The Sonic the Hedgehog films, the little blockbuster franchise that could. It seems like only yesterday when the first Sonic film was nearly universally mocked and maligned for who we now know as “Ugly Sonic.” However, where most production companies would just take the loss and try a reboot again in a few years, Jeff Fowler’s original Sonic film did something entirely unprecedented – it listened to the pre-release criticism (whether it was all an elaborate marketing ploy or not). One redesign, a sequel, and a Paramount+ spin-off series later, and the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise has become one of the most successful in the ongoing rise of video game adaptations.

The films have very clearly found a formula that works, and Sonic the Hedgehog 3 follows that formula to a tee. Clever jokes, a noticeable reverence for the source material, and some fantastic antagonists make the Blue Blur’s latest race an entertaining ride from start to finish. That being said, because the third installment continues to provide all the things that worked about the other two movies, it also boasts the things that the series should start improving on for the almost inevitable Sonic the Hedgehog 4.

Shadow Lives (and Learns) Up To the Hype in ‘Sonic the Hedgehog 3’

Picking up after the events of Sonic the Hedgehog 2, Sonic the Hedgehog 3 sees Sonic (Ben Schwartz) and his friends take on an all-new threat. This new enemy, that being the fan-favorite anti-hero Shadow the Hedgehog (Keanu Reeves), is by far their most challenging foe yet, and it begins to become apparent that they may not be able to defeat Shadow alone. This leads Sonic, Tails (Colleen O’Shaughnessey), and Knuckles (Idris Elba) to do the unthinkable by forming an unlikely alliance with their arch-nemesis, Dr. Ivo Robotnik (Jim Carrey).

Next to Sonic himself, Shadow is probably the most popular and well-known character from the Sonic games, with his dark demeanor and tragic backstory adding some much-needed heart and stakes to the typically lighthearted series. While sometimes this delves into the melodramatic, such as when he got his own spin-off game that saw Shadow use real firearms, he still persevered as a true gaming icon. This certainly puts a lot of pressure on a perfectly-cast Keanu Reeves, but Sonic the Hedgehog 3 still delivers.

4:58 Related “What the Hell Have I Done to Myself?” Jim Carrey on His “Physical Commitment” to ‘Sonic the Hedgehog 3′ Carrey discusses “settling for power napping” to take on two major roles in the franchise.

Shadow’s adaptation in Sonic the Hedgehog 3 continues the franchise’s ongoing trend of being a true crowd pleaser, both for hardcore fans and casual audiences alike. Shadow’s character arc (which is largely unchanged from the source material) provides a great emotional core for the film, being developed just enough to help the audience care about his moral dilemma. Shadow also benefits from some of the best action sequences we’ve seen in the series yet, including a wacky and visually dazzling final battle.

The one complaint that could be attributed to Shadow is Keanu Reeves’ voice performance. It’s far from terrible by any means, but it doesn’t feel quite as dedicated as Reeves’ voice-over co-stars. Reeves has done quality voice work in the past with projects like Toy Story 4, and while Shadow is a much less charismatic character than Duke Kaboom, the character sometimes feels a bit too much like John Wick but as a hedgehog… which probably won’t be a complaint for most.

Jim Carrey Continues To Deliver as Two Dr. Robotniks
Image via Paramount Pictures

Ben Schwartz, Colleen O’Shaughnessy, and Idris Elba all do a great job as Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles respectively, but let’s be completely honest here. Jim Carrey is the real star of this trilogy. Carrey’s signature brand of improvisational comedy serves him well once again here, as his gleefully cartoonish villain continues to be a highlight of his recent acting works.

Sonic the Hedgehog 3 also gives Carrey a new challenge of playing more than one character. Also in the film is Ivo’s grandfather, Gerald Robotnik, who plays a pivotal part in the film, and Carrey does a remarkable job of making Gerald feel like his own person rather than just an older copy of Ivo. Even Ivo’s faithful minion, Agent Stone (Lee Majdoub), feels much more fleshed-out than your average movie goon.

Also back are James Marsden and Tika Sumpter as Tom and Maddie, and the new film makes the wise decision to make them full-on supporting characters. The lesser focus on the human figures to focus on Sonic and his anthropomorphic friends is a welcome step in the right direction, but the two characters still occasionally feel out of place. Apart from one sequence in the third act, they’re largely unnecessary and inconsequential for the wider plot.

The Sonic Franchise Needs To Level Up for ‘Sonic the Hedgehog 4’

The Sonic movies are comedies at the end of the day, and Sonic the Hedgehog 3 brings a lot of humor along with it. Carrey is the obvious source of a lot of it, but one sequence involving the location where a character decides to reveal Shadow’s tragic backstory completely straight-faced is a subtly hysterical creative choice. Not all the jokes land, as admittedly some of the pop culture references and jabs fall a bit flat.

Particularly thanks to the great action sequences, Sonic the Hedgehog 3 is a solid-looking film from start to finish. The music, both in terms of Junkie XL’s score and the pre-existing songs the film chooses to use (including some that will make long-time Sonic fans very happy), also deserve a commendable shout-out, as they fit the tone of every scene perfectly. There is still the occasional technical hiccup, like some noticeable green screen and ADR effects.

Overall, Sonic the Hedgehog 3 ends a refreshingly consistent trilogy that is just as good as its predecessors. One could easily argue that Shadow and Dr. Robotnik’s arcs propel it to be even better, but while this is a definitive end for a trilogy, it’s also very clearly not the end of the franchise (especially given the film’s several end-credits sequences). Paramount has already teased its ambitious plans for the Sonic saga, and if the series wants to live up to the lofty legacy of something like the MCU, then it needs to learn how to take things to the next level and go from a trilogy of really good movies to a franchise made up of really great ones. Sonic the Hedgehog 3 is certainly pointing things in the right direction.

Sonic the Hedgehog 3 comes to theaters on December 20.

Your changes have been saved Sonic the Hedgehog 3 ‘Sonic the Hedgehog 3’ sends the franchise racing towards a promising future, mainly thanks to a great new addition in Shadow the Hedgehog.ProsShadow and Robotnik steal the show as the film’s villains.The best action sequences in the series yet.Some excellent choices in music. ConsThe human storylines still feel largely superfluous.Some of the jokes fall a bit flat.

Sonic the Hedgehog 3 is the sequel to the 2022 comedy-adventure movie that featured the Blue Blur and his companions on an adventure to stop Dr. Robotnik from taking over the world. The new film sees the new antagonist Shadow the Hedgehog, arriving to cause trouble for the newly formed trio of heroes, Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles, as they adjust to their earthly lives.Release Date December 20, 2024 Runtime 109 Minutes

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