‘Sonic the Hedgehog 3’ Hits Different with Its Mix of Love, Laughs, and Loss

At the end of Sonic the Hedgehog 2, fans were elated by the promise of Shadow joining the next installment of the franchise. The only thing that topped the excitement for the character was the announcement that Keanu Reeves would voice him — insert pandemonium here. Reeves voicing Shadow elevated the already stellar franchise. Encased in laugh-out-loud action, Sonic the Hedgehog 3 is a heartfelt story about navigating grief. Will you cry watching a Sonic film? You might.

Shadow breaks free from a military facility after being held in stasis for 50 years. Meanwhile, Sonic (Ben Schwartz; Parks and Recreation), Tails (Colleen O’Shaughnessey; Danny Phantom), and Knuckles (Idris Elba; Hijack) race to see who’s the fastest. The lighthearted competition serves as a distraction while Tom (James Marsden; Jury Duty) and Maddie (Tika Sumpter; Mixed-ish) set up decorations to celebrate Sonic’s “bearthday,” the anniversary of the day he landed on earth.

The celebration is cut short when G.U.N (Guardian Units of Nations) crashes the party to recruit Team Sonic to help them capture Shadow. When they arrive in Japan, the team is shocked to discover that Shadow is “far superior” to any other foe they’ve faced before. When their first attempt to subdue him fails, the team embarks on a journey to uncover more about this hedgehog. What they learn is beneath Shadow’s anger lies the weight of grief.

Director Jeff Fowler wields a story —penned by writers Pat Casey, Josh Miller, and John Whittington— that explores grief with care and nuance. It’s said that there are five stages of grief, though, in this film, Shadow is stuck in anger. He’s consumed by his pain and wants G.U.N to suffer the way he has for all those years.

Jim Carrey returns as Dr. Ivo Robotnik, aka Doctor Eggman, but he also doubles as his own grandfather, which made the movie a little egg-heavy. Carrey’s over-the-top character is multiplied not only in energy but also in screen time. There were several moments in the film where it felt like the joke was going a bit too long. Because of this, we don’t get enough of Shadow’s backstory, which is altered in this adaptation. We get glimpses through a flashback monologue but certain aspects of the story feel empty and vague — details that were clearer in the game. The film could’ve reallocated some of that time so we could have more moments with Shadow and a little more action, too.

Schwartz is hilarious as Sonic and once again delivers a stellar vocal performance. In fact, everyone does. This franchise continues to showcase some of the best casting in recent animated features, and Reeves as Shadow was the cherry on top. His voice carries an aching depth and warmth that compliments the anti-hero.

Sonic the Hedgehog 3 is filled with millennial-coded humor because Sonic is ours —he belongs to us. The writers do an excellent job of balancing the story with jokes that aren’t over the kids’ heads and cultural references for adults. By doing this, they craft new Sonic stories without displacing older fans, preserving the nostalgia for those who grew up with the games.

This film was a bit more heart-rendering than the others. Grief is a universal experience, and the film’s message resonates: Sonic helps Shadow cope with the loss of his friend by reminding him to replace anger with love. Acting out of revenge taints their memory, but keeping love at the forefront helps us move forward. That’s how we honor those we’ve lost.

The Sonic the Hedgehog franchise is Fast & Furious for kids. Because, at its core, it’s all about family —specifically found family. And like Fast & Furious, this franchise doesn’t seem to be slowing down any time soon. The two post-credit scenes tease big plans for future. Sonic the Hedgehog 3 is the perfect family movie to wrap up the year. Bring tissues —this one tugs at the heartstrings.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars