Sonic the Hedgehog 3 – Movie Reviews by Ry!

Sonic the Hedgehog 3 – Black and Blue: A Sprint of Heart and Revenge

When it comes to film, the throughline of enjoyment will always be that inevitable escape.  From the imaginative display of fantasy to the heartfelt journey of romance, each circumstance pushes forward a place where our thoughts can rest within another world.  No matter how the story unfolds, if you feel that escape … then a smile will come.  In this review, I look at the next chapter of a popular video game adaptation.  Through a blend of imaginative detail and unique characters, Sonic the Hedgehog 3 is another wonderous escape of hope and heroes, shaded in blue.

In this third chapter, Sonic and friends face off against the ultimate life form.  With everything on the line, will Team Sonic be able to succeed before the world is destroyed?  To begin, if you’d like to see the list of voice actors and others, you can visit the film’s IMdb page (link).  With any series, each iteration becomes a place where creativity and longevity go hand in hand.  The filmmakers stand at this precious crossroads, trying to find the path that will keep the audience enticed along the journey.  With this third entry, it leads into more world-building without compromising the fun (from previous films).  In the beginning, we get a prologue that sets up the new baddie, Shadow the Hedgehog.  From here, we are reintroduced to Sonic, Knuckles and Tails, who are enjoying a peaceful vacation with their human family, Tom and Maddie.  After a series of cheesy moments and CGI fun, Team Sonic is recruited by GUN (a secretive government organization), to face off against this new threat.  This leads through a series of scenes of world building, combative moments and CGI creative sequences.  In the aftermath, we get an unsettling foundation of a twofold conflict … Sonic and Shadow’s rivalry and the overall ‘worldly’ threat impacted by Shadow’s presence.  These circumstances provide a linear throughline, building up the ‘hero vs. villains’ trope in Sonic’s video game lore.  The combination elevates the experience, providing a place where the indelible charm (of the characters) levels in raw emotional value.  This genuine appeal allows each scene to feel vivid within its slapstick humor, one-liners and endearing backstories.  The intuitive nature of the directive to bounce between generalities and fan-service material showcases a way to cater to all moviegoers while also displaying strong thematical elements of personal choice, tragedy and revenge.   

As Team Sonic continues their fight against Shadow, everything is further complicated by the return of the previous antagonist, Dr. Robotnik.  For all the aloof aspects of his caricature, his presence adds colorful value while also deepening the dynamic of the ongoing threat to the world.  As things continue towards an inevitable conflict, Sonic is faced with insurmountable odds that drive him to choices of a predictable nature.  Even with the elements of cliché heroics and convenient plot devices, the third act builds up the fun through amazing action sequences, emotional conflict and welcomed fan service moments.  In a race against time, Team Sonic brings us to a gratifying climax and a wholesome epilogue.  Sonic the Hedgehog 3 is another amazing ride within this series.  If you are a fan of this property, video game films or imaginative escapes, this is one for you.  I say it’s worth seeing on the big screen.

Full Score – 3.5 out of 5 (Matinee)