THE STORY – Sonic, Knuckles, and Tails reunite to battle Shadow, a mysterious new enemy with powers unlike anything they’ve faced before. With their abilities outmatched in every way, they seek out an unlikely alliance to stop Shadow and protect the planet.
THE CAST – Jim Carrey, Ben Schwartz, Krysten Ritter, Natasha Rothwell, Shemar Moore, James Marsden, Tika Sumpter, Idris Elba & Keanu Reeves
THE TEAM – Jeff Fowler (Director), Pat Casey, Josh Miller & John Whittington (Writers)
THE RUNNING TIME – 110 Minutes
Three films into the “Sonic The Hedgehog” series, it’s hard to believe there was a time, not all that long ago when it seemed any video game adaptation was doomed to failure. Before this franchise, essentially every video game film flopped critically, commercially, or both (usually both). Now, “Sonic The Hedgehog 3” continues the upward trajectory of the series, bringing back all the goofy humor and brightly colored action and adding Keanu Reeves into the mix. What’s not to love?
This third time, Sonic (voiced by Ben Schwartz) has found a solid stride alongside all his pals. He, Tails (Colleen Ann O’Shaughnessey), and Knuckles (Idris Elba) have formed a family together, complete with adoptive parents Tom and Maddie (James Marsden and Tika Sumpter). Schwartz’s performance as Sonic never gets old. He makes Sonic feel like a dorky teenager who is still grown enough to be a legitimate hero when needed. And that need strikes early in the film, as G.U.N. Director Rockwell (Krysten Ritter) interrupts a family camping trip to recruit Sonic to help track down a mysterious adversary who has escaped their facility, Shadow (Keanu Reeves). This dark figure seems to have a vendetta against Sonic and G.U.N. and won’t stop until they are destroyed.
Back from presumed death, Dr. Robotnik (Jim Carrey) forms a shaky alliance with Sonic and the team to help find Shadow, but it’s threatened when Robotnik’s long-lost grandpa Gerald (also Carrey) arrives on the scene. It’s fun to see Carrey banter back and forth with himself, and he seems to be genuinely having some fun with both of these roles. Throughout the film, he has a funny running bit, calling Gerald different grandpa-puns, like Grand-Daddio or GrandPop-Tart. His two performances pair well with the addition of Shadow, a darker, seemingly more powerful version of Sonic. His powers really enhance the action this time around, creating more dynamic action sequences than in the first two films. Armed with a pair of rollerskates and the ability to teleport, you never know exactly where he’s going to be in a fight, creating lots of incredible moments for him to demolish Sonic, Knuckles, and Tails. Plus, with Reeves voicing the villain, he’s effortlessly cool, which adds the terrifying mystique.
While the action is a slight step up from the previous films, the jokes in “Sonic The Hedgehog 3” align with the earlier entries, in good ways and bad. The humor is pretty broad and clearly aimed at a younger crowd, meaning it’s often hit or miss. Carrey’s dual roles are a lot of fun to watch, even if the story sometimes halts to give him a few extra seconds for a bit. Most moments with Marsden and Sumpter fall a bit more flat. It’s not the actors’ faults, but material that simply doesn’t suit either of them. Their roles work better when they’re in the parental zone rather than attempting to play superspies. Still, the movie is more hit than miss, to be sure.
The introduction of Shadow doesn’t simply add a new, kickass character to the mix. His story in “Sonic The Hedgehog 3” adds a new layer of depth to the franchise that resonates well. After making deep connections to the human world, Shadow felt abandoned and cast aside, doomed to loneliness forever. Sonic relates to how Shadow’s story began but came out on the other side with a chosen family. It’s a touching story that helps bring some much-needed depth to a world-domination story that gets a little absurd.
What’s most remarkable about this trilogy is how similar each film feels. The tone, the action, the humor—each movie is as good as the last. It’s a compliment to director Jeff Fowler, who has found a winning formula and stuck with it. Even so, each new film adds a new piece to the Sonic story, and they fit perfectly into this lovable family. For that reason, this is the best Sonic movie yet, with promises of more on the horizon. If they can manage to keep the charm of this trilogy going, keep ’em coming.
