Knuckles 4K Review: An Even Sharper Echidna

Starring Idris Elba as the titular echidna warrior, Knuckles premiered on Paramount+ earlier this year as a six-part event. It’s now available to own at home in ultra-high definition thanks to the Knuckles 4K release. If you’re one who cares about quality, it’s the best way to own the Sonic the Hedgehog spin-off, and it has the same bonus features as the Blu-ray release.

“Knuckles takes place between the films Sonic the Hedgehog 2 and Sonic the Hedgehog 3 and follows Knuckles (Idris Elba) on a hilarious and action-packed journey of self-discovery as he agrees to train Wade (Adam Pally) as his protege and teach him the ways of the Echidna warrior,” says the synopsis. “Featuring appearances by Ben Schwartz (Sonic), Colleen O’Shaughnessy (Tails) and Tika Sumpter (Maddie), the ensemble cast also includes Edi Patterson (The Righteous Gemstones), Rory McCann (Game of Thrones), Cary Elwes (Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning), Christopher Lloyd (Back to the Future), and Paul Scheer (Black Monday).”

All six episodes of Knuckles are quite fun. Elba is great, reprising his role from Sonic the Hedgehog 2, and we get some quick cameo appearances from Sonic and Tails in the first episode. Afterward, it focuses on Knuckles and his new protege, Wade, who is dealing with some pretty severe daddy issues. While it doesn’t have the budget of the films, it’s a very funny buddy comedy that has some standout action moments, which look great in 4K, as Knuckles is a total badass when allowed to unleash.

Adam Pally’s Wade is hilarious in the series, and things really pick up near the end when he meets his absentee professional bowler father, who is played by the always stellar Cary Elwes. Kid Cudi also appears as a smaller villain throughout the show and gets some great chances to both play a bad guy and deliver comedy, which is a real kick for a fan of both his music and acting careers. There’s even a surprise vocal appearance of Michael Bolton, so you never can truly guess where the Knuckles show is taking you. It’s a wild ride and one I’ll definitely watch again, thanks to the Knuckles 4K release.

The Knuckles 4K disc has over 12 minutes of bonus features. Most of these have been previously aired, like a game of “this or that?” and the cast doing their impressions of the red echidna. What is new here is the seven-and-a-half-minute gag reel. It’s really funny seeing the flubs, and you also get to see the puppet version of Knuckles that they used while filming, which is an awesome bonus.

Knuckles 4K Review: Final Verdict

The Knuckles 4K release doesn’t come with as nice of packaging as the Blu-ray SteelBook, but if you value image quality over all else, then it’s the version you should get. The show and its action sequences really look great in 4K, and it’s a great way to revisit the show before the third film hits theaters later this year.

Disclosure: ComingSoon received product from distributor for our Knuckles 4K review.

Tyler Treese

Tyler Treese is ComingSoon and SuperHeroHype's Editor-in-Chief. An experienced entertainment journalist, his work can be seen at Sherdog, Fanbyte, Rock Paper Shotgun, and more. When not watching the latest movies, Treese enjoys mixed martial arts and playing with his Shiba Inu, Kota.