‘Sonic The Hedgehog 3’ – The best Sonic yet

It’s hard to talk about Sonic without remembering how far he has come. After all, one redesign of the title character changed the game, allowing for a franchise to be born. One that seems to be getting bigger and better with each entry. Despite saving the world from a giant rampaging robot in the last film, Sonic The Hedgehog 3 significantly ups the ante, delivering the most dramatic and compelling one yet.

As the story has developed, so have the characters. Sonic sped onto the scene as a lonely alien playing baseball with himself. Now, he’s a member of a full-fledged family, celebrating the anniversary of his arrival on Earth with two other aliens and his human companions. It’s a touching way to start the film and a reminder of how far he has come and just how much he has to lose.

Loss is the central theme of Sonic The Hedgehog 3, with fan favourite character Shadow The Hedgehog presented as the living embodiment of grief. Though powerful and quick, Sonic and his friends can’t hold a candle to the sheer might of the Keanu Reeves-voiced villain. Watching a group of anthropromorphised colourful animals battle it out in the streets of Tokyo shouldn’t be nearly this exciting, but the action choreography is well-balanced, character driven, and just plain fun.

As dramatic as it sounds, it should be made abundantly clear how deeply unserious Sonic The Hedgehog 3 is. Sonic and his friends are quick to quip, but the bulk of the comedy comes from Jim Carrey’s double duty play as Doctors Ivo and Gerald Robotnik. Carrey on his own is a force to be reckoned with, but performing against himself is a blend of facial contorting and physical comedy that’s undeniable.

It’s extremely silly watching Carrey command the screen, which makes it even more impressive that the film is able to maintain such levels of whimsy yet still find its footing for the darker aspects. Shadow’s backstory is moving and provides a great motivation for his character while Sonic has a journey to learn to rely on others after years of having to survive on his own. The characters each have something to do and reasons for doing them that don’t feel manufactured for the sake of slick action. That said, the action scenes are incredible, with a distinct animé influence that makes great use of the giant cinema screen.

Sonic The Hedgehog 3 feels like a labour of love from someone well versed not only in Sonic The Hedgehog lore, but how to present it on screen. Jeff Fowler’s series of Sonic movies continue to go further and faster than any could have predicted and shows no signs of stopping. By the end, you’ll not only want to see Sonic The Hedgehog 3 again, but you’ll be itching for the next chapter.

Rating: Big Screen Watch

Damian Levy is a film critic and podcaster for Damian Michael Movies.