An electrifying way to end Sonic’s first movie trilogy!
The Sonic the Hedgehog films have gotten better over time. Many fans respect director Jeff Fowler and his team for listening to their complaints in 2019. It led to Sonic getting a wonderful re-design and two films that struck a chord with most audiences.
That’s not to say the Sonic movie universe is error-free. Some works, including 2024’s Knuckles spin-off, have lows that prevent them from achieving excellence. Despite these shortcomings, die-hard Sega fans hoped Sonic the Hedgehog 3 would close 2024 on a high note.
Although Sonic the Hedgehog 3 isn’t a masterpiece, many will argue it’s the best piece of media from the franchise’s movie universe (so far). In Sonic the Hedgehog 3, Sonic the Hedgehog (Ben Schwartz), Miles ‘Tails’ Prower (Colleen Ann O’Shaughnessey), and Knuckles the Echidna (Idris Elba) confront a mysterious enemy named Shadow the Hedgehog (Keanu Reeves).
After Shadow pulverizes them, our heroes join forces with Ivo Robotnik (Jim Carrey) and Agent Stone (Lee Majdoub) to stop Shadow. Like Sonic the Hedgehog 1 (2020) and Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (2022), Fowler incorporates aspects from Sonic’s video games into Sonic the Hedgehog 3.
From powerful weapons to tragic backstories, Fowler and his team implement just enough elements from Sonic Adventure 2 (2001) to appease diehard fans. Shadow’s past doesn’t receive as much attention as one would like. Yet, there’s enough material for viewers to understand Shadow’s pain and desire for revenge.
On that note, Sonic the Hedgehog 3’s plot tackles revenge, grief, and family well. But despite being best buddies, Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles aren’t a perfect team. There’s a moment in the film where they get into a heated debate. This scene is intense from beginning to end and indicates to audiences they can have their differences.
Sonic the Hedgehog 3’s comedy is hit and miss. Like previous films, Sonic the Hedgehog 3 humor varies from one-liners, pop culture references, slapstick, and more. Some jokes will make audiences laugh. However, sequences like the goofy dance number midway through the film are wasteful inclusions.
The film has minor pacing, structure, and writing issues too. Some events don’t receive as much of a focus as they should. The jaw-dropping final act is slightly ruined by Fowler and his team’s decision to focus on a less entertaining fight occasionally.
Some resolutions aren’t earned authentically, which could hamper one’s immersion in this film. Despite these problems, Sonic the Hedgehog 3 beautifully depicts heroism, friendship, and redemption within its one-hour and forty-nine-minute run time.
Next to having phenomenal action that mirrors that of a Shonen-battle manga or anime, audiences can tell a lot of passion was poured into making this 2024’s go-to holiday film. Sonic and other returning characters receive slight depth in Sonic the Hedgehog 3.
Sonic’s grown slightly since his big screen debut in 2020. Granted, Sonic’s witty remarks haven’t improved much, but his altercation with Shadow and his enemies leads to decent growth on his part. Thanks to his experience with Wade Whippel (Adam Pally) in Knuckles, Knuckles is starting to fit right at home with Earth and its inhabitants.
While Knuckles and Sonic engage in playful banter over who should be the leader of their group, Knuckles undergoes slight development. Tails feels like the outlier in the group. While Tails gets some things to do, he receives little to zero development in this film.
As mentioned earlier, Shadow is a wonderful antagonist. While some may not adore how different lore-wise he is to his video game iteration, Shadow remains blunt, ruthless, and internally broken up to the film’s finale. Shadow’s a great foil to Sonic and fans will love seeing them clash, mentally and physically.
Ivo, Gerald Robotnik (Jim Carrey), and Stone are the best human characters in this film. Gerald is more cruel and cunning than his grandson. While the film doesn’t showcase Gerald’s evil side enough, what he does and says will give some fans goosebumps.
While Gerald has spookier intentions, Ivo’s character receives love too. He experiences growth and learns to appreciate the friendship he has with Stone. By the film’s conclusion, many viewers will value the time they spent following his character from the first film to now.
Many viewers will develop similar feelings for Stone, especially those who value his and Ivo’s partnership. The rest of the cast were fine. Maria Robotnik’s (Alyla Browne) movie counterpart isn’t as wonderfully written as her video game equal.
However, fans will cherish seeing how much of an impact Maria had on Shadow’s life. Tom (James Marden), Maddie (Tika Sumpter), and others receive crucial roles in the plot, which is a huge step up from that bizarre wedding subplot from Sonic the Hedgehog 2.
With how well the first and second movies turned out, audiences expected Fowler and his team to go all-out on Sonic the Hedgehog 3’s visuals. In the words of Keanu Reeves, Sonic the Hedgehog 3’s visuals are “breathtaking.”
The visuals mirror the Sonic the Hedgehog video game’s opening animations. Some examples include the film’s epic one-on-one brawls and exhilarating chase sequences. Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, and Shadow have fabulous designs that evoke the same aura as their video game counterparts.
The same can be said for Ivo, Gerald, and G.U.N.’s various droids and weapons. However, what makes Sonic the Hedgehog special to many people, is its soundtrack. While Sonic the Hedgehog 2 toyed around with the franchise’s music, it wasn’t implemented in ways fans hoped.
Thankfully, Sonic the Hedgehog 3 utilizes music from the Sonic the Hedgehog games. There’s a specific song that plays near the movie’s climax that’ll get every diehard Sonic fan jumping, screaming, or crying. The film’s actors and actresses performed their roles exceptionally.
Schwartz, Elba, O’Shaughnessey, and Reeves portray Sonic, Knuckles, Tails, and Shadow marvelously. They have their usual cheesy lines to say, but for the most part, they stay true to the characters they’re portraying on the big screen.
Jim Carrey is entrusted with two different roles. While Ivo and Gerald aren’t too different, Carrey finds ways to make each Robotnik stand out. He deserves a gold medal for putting in double the work. Majdoub, Marsden, Sumpter, and Browne are great too.
All in all, Sonic the Hedgehog 3 is a remarkable family film. It was up against Disney’s Mufasa: The Lion King and many were concerned that this film would eclipse Sonic the Hedgehog 3. Yet, judging by the passion and heart that exudes from Sonic the Hedgehog 3, parents may want to consider taking their children to Sonic the Hedgehog 3 instead.
Read More: Sonic The Hedgehog 3 Ending Explained
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Verdict - - 8/10
8/10