The plot finds a hedgehog named Shadow (voiced by Keanu Reeves) escaping from fifty years of government-mandated stasis. He’s hell-bent on getting revenge against humanity for a tragedy that occurred just before his captivity. The individual responsible for freeing him is Professor Gerald Robotnik (Jim Carrey), the grandfather of franchise villain Ivo Robotnik (also Carrey). To prevent them from launching a devastating attack on Earth, Sonic (Ben Schwartz) and pals Tails (Colleen O’Shaughnessey) and Knuckles (Idris Elba) have no choice but to join forces with Ivo.
A whole lot goes on in the movie. Among other things, we’re treated to a motorcycle chase, a fistfight that finds its participants knocking each other into various countries, a sequence where two people have to make their way through a field of laser beams, and a finale that takes place partially in space. The plot may be over-cluttered, but you can’t say it’s boring. Something major is constantly happening, be it action scene, elaborate visual effects shot, or bit of physical comedy. Director Jeff Fowler once again stages it all in a fast-paced manner that prioritizes fun over logic.
Jim Carrey is a major contributor to the entertainment level, as he gets to play two roles. That’s obviously a gimmick – one the movie acknowledges with a hilarious fourth wall break – and yet it completely works. The actor cheerfully goes over the top as both Robotniks. His offbeat line delivery and facial expressions provide frequent huge laughs. When we see Ivo for the first time, disheveled and watching a Spanish telenovela in a depressed stupor, it’s hard not to giggle at the comically pathetic quality Carrey brings to him. Similarly pleasing is the way he mimics his own performance as Ivo by having Gerald share certain traits, albeit in a geriatric fashion.
Most movies based on video games are bad. How have the three Sonics avoided that curse? I think it’s because there’s a charm to them. They stay true to the source material without becoming rigid with it. If you’ve played the games, the films give you what you want. If you haven’t, you can still enjoy the wacky humor and creative action without feeling as though you need to become a member of a secret society to understand what’s going on – a pitfall suffered by the likes of Warcraft, Borderlands, and Five Nights at Freddy’s. Schwartz’s winning voicework as Sonic shouldn’t be underestimated, either. He makes the hedgehog accessible to viewers of all stripes.
I’m glad I haven’t lost the ability to enjoy something like Sonic the Hedgehog 3. Watching it awakened the child still somewhere inside of me – the child who spent his days playing the Atari 2600 and obsessing over Star Wars and Tron. The film has a jovial spirit that captures the sensation of being a kid and losing yourself in a really amazing video game for a couple hours.
out of four
Sonic the Hedgehog 3 is rated PG for action, some violence, rude humor, thematic elements, and mild language. The running time is 1 hour and 49 minutes.
© 2024 Mike McGranaghan