TL;DR – Well, I think the third time is the charm, as they finally get a story that makes the most of their outstanding character work.

Post-Credit Scene – There is a mid and post-credit scene.

Disclosure – I was invited to a press screening of this film.

Sonic the Hedgehog 3 Review –

I have had real issues with the previous two Sonic films because while Sonic the Hedgehog and Sonic the Hedgehog 2 had strong character work, they were let down with generally average at best narratives. Even their absurd Knuckles series came across these same issues, which meant that when I walked into the third instalment, I didn’t have much hope. Well, have I ever been glad to be wrong.

So, to set the scene, things are almost calm in the lives of the Wachowski family, bar the fact that they are now home to three different alien beings with extraordinary powers. But while Tom (James Marsden) and Maddie (Tika Sumpter) can’t out-race or fight Sonic (Ben Schwartz), Tails (Colleen O’Shaughnessey), and Knuckles (Idris Elba), they can still surprise with an Earthday party. But while this wholesome bonding session is happening in Green Hills, Montana. Over in Prison Island in the Bay of Tokyo, one of the most dangerous weapons on the planet has just escaped. G.U.N. needs Team Sonic’s help because Shadow (Keanu Reeves) ripped through their teams. Well, when Team Sonic is called, they respond, and thankfully, a helpful explosion lets them know where to go and immediately get stomped.

Thankfully, one thing that continues to excel in these films is the characters and how they interact with each other. Our core Team Sonic, all work so well together because they are a nexus of chaos being barely held together, and that makes for some genuinely amusing moments. Look, I just love watching them riff off each other, and Ben Schwartz, Colleen O’Shaughnessey & Idris Elba all bring these different energies that work well when combined together. James Marsden and Tika Sumpter continue to be fun, and I am glad they found a way to bring them back into the fold when it looked like they would just be there for the opening. Some of the supporting cast from previous films are reduced to more of a cameo. Which is a shame, but at least they make those moments work, by bringing the humour.

We have known for a while now that Jim Carrey had mostly retired from acting unless there was a really good role. Indeed, the end of Sonic the Hedgehog 2 had a way of giving him an out if he didn’t want to come back. But clearly, they brought the goods because he is back not only as Dr. Ivo Robotnik but also as Ivo’s grandfather, Gerald Robotnik. With Jim Carrey playing across from Jim Carrey, well, they cram more slapstick jokes into five minutes than I have seen all year, with the possible exception of Hundreds of Beavers. It is clear that he is having so much fun with the role, and that infectious energy just radiates from the screen. So much so that I have not heard so many kids laughing during a screening in an age. It is also supported by good behind-the-scenes production. All the digital characters are impeccably animated, and I love that the music blended the original score with elements of Sonic’s old soundtracks, with some great needle drops.  

I know not everyone is a fan of when Keanu Reeves gives a very dour performance, but they make it work here. Firstly, because he is constantly juxtaposed with the Robotniks, which tempers that gloomyness. Secondly, it also suits that character. Part of this is because the narrative has a bit more strength than we have seen previously. While it still has its light and silly centre, this outing has a bit more space to explore some deeper issues like loss, revenge, and pain. It was good that Ben Schwartz got to bring a bit more range to his Sonic performance and how that played with the rest of the cast. So you get moments like Agent Stone (Lee Majdoub) being an emotional touchstone for the film, and also the story making the most of the Maria (Alyla Browne) character.

While I did have a blast with this film, it was also clear that it was not a perfect outing. I think that the pop-culture references will date this film hard, even more than previous entries, to the point that I felt like some of them were already outdated. I am unfortunately not sure why Krysten Ritter is in this film, given how little they give the character to do. It could possibly be something that got lost in the edit. Also, while the narrative was a real improvement, it suffered from some of the most obvious foreshadowing in the business. Gee, that real big heart-to-heart that we are having at the start of the film for no reason, I hope it won’t be a big life lesson that will be relevant in the third act that we will then cut back to this conversation to remind you even though we are making this as apparent as a loud gong.  

In the end, do we recommend Sonic the Hedgehog 3? Absolutely. I had a blast with this film; the target audience had fun with it, and I would almost recommend it for Jim Carrey alone. if nothing else, it was great to see the promise of those first two films finally realised. If you liked Sonic the Hedgehog 3, we would recommend to you The Wild Robot.

By Brian MacNamara: You can follow Brian on Twitter Here, when he’s not chatting about Movies and TV, he’ll be talking about International Relations, or the Solar System.

Have you watched Sonic the Hedgehog 3?, let us know what you thought in the comments below, feel free to share this review on any of the social medias and you can follow us Here. Check out all our past reviews and articles Here, and have a happy day. 


Credits – All images were created by the cast, crew, and production companies of Sonic the Hedgehog 3
Directed by – Jeff Fowler
Screenplay by – Pat Casey, Josh Miller & John Whittington
Story by – Pat Casey & Josh Miller
Based on – Sonic the Hedgehog by Hirokazu Yasuhara, Yuji Naka, Naoto Ohshima, Team Sonic & Sega
Music by – Tom Holkenborg
Cinematography by – Brandon Trost
Edited by – Al LeVine
Production/Distribution Companies – Sega Sammy Group, Original Film, Marza Animation Planet, Blur Studio & Paramount Pictures.
Starring – Ben Schwartz, Colleen O’Shaughnessey, Idris Elba, Keanu Reeves, Jim Carrey, James Marsden, Tika Sumpter, Lee Majdoub, Tom Butler, Krysten Ritter, Alyla Browne, Adam Pally, Natasha Rothwell, Shemar Moore, Jorma Taccone, Sofia Pernas & Cristo Fernández
Rating – Australia: PG; Canada: PG; Germany: na; New Zealand: na; United Kingdom: PG; United States: PG