“Sonic the Hedgehog 3” is the newest addition to the trilogy created by Paramount Pictures that started back in 2020. It retells a familiar tale for old fans to relive and for newer ones to experience for the first time. The movie was released on Dec. 20, 2024, in theaters and recently released digitally for everyone to see the blue blur at home.
I grew up with the Sonic games as a child, and seeing him on the big screen is still hard to wrap my head around. How has the third movie performed compared to the previous two?
The story retells the tale from the 2001 video game “Sonic Adventure 2” in which the ultimate lifeform, Shadow the Hedgehog, has awakened from his 50-year-long stasis. His goal is to seek revenge on Earth for taking away the only person who cared for him. It is up to Sonic the Hedgehog, his best friend Miles “Tails” Prower and former foe Knuckles the Echidna to stop Shadow before he can complete his mission.
The majority of the plot comes from the game, but the directors changed some plot points to make it feel like a new experience. Alongside that, the newest addition to the cast, Keanu Reeves, plays Shadow the Hedgehog. He is an incredible actor who has played numerous roles in movies over the years, now, lending his voice to a fan-favorite character.
This movie gets right into the action with the two hedgehogs colliding. It also shows what a silly character, like Sonic was in the first two movies, could have become if he followed Shadow’s path when it came to loss. The movie did have comedic moments to lighten up but not so much that it killed the feel of what the story was trying to portray. It is about someone who felt lost in this world until they found the right person to make them feel like family. Sonic goes on to live that happiness and never forgets the memories he shared with past or current loved ones. Shadow, on the other hand, still had so much to learn about dealing with the idea of loss and anger.
The soundtrack this time around was pleasant and included many references to past Sonic soundtracks that most fans would catch on to. There were even specific phrases said in the movie that nod to the game it was inspired by. The visuals were the best the trilogy had to offer, with many of the chase, fight and climax scenes exceeding many fans’ expectations.
It truly felt like I was a kid again, reliving a story I had come to love for years and be presented in the best way possible. The end credits also leave even more excitement to come with their already announced “Sonic the Hedgehog 4” movie in production that will have people wait in anticipation, hoping for the next few years to speed on by.
“Sonic the Hedgehog 3” is a dream movie that fans have been excited about for years. Personally, it is a film anyone should go and see, whether it is alone, with friends or with family. This movie felt as if anyone could go and still come out feeling satisfied. I’m giving “Sonic the Hedgehog 3” five out of five Loper stars.
