Review: ‘Sonic the Hedgehog 3’ keeps franchise spinning at frenetic pace
As a movie enthusiast who has seen his fair share of animated films and action comedies, I must say that “Sonic the Hedgehog 3” is a delightful rollercoaster ride that leaves you both entertained and contemplative. The humor, self-referential jokes, and fast-paced visual style are reminiscent of a sugar rush, keeping you on your toes and giggling throughout.
As a supporter, I’ve been consistently amazed by the “Sonic the Hedgehog” movies. They never fail to be hilarious, self-referential, and surprisingly insightful. Remember when the initial design for Sonic caused an online uproar back in 2020? But the creative team listened, redesigned the character, and exceeded expectations. Now, with a third movie hitting theaters, it’s clear that this series isn’t slowing down anytime soon!
Under Jeff Fowler’s fast-paced direction, “Sonic the Hedgehog 3” is a noisy, chaotic, and at times cheesy spectacle, characterized by a striking visual style that leaves your eyes popping out – a true feast for the retinas. However, the script penned by Pat Casey, Josh Miller, and John Whittington is witty, filled with clever puns, and maintains an amusing tone, avoiding any pretentiousness. It’s essentially a smart play within the genre, tailored for young audiences (a twist on “Mission: Impossible” this time), that delights in breaking the fourth wall to share the jokes with us all.
As a cinephile, I can’t help but notice the clever nods to action-packed classics like “The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift” and “John Wick.” Intriguingly, they’ve cast Keanu Reeves as Shadow the Hedgehog, a grittier, revenge-seeking version of Sonic. On the other hand, Ben Schwartz is back with his lively voiceover for our speedy, optimistic alien protagonist, Sonic, who’s always “gotta go fast.
But the real reason to give the “Sonic” films a chance is a bravura performance of pure clownery from Jim Carrey as Sonic foe Dr. Robotnik (forgive me, I did chuckle when Sonic cheekily refers to him as “Dr. Robuttstink,” it’s been a long year). And in the third installment, it’s double the Robotnik, double the fun and twice the chance for Carrey to demonstrate the brand of outsized physical humor that made him famous. Carrey co-stars as his character’s own grandfather, Gerald Robotnik, who experimented on Shadow in a secretive military lab 50 years ago.
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The plot is some gobbledygook about a key and a space laser that Robotnik the elder and Shadow would like to use to blow up the Earth because they’re angry at the loss of a dear grandchild and friend, Maria (Alyla Browne). Robotnik the younger joins the mission in the interest of family bonding, while Team Sonic, which includes grumpy Knuckles (Idris Elba) and perky Tails (Colleen O’Shaughnessey), as well as their human caretakers, Tom and Maddie (James Marsden and Tika Sumpter), band together to try and stop the Robotniks, and learn some important lessons about teamwork and cooperation along the way.
In the midst of all the confusion, dance scenes, and puzzling character swaps (Krysten Ritter momentarily appears in a role that seems to have been heavily edited), “Sonic the Hedgehog 3” unexpectedly pauses, offering an unusually profound discussion about grief and loss. This conversation takes place between two animated hedgehogs on the moon, which makes it even more surreal, yet Reeves’ voice acting convincingly delivers this poignant reflection on coping with the pain of losing someone dear. During this emotional scene, Shadow and Sonic come to understand that clinging to isolation and resentment is not a fitting way to remember a departed loved one.
The show continues unabated (it has not one but two sneak peeks after the credits), yet each new installment seems to deliver less on character development and formula. However, as long as they maintain their quirky, humor that breaks the fourth wall and heartfelt themes promoting unity, the Sonic series could potentially endure.
Katie Walsh is a Tribune News Service film critic.
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2024-12-21 03:01