‘Sonic the Hedgehog 3’ Bests Its Predecessors With More High-Octane Action and Heart

Alci Rengifo

You might walk into “Sonic the Hedgehog 3” expecting the usual gags and laughs from the last two movies based on the famous Sega game. Instead, this is a slightly darker, existential take on the material, with themes of loss, nostalgia, self-sacrifice and toxic male family figures. What? Yes, indeed. The franchise is not suddenly elevated to the level of a Christopher Nolan opus, but by making it a bit moodier, director Jeff Fowler does find a stronger cohesion for the story. Even then, “dark” for Sonic just means the world might get exploded by a villain with a giant mechanical hand, in this case played with maniacal glee by Jim Carrey. For fans and younger audiences, it is still distracting fun. 

Picking up from the events of “Sonic the Hedgehog 2,” Sonic (Ben Schwartz) is now joined by fellow alien furries Knuckles (Idris Elba) and Tails (Colleen O’Shaughnessey) in living with human guardians Tom (James Marsden) and Maddie (Tika Sumpter). Government agents then arrive because they need Sonic and friends’ help with a crisis in Tokyo, where a fellow alien is causing havoc. This turns out to be Shadow (Keanu Reeves), a red-striped black hedgehog who has escaped from a government lab where he was floating in a vat for 50 years. Shadow and Sonic are stunned to see how similar they are, though the former is bent on getting revenge for the loss of his friend, a young girl who treated him with kindness in the laboratory. Someone else shows up to take advantage of the situation, Gerald Robotnik (Carrey), the mad scientist grandfather of Sonic’s arch nemesis, Dr. Ivo Robotnik (also Carrey). 

Sometimes going back to certain tropes can help a franchise. The first two “Sonic the Hedgehog” movies were successes at the box offices yet weren’t that good as narratives. Fans of the game and character flocked to theaters for more of the thrill of catching the Easter eggs. “Sonic the Hedgehog 3” raises the stakes nicely to give Sonic and his team a better reason to exist by truly basking in the wacky nature of the material. Like “The Super Mario Bros. Movie,” this one works by focusing on pulling a movie out of its concept, as opposed to forcing the video game idea into a movie. Fowler, who made the first two movies, switches gears and keeps the family-friendly tone while delivering more of a genuine action thriller. The screenplay by Pat Casey, Josh Miller and John Whittington allows for stronger inside jokes and satire this time around. Even 2011’s “Green Lantern” gets a jab in the dialogue. 

Two good performances emerge with differing tones as well. Keanu Reeves’ voices Shadow with a genuine, melancholic heart. The actor is taking the role seriously and it’s a fun way to cap off a year where Reeves also became a published author with a novel co-written with China Mieville. He gives Shadow the dimension of a wounded villain, driven to destroy because he lost someone. Jim Carrey then compliments with one of his wildest roles in years. The actor we all remember from movies like “The Mask” returns by being allowed to go farther in playing dual roles. There are bits of tragedy here too. Ivo is so happy to find a family member he believes genuinely loves him. Gerald is a total megalomaniac who wants to blow up the earth with a massive device because he can. When Ivo attempts to talk back he gets thoroughly spanked and mocked by the older relative with a giant robotic hand. Carrey gives each Robotnik a fresh personality, playing the roles to the limits of insanity. Adults will laugh, kids might get a good early warning of toxic domineering figures in life.

The plot climaxes high above earth in a claw-like space station where Sonic, Knuckles and Tails battle Gerald and Shadow. Some of the franchise’s best visuals take place during these moments where the CGI doesn’t overload. Oldies but goodies when it comes to action scenes work well. Sonic nearly burning through the atmosphere, with Tails trying to catch up in order to save him is genuinely exciting. Would you believe someone if they told you the Robotnik’s final showdown in the station becomes cartoonish yet operatic? “Sonic the Hedgehog 3” is a curious example of popcorn distraction trying a little harder and it pays off. Right when it seemed like this was destined to be another endless, increasingly stale wheel, the filmmakers strive to make it better. Fans will still get a bonus scene where yet another set of popular characters from the game literally land into the franchise, but if they keep up this level of improvement, a fourth installment might not be so bad.

“Sonic the Hedgehog 3” releases Dec. 20 in theaters nationwide.