The Snapshot: The expanded focus on Sonic and his friends, plus a fantastic double feature from Jim Carrey, make Sonic 3 fun for families and fans alike.
Sonic the Hedgehog 3
7 out of 10
PG, 1hr 50mins. Sci-Fi Family Action Adventure Comedy.
Directed by Jeff Fowler.
Starring Ben Schwartz, Jim Carrey, Colleen O’Shaughnessey, Idris Elba, James Marsden, Tika Sumpter and Keanu Reeves.
Just when it looked like everyone’s favourite fast-paced hedgehog couldn’t amplify his movie series any more, here comes Sonic speeding in with a high-octane Christmas present.
Sonic the Hedgehog 3 is funnier, faster and more fan serving than his previous two movies. Surprisingly, it’s also the best in the series, bringing in a small dose of gravitas and self-reflection the first two movies only joke about.
For the plot of Sonic 3, Sonic (voiced with the manic glee of Ben Schwartz) and his friends finally face off in a video game-ish battle against the popular anti-hedgehog hero Shadow (voiced by the popular and brooding Keanu Reeves.)
What really matters though is how the story and tones expand to create the silly, supercharged world of Sonic and his pals for children on the big screen. That's where this threequel is stronger than 2022's second instalment.
Read more here: Sonic creates colourful chaos - Review
That’s also where director Jeff Fowler (leader of all three Sonic movies since 2020) has finally become comfortable in his vision and spent more time on the animated stars and less on the duller humans.
Sonic 3 is just as quirky, nerdy and childish as the first two movies, with a goofy and often convoluted screenplay to match.
But this new movie doesn’t try to counterbalance the nonsense with a family drama - Sonic 3 is pure action comedy, and it’s more effective at the fun because of that renewed focus.
Stealing the show yet again is legendary comedian Jim Carrey, whose returning performance as baddie Dr. Ivo Robotnik is compelling and funny as ever. In this film, he also gets to play opposite himself as Ivo’s grandfather, Reginald Robotnik.
As if Ivo wasn’t delirious enough, watching Carrey go full throttle in his metafiction and stylized persona opposite himself on screen is a pure delight. Somehow, he’s got even more endless, manic glee and gusto than Schwartz voicing Sonic himself.
If I have one critique of the new cast, Reeves is a well-suited actor to play Shadow and his morose, vengeful tone. The dialogue writing, however, is often clunky, so it’s hard to take Shadow seriously as a threat or opposite serious character to Sonic in the story.
Still, with fast-paced fun like this, Sonic is showing no signs of slowing down. A word of advice to fans: stay for the mid-credits scene, which continues the tradition at hinting which of Sonic’s friends will appear in the inevitable next sequel.
Of the many family-friendly offerings at the multiplex this Christmas, none of them are truly spectacular. And yet, if you’re looking for some PG moviegoing fun over the holidays, Sonic the Hedgehog 3 gets my vote as the appealing pick.
And besides, isn’t Christmas the perfect time to celebrate those five golden rings?
