Paramount’s Sonic 3 feels like an ending and a new beginning all at once. Videogame film adaptions have a tumultuous past but Jeff Fowler has been able to capture the magic of Sega’s mascot while creating a worthwhile family film series.

Sonic 3 is as much about the past as it is the future. This film introduces Shadow the Hedgehog to the series universe, a fan-favorite character with a dark past. Sonic 3 does a great job introducing not only Shadow but some of the darker themes that come along with the character while still remaining a family-friendly movie.

Shadow

The character of Shadow, and the Sonic world in general, is a silly and far-fetched one. We have to suspend disbelief when rooting for a blue hedgehog and a two-tail fox as our heroes. But Sonic 3 along with the other films in the franchise, do a great job balancing these ideas.

Shadow’s villainous motivations hinge on a loss that happens to him early in his life. The backstory differs slightly from the games to the screen, but the main plot beats are the same. In the games, it’s a silly plot beat delivered with the type of camp only made possible by the Sega Dreamcast. But here in Sonic 3, the beat lands much softer and with more heart. Instead of some weird ambiguous relationship between Shadow and a human companion, we get a clearer picture of the tragedy he faced. It only works after spending two movies with Sonic and his human best bud Donut Lord.

The Robotniks

While the plot is driven by Team Sonic, the star of the show is again Jim Carrey. Carrey is now pulling double duty as both Dr. Ivo Robotnik and his grandfather. It’s a role that looking back feels handpicked for Carrey to play. I’m not sure if this is the last we’ll see of Jim Carrey in the series, but going forward every performance of the Eggman will be compared to this one.

Jim Carrey brings his signature silliness to the Robotniks role, but it feels like he’s outdoing even himself in this one. His characters here are so goofy and outlandish that at times it’s impossible to see the actor behind the mustache. Comedic acting is a special form of talent, and Carrey delivers here in spades. He’s truly a master craft of his work and even if every joke doesn’t land, he’s always going for it.

Accepting Your Past

The main theme of Sonic 3 is overcoming trauma and not letting your trauma overcome you. It’s a lesson that’s borne out right at the beginning of the film and echoed multiple times through various characters. Robotnik must not let his evil grandfather define his life. Shadow has let his rage for past transgressions against him blind him to anything else in the world. And Sonic must be careful to not let the same emotions overcome him.

It’s a meaningful theme and done exceptionally well for a kid’s movie. Maybe it’s themes aren’t as deep as a film like Paddington. And maybe they aren’t delivered as emotionally as something like the Toy Story franchise. But Sonic 3 has something to say and it makes a strong case for the themes presented throughout.

Defining Your Future

The magic trick that Sonic 3 is able to pull off is with these big emotional themes, over-the-top action sequences, and outrageously goofy moments. The film always knows when it’s time to make a joke and when it’s time to be serious. There are no big emotional gut punches, but when a theme is being presented, it’s doing so in a respectful manner. Fowler is able to keep everything polished and deliver a strong film in the process.

Sonic 3 is constantly upping the stakes and delivering ridiculous moments. There are times when the movie feels like a 90s heist film and others when it feels like a Japanese anime. They all somehow work together to deliver a film that is greater than the sum of its parts.

Sonic 3 Going fast

Sonic 3 isn’t without its flaws. For a film about going lightning fast, it does drag a little after the first act. We get a long break in action that is mainly filled with scenes of Jim Carrey acting off himself. It’s entertaining enough and maybe will keep small kids entertained, but there is only so much lore-building you need in a Sonic movie. There are Chaos Emeralds and a Hedgehog with a gun. We don’t need too much exposition.

Once the film hits its second act climax the stakes really raise and the film never lets off the gas. The second act culminates in a pretty fun heist sequence before moving the action to space for an anime-inspired brawl. It’s ludicrous, over the top, and probably wouldn’t work in any other film. But Fowler has found that magic sweet spot where we can watch two golden Hedgehogs fighting in space and be on board with it.

Video Game Films

The 1993 Super Mario Bros movie proved that it ain’t easy to turn a video game into a movie. This is the third Sonic film directed by Jeff Fowler and while they aren’t perfect, he and writers Pat Casey and Josh Miller have found a pretty good template for video game movies. They need to respect the past but not let it define them. It’s a lesson Sonic learns in this film and one already known by Fowler and his team.

Sonic 3 respects the games it’s adapted from but the entire series isn’t a wink or nod to the series. It handles the material with heart and makes sure to get the most important thing right first. Delivering a good movie. Sonic 3 isn’t defining any genres or winning any awards. But it’s a coherent family-friendly film based on a video game that’s a lot of fun. Which is more than most video game adaptations can say.