With Sonic the hedgehog 3the live-action adaptation of Sega's fast-paced platformer is entering a new era. With each subsequent film, the Sonic movies have tried to shed the generic “family” movie image for one that was more honest about the anime twists and turns of the long-running platformer series. And this latest film is succeeding. Sonic 3 is a loose adaptation of one of the most popular stories in the series' 30-year history. While the film tweaks some things along the way, it does not shy away from the world-wide, supercharged melodrama that was different. Sonic from his contemporaries in the early 2000s. Sonic the hedgehog 3 still falls into the occasional trap of talking down to the audience of all ages with low-hanging jokes and some cringe-worthy parts, but more than that -never, the third movie earns the right to delve into the rest of the video game that made these characters so beloved in the first place.
While there are some lapses in judgment, Sonic 3its greatest strength is that it gives priority to the non-human characters, rather than sending them away in the service of the less interesting ones. After the big drop on the Hills the series 'The Story of Mankindit was a pleasure to see it Sonic 3 not only focus on the anthropomorphic monsters, but also give them some of the best material yet. Keanu Reeves' Shadow is the heart of the film. Although his backstory is slightly different from the games, the same lines of sadness and revenge flow through him. Reeves' performance in the Shadow generations Link-in DLC it was rough, but his soulful delivery in the film carries the weight that Shadow bears in the darkest stories the films have told.
Although the details are slightly different, Sonic 3 draws heavily from the dueling character aspect of the game it draws from the most, Sonic adventure 2. The film takes most of the key parts of that game, effectively defining the film in two tones depending on which fast hedgehog is central to any given scene. The moments when Shadow is in focus are as thoughtful and exciting as those in his Dreamcast game debut two decades ago. Sonic's scenes are, at the same time, cheerful and hopeful, with the anger of Shadow's darker story running through as the film tries to explore both characters' reactions to loss.
The clear duality Sonic 3 the attraction between Sonic and Shadow is what makes the film a more authentic video game adaptation than the previous films. More than just introducing familiar characters and lore, Sonic 3 actively changing structure and symmetry Sonic adventure 2 very much. Although the film is unfortunately missing a major player, as Rouge the Bat does not appear in it Sonic 3 as some have pointed out, the inconsistency between Sonic and Shadow, even as they seem to be equal in strength and skill, is the clearest sign of a director's intention that was too vague before. Sonic 3 shedding most of the falsehoods from previous films, such as Sonic 2and marriage subplot or the obscure pop culture references that have plagued these films. Instead, the film is clearly in pursuit of something that feels true to the source material and doesn't always speak to the kids in the room. Surprisingly enough, the film is one of the most poignant explorations of the contrast between Sonic and Shadow, coming from years of Shadow being treated like a bit player. He respects his characters enough that you don't discount the darker parts of who they are. Well, it does for the main characters, at least.
While I loved Sonic and Shadow's rivalry, I didn't expect it to come out Sonic 3 well on Jim Carrey's performance as Dr. Ivo “Eggman” Robotnik. Carrey has two roles in the film, reprising his role as the eccentric mad scientist, and Eggman's grandfather, Gerald Robotnik. Gerald has played an important but mostly posthumous role throughout the Sonic series, and I was wary of Carrey's portrayal of him in the trailers as the film seemed to take a more comedic approach to a character known for some of the more famous. spine chilling moments in the franchise. Gerald is alive and well (?) inside Sonic 3and it gives Carrey a chance to riff mostly by himself. While both characters have their moments, most of the biggest sins of these films can be seen while the Robotniks are on screen. It's in those moments where you get needle drops, unexpected dance breaks, and all the not-so-funny bits that come out of being an adult writing for kids they don't believe. something even a little sophisticated could be grasped. Almost everything falls under Carrey's screen time and feels like a waste of his talents and the mad scientists he plays.
Paramount's overreliance on human characters has been one of the most glaring issues of the Sonic movies. Accomplished actors playing Sonic's human friends were often given the worst material in the script and it made even the shortest scenes feel incredibly long. Sonic 3 he is not innocent of this, as Jessica Jones actor Krysten Ritter joins the cast as agent Director GUN Rockwell who is mostly a temporary foil to everyone before he is quickly sent off the table. The Hills series may not have been named as such, since Idris Elba's appearance on the beloved Echnida was barely in the show. For two movies, it felt like Carrey's relentless performance as Eggman was immune to this, but the movie does such a good job of keeping the focus on Sonic and Shadow that those who distracting, low-effort moves into his performance. the other place.
The best human interactions in Sonic 3 those that come back to his two leads, such as Alyla Browne's role as Shadow Maria's best friend, or Sonic's father/son relationship with James Marsden's small town cop, Tom. Lee Majdoub also gives a heartfelt performance reprising his role as Agent Stone dealing with his toxic relationship with ol' Egghead. But so much of the work of attracting children's attention with old things falls at Carrey's feet. He takes away the funny and funny timing he had in the first two films. I'm sure he was getting stuck on set, but he deserved better than what he had to work with.
Some of that touching happens only because Gerald is alive in this version of the story, and that's not the only difference even the most active. Sonic the follower will notice. There are a few important changes from game to movie that longtime fans will notice, but in general, Sonic 3 goes out of its way to preserve the AMV-fueled angst of the early 00s series, and pulls it off with something that's always entertaining, mostly respecting its characters and audience, and most importantly the spirit of the franchise. Sonic and Shadow is a blast to watch with an edge and style that feels even more electric than anything the first two movies even attempted, and its final battle to particularly raw, emotionally cathartic, and well-earned after three films and good films, gradually improving. bad tv show.
I think “earned” is the word that keeps my mind going as I think back Sonic 3. These movies have come a long way since Paramount debuted the horrible gremlin that was Ugly Sonic in the first trailer he has tried to wipe it from the internet ever since. Each film has gradually tried to capture more of the weird, heartfelt shit that has kept Sonic and Shadow in the hearts of millions even as the series has overcome bumps that would have ended the series. most other great rights. If you had told me 20 years ago that there is a live-action adaptation of Sonic adventure 2 would one day hit the big screen I don't think I would have believed you. If you had told me it would be good, I would have believed you less.
