Sonic the Hedgehog 3

With the third entry in the franchise, “Sonic the Hedgehog 3,” released today, has it’s foundation. Kevin Sampson said in his review, “It’s full camp. It’s a genre buffet that focuses more on its vignettes than answering plot hole questions.” It just might be the most fun you’ll have in theaters with your family this holiday season!

Picking up on what transpired in “Sonic the Hedgehog 2,” the film finds the new Wachowski family with Sonic (Ben Schwartz), Knuckles (Idris Elba), and Tails (Colleen O’Shaugnessey), trying to be on vacation with Tom (James Marsden) and Maddie (Tika Sumpter). After a hedgehog named Shadow, voiced by Keanu Reeves, breaks out from his fifty-year coma, that relaxation the family wants to get comes to an abrupt end. Team Sonic gets transported to Tokyo to try and bring Shadow under control, if at all possible.

The question is who released Shadow with what looks like Ivo Robotnik (Jim Carrey) tech? Sampson said, “It’s quickly revealed that Ivo has been enjoying telenovelas and getting the Thor post Infinity War treatment (big gut).” In comes Gerald Robotnik, also played by Carrey, Ivo’s long-lost grandfather. From there, everyone is racing to stop a machine that will destroy Earn and Jim Carrey is having so much fun on screen.

The film continues to build out the video game realm, showing character’s skills and power ups. It also noticeably changes in genre in its dialogue, cinematography, and pacing throughout the film. The opening scene is filled with action, it changes into a kid friendly horror moment, a musical dance number, comedy, and drama. This may appear disorganized at first, bit for anyone who played the game on Sega, who know that there were different levels with different styles of gameplay and music. These not-so-subtle change in cinematic genres confirms the film is self-aware. There is a joke about making a flash drive work after blowing on it, just like how everyone did with old school game cartridges.

Sampson noted, “Jim Carrey said that he came out of retirement for this film because he needed to pay bills. Hopefully he keeps overspending so we’ll see him future films because he’s so much fun to watch as both Ivo and Gerald Robotnik.” Each character is fully developed, but they work off of each other in comedic ways as only Carrey can do. Where the first two films were about making family, Keanu Reeves’ Shadow has anger to deal with when it comes to the family he lost. The franchise keeps revolving around family dynamics while adding more characters to this franchise.

Make sure you stick around for the mid and post credit scenes that show Robo Sonic and Amy. Sampson said, “This is by no means an Academy Award winning children’s film. It’s fun, nostalgic for those who played the game or watch/ed the shows.” This is a good time at the movies for all families.

Reeves killed it here. He was just awesome as Shadow. Also, Carrey is having the time of his life playing not one, but two Robotniks. If you want a film that will give you some laughs, enjoyability, and nostalgia reminiscing on the games, see this movie. There are a couple of musical motifs to Sonic Adventure and a couple of catchphrases. See this in the theaters, especially if you’re a Sonic fan. This needs to be seen by everyone.

Thank you for reading these reviews tonight. Stay tuned tomorrow for my review on the “Rio” sequel in “Disney Month 2024.”