In his third big screen outing, Sonic (Ben Schwartz) and his team go toe-to-toe with a mysterious new speedy threat, Shadow (Keanu Reeves). Sonic the Hedgehog 3 does well to surpass the stakes and scale of the second film, while showing the MCU how to correctly make a fun and exciting superhero film.
The Sonic trilogy has been one of the biggest surprises in the world of video game adaptations. While I kicked off the trilogy with next to no expectations, it has grown to be one of the most fun action-adventure franchises out there. Much like the first two entries, this sequel strikes the perfect tone for maximising its audience and dishing out nearly two hours of pure entertainment. It’s quirky, campy and silly at times, but also contains a story with emotional beats and awesome action sequences to bring in older fans of the franchise. What’s great about this film is that it seems to have learnt from one common gripe about its predecessor and doesn’t waste any time on nonsensical subplots. Specifically, there’s no random offshore wedding to break up the action – every step of the narrative is tied to the main goal of stopping Shadow. It’s this focus on the end goal that makes everything feel streamlined, blissfully easy to follow and an absolute blast. There’s no noticeable dips where it becomes boring, and it stays consistently entertaining as the story goes through the motions. The third film could also fall into the trap of rehashing plot beats, but it keeps it very fresh with no sense of déjà vu.
Before getting to the excitement and enormous action set pieces of the third act, it should be noted that there’s enough action peppered throughout that it really does feel like you’re with Sonic on one long mission. The stage is set immediately with a neat action scene that establishes the threat and gives a tease of what’s to come. It’s a great indication of the pace and also the slightly darker tone that this sequel dips into here and there. All the setup and minor action scenes are nothing when compared to the epic scale and awesome battles (yes, plural) that go down in the final act. The climax of the second film was massive, and this ending takes it one step further with more insane moments that are sure to excite fans and casual viewers both young and old. The third act of this film feels more exciting and is more of a visual spectacle than many of Marvel’s recent releases. The concepts may be the same or similar, but the execution is done so in a way that’s full of awe, wonder and feel-good fun. That may be done for the kids, but man it’s just as effective on adults.
The standout man across the entire franchise, and especially in this film with the dual roles he plays, is Jim Carrey. Whether he’s playing one Robotnik, or two, his charisma and dedication to the playful energy of the role is off the charts. He channels his inner Grinch or Ace Ventura and lets all his trademark mannerisms become the Robotnik character. Nearly all of the kid-friendly slapstick comedy is pushed through his performance, and while not all of it hits for an older audience, the quirky nature is still a joy. With a second Robotnik joining the fold, he also brings something different to that character, showing he hasn’t lost his touch when it comes to a breadth of talents. Ben Schwartz, Idris Elba and Colleen O’Shaughnessey all combine for plenty of fun moments, with dialogue that suits their characters perfectly and lead to plenty of comedic back-and-forths.
This movie sees the debut of Keanu Reeves as Shadow, and he makes for a compelling villain. Reeves’ voice lends itself perfectly to the role, nailing some of the more touching moments just as well as the serious ones. As some might know, Shadow is typically a hedgehog of few words… and emotions… so Reeves doesn’t have a tonne to do, but what he does have he nails. Honestly, whoever is casting the voices of these characters deserves a percentage of the film’s earnings because they haven’t missed. James Marsden and Tika Sumpter are also mainstays of the franchise, and they’re such a delight to watch across all of their scenes. I also want to highlight Lee Majdoub, who has played Agent Stone in all three films. His role is maybe one of the strangest in the trilogy – a weirdly devoted superfan of Robotnik. While he’s been used as the butt of the joke in the past, he has a slightly expanded presence this time around and makes more of an impact on the comedic and emotional weight of the story.
One thing that’s missing in this film, which would thrust it even higher in my eyes, is having additional growth for Sonic. I feel like the first two films, especially the first, grew him a lot as a character, but this film moreso focuses on Sonic helping other characters grow. That could be the intention, but I feel like there’s always room for your protagonist to learn more about themselves, so a little bit of that would have been neat. But that being said we are getting a sequel, and I have a feeling Sonic’s character development will be a big point.
In the end, the Sonic franchise has reached a new high with this film edging out the quality of its predecessor. It’s jam-packed with fun comedic hijinks and wild action sequences that put Team Sonic to the test. The third act especially is full of non-stop awesomeness that’s somehow cooler than the Super Sonic ending of the last. With plenty of content for kids and adults, this is a must-see for the whole family.
8/10
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