” becoming a success following a total character redesign, and “The Invisible Man” remake being a critical hit. Cal State LA students offered their thoughts on whether the films were worth checking out.

“Harley Quinn: Birds of Prey”

Following her breakup with the Joker, Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie) finally carves out her own identity. But when she becomes the target of the villainous mobster Black Mask, Harley must team up with some fellow female heroes in Gotham to stop the mobster.

TVF major Maya Vidal thought the film was mediocre despite the inclusivity in the cast.

“I think the pacing of the movie was really off. I like how the director was inclusive with casting and was centered on highlighting women, however, with such a big blockbuster film, I think they could’ve gone with a different director,” Vidal said.

“She had only done three other small films before doing ‘Birds of Prey’ that didn’t really coincide with the same genre so it was kind of odd that they had her direct this,” added Vidal.

Vidal mentioned Robbie’s performance as the titular character and the action sequences as some highlights of the film.

“Sonic the Hedgehog”

The world’s fastest, chili dog-eating blue hedgehog has finally hit the big screen. Stuck on planet Earth, Sonic must venture across the country with the help of a local police officer to retrieve an item that could send him home. All the while, being chased by a mad scientist known as Dr. Robotnik played by Jim Carrey.

Communication major Christian Cortave referred to the film as probably the best from its genre.

“In my opinion, Sonic the Hedgehog is probably the best video game adaptation we’ve gotten so far. It looks very likely that Hollywood is on its way to solving the video game movie adaptation curse after ‘Detective Pikachu’ and the aforementioned,” said Cortave.

He added, “I believe diehard fans of the game are going to really enjoy this movie and it was great seeing Jim Carrey be zany and over the top as Dr. Robotnik. I’m so happy they redesigned Sonic because, had they [not], it probably wouldn’t have been good.”

“The Invisible Man” (2020)

Reimagined for the modern era, “The Invisible Man” follows Elizabeth Moss as Cecilia Kass who’s trapped in an abusive relationship with her scientist boyfriend. When she finally escapes him, he commits suicide and leaves behind his fortune, which she then inherits. But, Kass begins to suspect all isn’t as it seems. She begins to believe her ex has turned himself invisible and seeks to torment her life.

TVF major Jesus Garcia was disappointed with the final product despite the film’s fresh approach on the concept.

“The film had so much potential, but they went with a final cut that was lackluster. Certain scenes completely take you out of the movie,” Garcia said.

He added, “The [computer-generated imagery] falls short and is not cinema quality. However, I loved the use of pans and long dreary shots to portray presence. It was an interesting concept that wasn’t executed to its full potential.”

While two of the major releases seem to be let-downs for Garcia and Vidal, Cortave was still surprised by “Sonic the Hedgehog” as solid family fare.