Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: Two times the Jim Carrey in this third movie
"You can't let your pain change who you are," James Marsden's Tom says to Sonic the Hedgehog early on in Sonic the Hedgehog 3. Because what else would this adaptation of the classic Sega video game series be about, other than trauma? Going super fast? Collecting rings? Beating Doctor Eggman? Nope, this movie is going to be about how pain shapes you. And in case it wasn't clear to the audience the first time it was delivered, the line is repeated later, as are multiple ones about making the right choices. I couldn't help but feel I had made all the wrong ones that led me to reviewing Sonic the Hedgehog 3.
Thankfully, this isn't the type of truly terrible video game adaptation that has been the norm for so many years, from the bizarre nonsense of 1993's Super Mario Bros. to the inept laziness of 2024's Borderlands, but that's also not to say that Sonic the Hedgehog 3 is actually good either. This third movie ends up somewhere in the middle, making it less-than-essential viewing for anyone over the age of 10 who didn't grow up with a Genesis or a Dreamcast in the house. (We were a Nintendo family.) It'll please kids and Sega devotees well enough, but it's likely to leave others bored, wishing the movie would move as fast as its blue hero does so they can do literally anything else.
What is Sonic the Hedgehog 3 about? (Other than trauma.)
Sonic the Hedgehog 3 begins on Prison Island in Tokyo Bay, Japan, where a mysterious hedgehog breaks out and wreaks havoc in the way that only a hedgehog played by the dude that starred as John Wick and Neo can. Shadow (voiced by Keanu Reeves) is leaving a path of destruction through Tokyo, and Sonic the hedgehog (voiced by Ben Schwartz), Tails the fox (voiced by Colleen O'Shaughnessey), and Knuckles the echidna (voiced by Idris Elba) are called in to help. But even together, they are no match for Shadow, who has plenty of power — and plenty of pain from a death in his past. Surprisingly, the evil Doctor Robotnik (Jim Carrey) might be the only one who can help Sonic defeat this new enemy, but can he be trusted?
With even more action sequences than its predecessors, Sonic the Hedgehog 3 feels like it's aiming for bigger things, sending the Blue Blur and his friends both around the world and beyond it, from Green Hills, Montana, to Tokyo and London and even into space. The fate of the Earth lies in their weird animated hands. The series seems to follow the model of Fast and the Furious franchise, getting more epic with each new installment and turning enemies into allies, as Knuckles and even Doctor Robotnik are brought into the fold. Beyond the emphasis on speed, both franchises are also all about family, especially as Doctor Robotnik finally gets one of his own with the introduction of his grandfather. Gerald Robotnik, who is also played by Carrey, is also evil — maybe even more so than his grandson.
The actor playing Doctor Robotnik continues to… Carrey the series.
Carrey remains the best part of this franchise, with his wild faces and manic line delivery. Schwartz might voice the eponymous speedster, but Carrey is the real star. Other than money, I can't quite figure out why these films exist, but I can't be too mad at anything that gives Carrey a chance to be this silly in movies meant for kids — especially when he gets to play two characters in this third film and mug twice as much.
Yet for all the silliness Carrey brings, Sonic the Hedgehog 3 gets a bit dark at times. Shadow is fueled by a desire to avenge the death of a young friend, and it feels a bit off when paired with Carrey's antics, as well as the one-liners from Schwartz and the gruff humor from Elba's Knuckles. Plot and character motivation have never really been this series' strength — both so much and so little happened in Sonic the Hedgehog 2 — and the story is certainly not the draw here. There are emeralds and keys and a dance sequence, because why not?
Where is James Marsden, and even more importantly, where is Natasha Rothwell?
But unfortunately with the double Carrey, the trip to space, and everything else, there's less room for the more human, heartfelt parts of the story that were present in early movies, which means less Marsden. Tom and Maddie (Tika Sumpter) have gotten less screen time with each installment, which means that the inevitable Sonic the Hedgehog 4 (which is teased in the requisite mid-credits sequence with a character I had to Google) will just have the adoptive hedgehog parents waving from the side of the road while Sonic races by, relegated to an Easter egg. Even in Sonic the Hedgehog 3, we only get cameos from Adam Pally and Natasha Rothwell, who were both highlights of the earlier movies and bring a delightfully different comic energy than either Carrey or Marsden.
The animated trio is the least interesting part of these movies, at least for adults. The CGI that inserts Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles into live-action scenes alongside human actors is fine enough, but it's difficult to invest in these characters and, by extension, the whole movie. The returning director Jeff Fowler and screenwriters Pat Casey, Josh Miller, and John Whittington don't seem interested in making you care if you don't already, which honestly makes sense. It's the third movie in the franchise: You're likely here because you liked the first two movies, your kids liked the first two movies, or you're getting paid to review it. It has some winking in-jokes for video game fans, but not enough actual jokes, especially outside of Carrey's role. Unless you count Schwartz's Sonic saying, "Konichi-whaaaaaaaa?" while in Tokyo, which I don't.
Despite that eye-roller of a line, Sonic the Hedgehog 3 isn't among either the worst video game adaptations or the worst kids' movies. It's a bit bland and boring whenever Carrey isn't on screen, but it's competently made, and it isn't grating. For better or for worse, it won't create the kind of pain that changes who you are. It's also shorter than Sonic the Hedgehog 2, so if you're only watching out of parental (or critical) obligations, it'll be quick — though sadly not as fast as Sonic himself.