Although HBO’s The Last of Us, Prime Video’s Fallout, and Illumination’s The Super Mario Bros. Movie have received a lion’s share of the credit, it’s really 2020’s Sonic the Hedgehog that first broke the infamous video game movie curse. A modest critical hit and an impressive box office success, the live-action adaptation pleased its target audience of children while also hitting the right notes with the hardcore fans of Sega’s Sonic video game franchise. The sequel, Sonic the Hedgehog 2, performed even better, especially with its tease of fan-favorite character Shadow the Hedgehog in the mid-credits scene. Now, Shadow has fully come out to play in the third installment, Sonic the Hedgehog 3.
In some ways, Sonic the Hedgehog 3 represents growth in embracing franchise lore and keeping the focus on Team Sonic. In others, Sonic the Hedgehog 3 might unfortunately vindicate those who didn’t like the previous films. We catch up with interdimensional creatures Sonic (Ben Schwartz), Miles “Tails” Prower (Colleen O’Shaughnessy), and Knuckles the Echidna (Idris Elba) living a peaceful life with adoptive parents Tom Wachowski (James Marsden) and Maddie Wachowski (Tika Sumpter). Their idyllic respite is interrupted when the military organization G.U.N. calls upon them to stop a mysterious black and red hedgehog, Shadow (Keanu Reeves), who is being used as the pawn in a bigger game by Ivo Robotnik (Jim Carrey) and his long-lost grandfather Gerald (also Jim Carrey).
Visually, the Sonic the Hedgehog movies have always been a treat. After all, director Jeff Fowler worked on the CGI cutscenes for the Shadow the Hedgehog video game. Sonic the Hedgehog 3 is no exception, thankfully. An early set-piece, set in the neon-lit streets of Tokyo, Japan, is an impressive showcase of Shadow’s elite powers — his warping leaving an orange trail behind him as he dispatches one enemy after the other. Returning cinematographer Brandon Trost (Knuckles) effortlessly captures the speed and fluidity needed for these ambitious action sequences. The CGI blends well enough with the live-action settings that it never feels like the audience is watching a video game adaptation that could have just been an all-animated affair.
What most fans will be curious about is how Shadow the Hedgehog is portrayed. Keanu Reeves of John Wick and Matrix fame nails it. Never slipping into the near-parody that Idris Elba’s turn on Knuckles in Sonic the Hedgehog 2 can slip into, Reeves excels as Shadow, bringing all the tragedy that resides in the character. Shadow the Hedgehog drives the whole movie, so it’s more than a relief that his inner conflict, especially when regarding a figure from his past, Maria (Alya Browne), gets represented with grace here. Keanu Reeves set out with the goal to honor the character of Shadow, and he serves that justice fantastically.
Weirdly, the same can’t be said for the Blue Blur. Make no mistake, Ben Schwartz still gives his all to the character of Sonic. Something feels off, though. The screenplay by Pat Casey, Josh Miller, and Josh Whittington frequently forgets that Sonic is not Deadpool, giving him an incessant propensity for making pop culture references and quipping whenever there’s even a second of dead air. The humor of Sonic has been a component that has existed for a long time. But in Sonic the Hedgehog 3, the jokes simply come too often and too sloppy that it feels like a drag whenever Sonic opens his mouth for a good majority of the film.
Jim Carrey’s dual performance as the Robotniks suffers greatly from choppy writing, as well. As always, Carrey commits physically to the role and seems to relish the opportunity of playing two characters. Do they give these characters anything funny to say? Not necessarily. If you wanted to hear someone who is considered to be one of the greatest comic minds of all time say lines like “The Robotniks have entered the chat” or “blocked and reported,” this might be your speed. To the rest of us, it’s a significant dumbing down of the good-natured humor present in the previous two films, almost as if the franchise is now trying to appeal to the lowest common denominator.
The severe downturn of the humor is hardly a movie killer, luckily. Where they falter in the comedic dialogue, the screenwriters craft the most fast-paced, exciting Sonic the Hedgehog movie adaptation yet. From the jump, the story moves quickly, constantly shifting and evolving as the stakes get higher and higher. Jeff Fowler’s love of the Sonic franchise is clear, as Sonic the Hedgehog 3 touches on key parts of the mythology so far unexplored on the big screen that make it feel like we have reached as close to a true adaptation of Sonic Adventure 2.
Speaking of Sonic Adventure 2, there’s an embarrassment of riches of easter eggs. Nearly in every scene, there’s a deep-cut reference to many games in the Sonic the Hedgehog video game franchise, particularly Sonic Adventure 2. Most excitingly, familiar refrains from classic Sonic music rears its head much more than what was heard in the last two movies combined. In any other video game film, this might be annoying. But here, it represents a deep love for a fanbase that has stuck with Sonic through thick and thin. Moreover, Sonic the Hedgehog 3 comes to a satisfying close in a brilliant, epic finale that will warm the icy hearts of any lapsed Sonic fan who had previously given up.
Sonic the Hedgehog 3 sticks the landing hard, punching far above its weight class as a children’s film. However, it can’t outrun all of its problems. The humor takes a serious nosedive that threatens to impede a generally good time due to its heavy prevalence throughout. Director Jeff Fowler’s clear love for the material and an ambitious, well-realized plotline save the day. While in some ways a downturn from Sonic the Hedgehog 2, Sonic the Hedgehog 3 is all but guaranteed to spin dash its way into the heart of the Sonic faithful out there, which is a great thing since Paramount and Sega seem to just be getting started with this movie franchise.
Sonic the Hedgehog 3 hits theaters on December 20!
Directed by Jeff Fowler.
Screenplay by Pat Casey, Josh Miller, & John Whittington.
Story by Pat Casey & Josh Miller.
Based on Sonic the Hedgehog by Sega.
Produced by Neal H. Moritz, Toby Ascher, Toru Nakahara, & Hitoshi Okuno.
Executive Producers: Jeff Fowler, Tim Miller, Tommy Gormley, Haruki Satomi, & Shuji Utsumi.
Main Cast: Ben Schwartz, Jim Carrey, Colleen O’Shaughnessey, Idris Elba, Keanu Reeves, James Marsden, Tika Sumpter, Krysten Ritter, Natasha Rothwell, Shemar Moore, Lee Majdoub, Tom Butler, Adam Pally, Alyla Browne, Sofia Pernas, Cristo Fernández, James Wolk, & Jorma Taccone.
Cinematographer: Brandon Trost.
Composer: Tom Holkenborg.
Production Companies: Paramount Pictures, Sega Sammy Group, Original Film, Marza Animation Planet, & Blur Studio.
Distributor: Paramount Pictures.
Runtime: 110 minutes.
Rated PG.
