Intro & Nostalgia:
The date is June 19, 2001. You’re a young buck who has saved up enough chore money to finally get the newest installment in the Sonic the Hedgehog video game series. You bug your parents to take you to Target, Best Buy, or GameStop so you can become the Blue Blur again! You rush home, throw it onto your Sega Genesis—or, if you’re like me, the Nintendo GameCube—and fire the game up! The opening video starts, and you get hyped as you see Sonic and a brand-new hedgehog grinding down what looks like the Golden Gate Bridge. They cross each other in midair as the banger soundtrack from Crush 40 thrashes through your TV.
Peak video game intro.
As you load up the menu, you notice something you’ve probably never seen before: a dual story mode. A Hero mode or a Dark mode. This was one of the first times, at least for me, you could ever play as the antagonist of the game. In the end, you join forces to stop a larger threat, as is common in most Sonic games. Sonic Adventure 2 was a banger of a video game that many fans of the franchise deem one of the best 3D Sonic games to date. Never in your wildest dreams did you think you would ever get a movie that followed this game, let alone a decent Sonic film. That is until a Chad by the name of Jeff Fowler said, “Hold my rings, bro.”
The Success Of Sonic:
What Jeff Fowler and the team behind the first two Sonic films, as well as the Knuckles spinoff show, have accomplished is nothing short of astonishing. From pivoting off their original design, listening to fans, and taking their time to ensure it’s the best movie experience—not just for fans of the games, but for families and casual moviegoers—speaks volumes about why the Sonic franchise has sped past the billion-dollar mark. Sonic the Hedgehog (2020) felt like Fowler caught blue lightning in a bottle, but it wasn’t until Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (2022) that we realized we had a real franchise on our hands.
Seemingly breaking the video game movie curse, there was a lot of pressure to stick the landing and nail a trilogy. Best way to do that? Easy. Make Keanu Reeves a broody edgelord who seeks revenge against the world that wronged him. Oh, and give him a gun.
Yeah, I’m thinking HE’S BACK.
The Review:
I went into the theater after, give or take, 5-6 beers—2 Asahi at lunch and about 4 more before heading into the movie. That was then followed by a red-and-blue slushie mixed with three 99 Bananas bottles. To say I was hyped for this movie is an understatement. Now, to finally get to the actual review.
This movie kicks serious ass. From the chemistry between Team Sonic to the relationships between Maria, Shadow, and the manipulative Dr. Robotnik, the cast brings such life to these characters. From Ben Schwartz’s Sonic, Colleen Shaughnessey’s iconic Tails, Idris Elba’s strong yet comical approach to Knuckles, and finally, Keanu portraying a sympathetic yet badass Shadow the Hedgehog.
The biggest star, to the surprise of absolutely nobody, is Jim Carrey and his portrayal of both Dr. Eggman and his grandfather, Dr. Robotnik. Jim Carrey can either be hilarious or a bit overkill with certain roles, so many felt like this could be too much Carrey. I am happy to say he crushes the double role. In fact, the chemistry between the two evil geniuses is honestly one of the best parts of the film. Not only that relationship, but also the relationship between Eggman and his trusted BFF, Agent Stone. Funny enough, it’s the most heartfelt relationship in the movie. The funniest joke in the Sonic movies is Jim Carrey retiring from acting only to come out of retirement to play in Sonic movies—and the joke still hits. But it’s not all about the jokes and the bonds these characters share. What about the action?
The action is incredibly enjoyable. From Shadow’s escape to the Japan fight to the final action sequences, this movie is visually entertaining and paces itself very well. Shadow’s abilities are showcased beautifully. Watching him skate rather than run gives a smoothness to his movements. One thing I will say as a bit of a negative—or what I can see being a negative for the future—is the lack of action from Knuckles or Tails. Though they aren’t the focus of this film compared to Sonic 2, I hope they don’t take the spotlight too far away from them as fighters. Though Tails is more of a support character, it would be fun to see more of his gadgets used, or Knuckles getting more time in the action. One way to fix that is something both Idris and Keanu suggested:
A spinoff Shadow and Knuckles project. Jeff, buddy, pal, MAKE THIS HAPPEN! You have the recipe with the Shadow the Hedgehog video game. Just make it happen!
There are tons of Easter eggs as well as two post-credit scenes that will leave you waiting for 2027 when Sonic 4 releases. From the Chao to the music, this movie is a thank-you to the fans and everyone who has supported this franchise from the start. If every production team—looking at you, SONY—cared about movies as much as this team cares about Sonic, movies would be a lot better across the board. Sorry, Mufasa, but you can’t compete with this kind of hype.
Final score: 8.8/10
An exciting ripper of a film that will leave you wanting more!
