After the release of “Sonic The Hedgehog 2,” legendary actor Jim Carrey hinted that he was planning on retiring, jesting he may only return if presented with a script printed in gold ink. But against all odds, director Jeff Fowler managed to pull Carrey back in with the script for “Sonic the Hedgehog 3,” printed in gold ink that Fowler said cost around $100,000.
After its release on Dec. 20, 2024, it became clear that the contents of that script lived up to the golden ink it was printed in.
“Sonic the Hedgehog 3” clearly shows to any viewer why Carrey made a return. The most impressive aspect of the film is how it integrates new characters, primarily Shadow the Hedgehog, into the Sonic universe.
Shadow, voiced by Keanu Reeves, carries with him a tragic past that is explored in short flashbacks, keeping viewers on the edge of their seats. The perfect pacing maintained mystery surrounding Shadow’s motives. The movie’s pace is also preserved by cutting most of the human side plots that arguably dragged down the second movie.
Reeves does a commendable job voicing Shadow, and his fellow cast members delivered an equally noteworthy performance. The acting across the board is stellar, as there are no weak links among names like Idris Elba, James Marsden and Ben Schwartz. Schwartz especially brings an earnest and genuine interpretation of Sonic that remains a foundational piece of this movie franchise.
Carrey proves himself as a talent by playing two characters simultaneously. He manages to give personality to each character and proves his comedic skills have not been lost in time. Carrey is the beating heart of the movie and delivers sincere scenes at one moment and laugh-out-loud funny scenes in the next.
“Sonic 3” is so much more than just a comedic movie. It smartly weaves in adult themes and messages in a digestible manner that all ages can appreciate. For example, the story touches on important lessons such as revenge and grief.
Even so, there is still the simple fun that people have come to expect from Sonic movies. The action scenes are well-crafted and never fail to add tension to the story, stressing the scale of the conflict and keeping the audience invested.
The only noticeable shortcoming the movie has is that it uses most of its screen time on its star-studded cast at the expense of developing the antagonist organization Guardian Units of Nations. Across the three Sonic movies and one series spinoff, what the acronym stands for is only said once. “Sonic 3” had the opportunity to elaborate on this mysterious organization, but opted not to do so to keep the story tight.
Nevertheless, this does not detract from the fact that “Sonic 3” is nothing less than a triumph and a compelling reminder of the powerful messages that can be contained in movies directed at kids. Just like Maria Robotnik, “Sonic 3” will sit amongst the stars sharing its light for years to come, and I have no doubt that the newly greenlit fourth movie will match its bright intensity.
Email: [email protected]
X: @DannyMOGrady04
Related Stories:
— Reel Thoughts: ‘Knuckles’ comes out swinging
— Reel Thoughts: ‘The Super Mario Bros. Movie’ shoots for the stars, avoids a red shell
— Reel Thoughts: ‘Fallout’ goes out with a bang
