It seems like just yesterday when the internet lost their minds over Sonic’s frighteningly realistic human teeth. Director Jeff Fowler made the wise decision in 2019 to redesign the speedy blue hedgehog, and it paid off because he now has an incredible franchise under his belt. Sonic the Hedgehog 3 continues this movie series based on the Sega video games. Once again, we have Ben Schwartz voicing Sonic as he must team up once again with Knuckles (Idris Elba) and Tails (Colleen O’Shaughnessy) to face off against a powerful hedgehog named Shadow (Keanu Reeves).
Sonic the Hedgehog 3 is the best Sonic movie yet. This film sticks the landing in ways you never expected. The first Sonic movie is a decent road trip between a man and a fun animal he befriends. The second movie is about Sonic finding a team as he faces off against Dr. Robotnik. The sequel went bigger and crazier than the first, finally giving us some classic Sonic sets. This third movie shines brighter than the previous two. It takes what we love about the movies, which are the superpowers and action scenes, and does away with some of the more extraneous ideas.
From the beginning, Sonic the Hedgehog 3 moves at a delightful pace. We have a new villain, Shadow, a hedgehog with a tragic past. Shadow is voiced perfectly by Keanu Reeves, the “national treasure” Sonic watched on TV in the first film. This movie also comes fully equipped with a reference to Speed (1994). Reeves is known for being one of the most likable people in Hollywood, which makes it so fun to see him play against type as a baddie. He’s excellent here, and Shadow is a well-rounded character. The opening scene shows how powerful he is, as does a gorgeously filmed action sequence in Tokyo where he takes on Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles.
With each passing entry in this series, Fowler seems to find a steadier hand behind the camera. His visuals are excellent, and it’s easy to forget that you’re watching humans interact with CGI creatures. The characters have so much personality and play off of the humans so well. The second movie occasionally featured a bit too much of the humans, but Sonic 3 makes the wise choice to dial it back. Tom (James Marsden) and Maddie (Tika Sumpter) were both integral players in the first two movies, but they are largely absent from the first and third acts in this film.
Our focus is on Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, Shadow, and perhaps the secret ingredient that has made this franchise work: Dr. Robotnik, played by the legendary Jim Carrey. I could talk about Carrey for hours. It’s incredible to see Carrey step out of retirement to give a classic over-the-top performance just like he would in the ’90s. One thing you can say about Carrey is that he does not phone it in, no matter the paycheck. Here, he has a dual role: he plays Dr. Ivo “Eggman” Robotnik, sporting a belly that rivals Thor’s in Avengers: Endgame, and he plays his grandfather, Gerald Robotnik.
The more, the Carrey-er. He crushes it here. This feels like an old-school comedy performance where a legendary comedian uses makeup to play multiple characters in a movie. Everything he says is gold. His physical comedy is off the charts, and he gets you to care about his journey. Elba also gets to have hilarious moments as Knuckles, who is very out of touch with how people speak and behave. Surprisingly, the least funny jokes in the film come from our protagonist. Carrey and Elba’s characters are hysterical, but Sonic is straddled with many pop culture references, just like in the last two. Referencing movies is one of those strange things that is funnier in a real-life conversation than in movie dialogue.
The stakes are higher from the start. The trio finds themselves in an incredible amount of danger, and they must try to survive. The film’s second act goes down a road similar to a heist movie. It’s crazy to see how far this series has come from the first movie, which is entirely grounded in retrospect. We have a very fun sequence using gravity and more antics. Sonic the Hedgehog 3 is always giving you something interesting to watch, whether it’s building Shadow’s backstory that makes you sympathize with him or if it’s letting us have a stupid amount of fun with two Jim Carreys on screen.
As the film progresses, it gets darker and darker. This movie pushes the titular character to places you may not expect. Each main character in this film reaches their full potential. While the human characters get left to the wayside a bit, seeing Sonic and Shadow’s relationship develop makes this movie worth it. Beyond the incredible action sequences, you can tell this movie was made for the fans. It references Sonic media and is crafted with love and care, referencing its source material to excellent effect. The danger in the final act is more significant than anything in any of the previous two films and I’d be remiss if I didn’t write about how emotionally impactful much of it is.
Sonic the Hedgehog 3 is one of the best video game movies ever made, and it works exceptionally.
SCORE: 8/10
As ComingSoon’s review policy explains, a score of 8 equates to “Great.” While there are a few minor issues, this score means that the art succeeds at its goal and leaves a memorable impact.
Disclosure: ComingSoon attended a press screening for our Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review.
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