Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: "Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show"

2024-12-18

GamesRadar+ VerdictFar too many characters are vying for screen time in this predictably plotted sequel, but thankfully a weird, wild, and utterly brilliant central performance from Jim Carrey makes this a fun watch. A fine, wheel-turning instalment in a continually burgeoning franchise that will no doubt continue for many years to come.Pros+Jim Carrey steals the movie as two Robotniks+Family-friendly fun with great action set pieces+Sonic at his most consistently funnyCons-Overstuffed with characters-Keanu Reeves’ Shadow is wasted-At times a simple, predictable plot

GamesRadar+ Verdict

Far too many characters are vying for screen time in this predictably plotted sequel, but thankfully a weird, wild, and utterly brilliant central performance from Jim Carrey makes this a fun watch. A fine, wheel-turning instalment in a continually burgeoning franchise that will no doubt continue for many years to come.

Pros+Jim Carrey steals the movie as two Robotniks+Family-friendly fun with great action set pieces+Sonic at his most consistently funny

Jim Carrey steals the movie as two Robotniks

Family-friendly fun with great action set pieces

Sonic at his most consistently funny

Cons-Overstuffed with characters-Keanu Reeves’ Shadow is wasted-At times a simple, predictable plot

Overstuffed with characters

Keanu Reeves’ Shadow is wasted

At times a simple, predictable plot

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Sonic shares more in common with Fast & Furious' Dominic Toretto than you might think. Sure, on the surface, one’s a blue hedgehog and the other’s a bulky Vin Diesel who’s welded to a Dodge Charger, but let me explain.

Both love going fast; both have an obsession with family; both are essentially superheroes; both are great at convincing their defeated rivals to join their gang; and both are leading franchises overloaded with too many characters.

That last point is the most pressing when it comes toSonic 3– there are too many humans and CGI animals vying for screen time. Not only has everyone and their literal grandfather shown up for this third outing, but we’re also introduced to a handful of new faces, including Keanu Reeves as Shadow, Krysten Ritter’s military leader Director Rockwell, and the rest of the villainous Robotnik family. There’s a lot to juggle…

Team Sonic

(Image credit: Paramount Pictures)

Sonic, Knuckles and Tails standing together during the trailer for Sonic the Hedgehog 3.

Sonic the Hedgehog 3 picks up directly after thesecond movie’s post-credit scenein which Shadow – the dark version of Sonic best known in the games for being the ultimate bad-ass anti-hero – wakes up after 50 years of being kept on ice. He quickly dismisses some guards, escapes, and battles ‘Team Sonic’ – that’s the Blue Blur, his foxy friend Tails, and the red echidna Knuckles – in Tokyo.

It’s a fairly fantastic action set piece, the colors and tone feeling like some strange, alternate-dimension version of John Wick as Sonic and a gun-toting Shadow race through the Japanese capital’s streets. Yet, minus one heartfelt (if slightly cliché) flashback sequence, that’s most of Shadow’s interesting stuff over.

He quickly becomes just another stooge for the evil Dr. Robotnik leading to Shadow predictably repeating the same character journey as Knuckles in the last movie (while Knuckles, despite having had aspin-off series, becomes essentially a one-joke punch-line here). Considering Shadow has been front-and-center of the marketing, as well as being a key character in the games, it’s a somewhat disappointing turn.

FAST FACTSRelease date:December 20 (US) / December 21 (UK)Available:In theatersDirector:Jeff FowlerRuntime:1hr 49 mins

FAST FACTS

Release date:December 20 (US) / December 21 (UK)Available:In theatersDirector:Jeff FowlerRuntime:1hr 49 mins

Release date:December 20 (US) / December 21 (UK)

Available:In theaters

Director:Jeff Fowler

Runtime:1hr 49 mins

Meanwhile, James Marsden and Tika Sumpter as Sonic’s adopted parents are equally underserved; a particularly egregious mistake considering how hungry the world is for more Marsden following his hilarious part in Amazon’s Jury Duty series.

Then there’s Lee Majdoub as Robotnik’s lackey Agent Stone, this time given a surprising emotional through-line that’s half-baked, and Ritter’s Rockwell, who barely registers as anything other than a hard-headed military type. Oh, and then Tails and Adam Pally’s Wade Whipple (who had a main role in the Knuckles series) somehow fit into proceedings too, plus a couple of cameos. Phew.

Seeing double

(Image credit: Paramount)

Jim Carrey as Dr. Robotnik in Sonic 3 (2024)

Still, despite half the characters getting a quarter of the screen time they deserve, there’s one returning actor who makes Sonic 3 completely and utterly watchable: Jim Carrey.

Seeing him once again embrace the silliness of being a literal moustache-twirling villain is an absolute treat, to the point where his dual roles as both Robotnik and his grandfather, Gerald Robotnik, overshadow everything else.

At one point, the actor gamely does a two-man dance number that’s more bizarre than words can describe. There’s also an early fourth-wall break that, in the wrong hands, could have been painfully unfunny, yet under Carrey’s control, is a laugh-out-loud moment. His enthusiasm is infectious, lifting every scene; like the other two Sonic movies, this one belongs to Carrey.

Seeing Jim Carrey once again embrace the silliness of being a literal moustache-twirling villain is an absolute treat

Director Jeff Fowler has previously likened Sonic to Harry Potter in the way the character is maturing at the same rate as the young audience does, and that’s certainly true of Sonic the Hedgehog 3. And while his journey of self-discovery and learning to be a better leader may feel familiar, he remains the heart of the series, which will no doubt continue to run for quite some time.

A family affair

(Image credit: Paramount)

Knuckles, Sonic and Tails in Sonic 3 (2024)

Plus, the sequel manages to stay under two hours in length, which feels like a minor miracle for a movie starring an Avengers-like number of characters.

Should Carrey, who hasconsistently hintedat retirement plans, decide not to return for Sonic 4, this will certainly be a fine trilogy capper. And if Carrey decides not to retire, it would continue to be a pleasure watching him go full balls-to-the-wall mode.

Sonic the Hedgehog 3 releases in US theaters on December 20, before hitting UK shores on December 21.

For more, check out our guide to theupcoming video game moviesto get on your radar, as well as our picks of thebest video game moviesof all time.

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GamesRadar+ Verdict

Team Sonic

Seeing double

A family affair

More info

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