Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (2024) Paramount/Action-Adventure-Comedy RT: 110 minutes Rated PG (action, some violence, rude humor, thematic elements, mild language) Director: Jeff Fowler Screenplay: Pat Casey, Josh Miller and John Whittington Music: Tom Holkenborg Cinematography: Brandon Trost Release date: December 20, 2024 (US) Cast: Jim Carrey, James Marsden, Tika Sumpter, Krysten Ritter, Natasha Rothwell, Shemar Moore, Lee Majdoub, Tom Butler, Adam Pally, Alyla Browne. Voice cast: Ben Schwartz, Colleen O’Shaughnessey, Idris Elba, Keanu Reeves.
Rating: **
This is the review I’d like to file for Sonic the Hedgehog 3: It’s Sonic the Hedgehog. It’s his third movie. If you like the other two, there’s no reason you won’t like this one. That is all.
This is the comment I wrote on my Facebook page about it: “NEXT!”
Although succinct and to the point, I know I have to elaborate about Sonic the Hedgehog 3. I guess I’ll start with an observation I made. I could hardly believe it, but there were more people in attendance for the latest Sonic adventure than for Mufasa: The Lion King. My disbelief grew when the manager on duty told me Sonic was outselling Mufasa by a substantial margin. I figured Disney had a lock on this weekend. I’m interested to see the final box office figures come Sunday night.
Based on the popular video game franchise from Sega, Sonic the Hedgehog 3 is marginally better than the last movie which still isn’t saying much. If nothing else, it has a lot of energy, most of it from Jim Carrey playing dual roles, villains Dr. Robotnik and his long-lost grandfather Professor Robotnik. Interesting side note, when asked why he came out of retirement to do the three-quel, he replied “I bought a lot of stuff and I need the money.” Ah, so it’s a paycheck movie. Yeah, that checks out. In any event, Sonic the Hedgehog 3 is almost always in motion. The kiddies won’t get bored. Their parents, I’m afraid that’s a different story.
Does it even matter what Sonic the Hedgehog 3 is about? If you ask me, I’d say it’s about 15 minutes too long. There’s no reason it needs to run close to two hours. Then again, some kids spend about 6-8 hours a day playing video games. A nearly two-hour movie featuring one of their favorite characters isn’t going to faze them. ANYWAY, here’s the plot such as it is. Sonic (voice of Ben Schwartz) and his teammates/siblings Tails (O’Shaughnessy, Digimon) and Knuckles (Elba, Thor) are called into action when another anthropomorphic hedgehog Shadow (Reeves, Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure) escapes from a maximum security government facility and starts wreaking havoc.
In order to stop him, they’re going to have to team up with Dr. Robotnik, seriously out of shape from years of sitting around, scarfing junk food and binge watching telenovelas. Their mission will bring them into contact with Professor Robotnik who was originally in charge of the secret government program involving Shadow. He’s trying to get his hand on the two key cards he needs to activate a super-weapon he built. It’s an orbital laser capable of mass destruction. He and Shadow are after the same thing, revenge for the death of the Professor’s granddaughter (Browne) by government forces.
As I write this review, I’m still debating whether or not I should actually publish it. Am I even the right person to review Sonic the Hedgehog 3? I’ve never played any of the games or watched any of the shows. I’m not familiar with the Sonic universe outside the movie series. I’m not a fan and that’s primarily where the trouble lies. The films are for the fans who will probably love it. I’ve already seen some positive reviews on-line. Not that it matters anyway because a movie like Sonic the Hedgehog 3 is essentially review-proof. Its target audience will see it regardless of what an old school film critic like me says about it.
If I may digress a bit, let me tell you what was going through my head while I watched Sonic the Hedgehog 3 this morning. I started thinking about the movies that came out at Christmas during my misspent youth in the 80s, 1984 in particular. What a great selection! I could open up the newspaper and choose from a variety of cool titles like Beverly Hills Cop, 2010, City Heat, The Cotton Club, Amadeus, A Passage to India, Dune, Starman, The Flamingo Kid, Johnny Dangerously, Protocol, Runaway and Breakin’ 2: Electric Boogaloo. 40 years later, we get empty vessels like Moana 2, Kraven the Hunter, The Lord of the Rings anime, Mufasa: The Lion King and Sonic the Hedgehog 3. It’s hardly what I call progress.
ANYWAY, it would be pointless to offer up any critique of Sonic the Hedgehog 3. Who in that audience cares a fig about trivialities like acting, writing, music and directing? It’s exactly what you would expect. James Marsden and Tika Sumpter return as Sonic’s adoptive earth parents who help their alien charge yet again in his mission to save the world. Keanu sounds sincere in his efforts to humanize Shadow. I’ll give Sonic the Hedgehog 3 credit for trying to have something resembling a heart. It wants you to feel for Shadow who never got over the loss of his only human friend- i.e. the granddaughter.
Okay, I’ve elaborated. Are you all satisfied? I hope so because I’d really like to put this one behind me and move on. At least until Sonic 4 which is all but promised by mid and end credits scenes. You’ll excuse me if I don’t jump for joy.
