REVIEW: "Sonic the Hedgehog 3" (2024)


WRITER'S NOTE: The following was originally posted on my Facebook page on December 27, 2024. 

As the third entry of a fan favorite series that has proven to be an exceptional screen adaptation of a popular video game franchise, Sonic the Hedgehog 3 reteams the titular speedy and blue hedgehog (voiced by Ben Schwartz) with yellow flying fox Tails (voiced by Colleen O’Shaughnessey) and red, large-fisted echidna Knuckles (voiced by Idris Elba). This time, they go up against the unstoppable, rage-fueled hedgehog Shadow (voiced by Keanu Reeves), while also (rather hesitantly) forming an unlikely alliance with the villainous—and now-pudgy—Dr. Ivo Robotnik. 

Jim Carrey returns to his most recent iconic role, breaking a personal record for playing the same character in more than two movies. (He had portrayed Ace Ventura and Lloyd Christmas two times each before.) Even more, the ever-popular funnyman is, this time, in a dual role as the elderly, bushy-bearded Gerald Robotnik as well. Along with the colorful quartet of superpowered critters (brought to visual life by effects company Blur Studio, among others), watching Carrey having a ball and hamming up the screen is the best part of this movie. There’s even a clever fourth wall gag related to the actor playing both parts. (And wait until you see their laser dance routine.) 

Parents of younger children should know that this sequel, while still in the realm of a Sega video game world, is a darker, more explosive chapter. Shadow, in his earlier scenes, feels like the most unstoppable adversary since Thanos in the MCU. But Reeves gives him some unexpected depths and complexities that make him a fully realized character (and a new fan favorite). The movie and narrative itself, compared with its more escapist predecessors, is much more action-oriented and talkative (that’s Sonic’s nature, after all). 

But it also emphasizes heavy drama, including themes of loss, heartache, emotional angst, trust issues, misguided worldviews and misuses of power (“There are no winners with revenge”), and the importance of family and making right choices, as hard as things are. These are some of the reasons that fans and moviegoers have already declared this third Sonic as the best in the series to date. And whether Carrey returns or not, this 2024 entry’s resolution (without spoiling anything) could also be setting up more super-Sonic things to come. We’ll see. 

#filmfreeq #bekerianreviews #21stcenturycinema #paramountpictures #sega #originalfilm #blurstudio #jefffowler #jimcarrey #sonicthehedgehog32024

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