‘Sonic the Hedgehog 3’ review: great sequel within a great franchise
Director: Jeff Fowler | Script: Pat Casey, Josh Miller, John Whittington | Cast: Jim Carrey (Dr. Robotnik), Ben Schwartz (Sonic – root), Keanu Reeves (Shadow – root), Colleen O’Shaughnessey (Tails – root), Idris Elba (Knuckles – root), James Marsden (Tom), Tika Sumpter (Maddie), each | Playing time: 110 minutes | Year: 2024
The blue speedster who Paramount and Sega claim is a hedgehog returns for his third adventure. And thankfully so does Jim Carrey’s Dr. Robotnic. This time the crazy inventor is not competing against a new enemy, but together with Sonic and his friends. At least that’s what it seems at first. But Eggman wouldn’t be Eggman if he didn’t try to take over the world. As he himself says: “There is something in my nature that makes me unattractive to all possible genders.”
Sonic the hedgehog 3 is another fast-paced action comedy for young viewers, with enough winks and nostalgic pop culture references so that the adults who accompany it will also have a great time.
The plot (something involving a new hedgehog, two keys and a weapon of mass destruction) has little to do with it, but it’s a good excuse to throw all kinds of flashy action scenes and a barrage of pretty funny jokes at the viewer.
There’s plenty of psychological humor, wordplay, and, of course, variations on the characters’ inherent comedic abilities. Sonic doing all kinds of touristy things in London during a desperate mission is priceless.
But the greatest comedic asset is, of course, Jim Carrey, this time in a double role that the film itself makes fun of. “It’s almost as if the same actor were playing two members of a family.” Carrey has joked several times that he took on this role simply because the stove has to stay on, but he certainly doesn’t jump into it.
The man once again puts one hundred and ten percent into his inimitable facial expressions, intonation and physical antics. The two mustachioed characters he plays have the best scenes together. The chemistry between Carrey and Carrey is wonderful. The visual effects to show both simultaneously are also of an excellent level. The world of cinema has advanced significantly since David gave flute lessons to Walter Foreigner: Covenant. And then that dance…
Fortunately, this movie focuses mainly on Eggman, Sonic and a new antagonist and less on Tom and his family like in the second part. It’s not that Tika Sumpter and James Marsden as the space hedgehog’s human friends aren’t funny at all, but it feels a little like the movie is on pause as soon as they come to the foreground. Eggman and those furry creatures, that’s why we come to the movies!
It’s a shame that the final act once again gets bogged down in an endless series of battles with all kinds of technology, robot soldiers, lightning from the sky, an apocalyptic timer and magical powers. It is part of the genre, but the Sonic the hedgehogThe franchise itself is fresh enough to resolve it another way. Well, maybe in the next part, which is already unmistakably hinted at during the end credits? Hopefully, Jim Carrey will be short of cash again by then.