Paramount and Sega are ready to go fast with Sonic with the gang for his third movie.
The first Sonic movie released on Feb. 14, 2020, and became the highest-grossing video game movie in North America with praise from general audiences. A sequel released on April 8, 2022, and it was more beloved than the first. A third movie was teased at the end of the second movie and this is the result.
Shadow (Keanu Reeves) has awakened from his 50-year slumber on Prison Island and is ready to enact revenge on G.U.N. who took Maria (Alyla Browne) away from him. G.U.N. calls upon Sonic (Ben Schwartz), Tails (Colleen O’Shaughnessey) and Knuckles (Idris Elba) to deal with Shadow. When he overpowers them, they create an uneasy alliance with Dr. Robotnik (Jim Carrey) and Agent Stone (Lee Majdoub) to stop Shadow before he destroys G.U.N.
Fans of the franchise will recognize that the movie is an adaptation of one of the most beloved Sonic games, Sonic Adventure 2. Transitioning the game to a movie is always a difficult task. How well did they adapt the game?
The character dynamics remain the heart of the movie. Almost every character has a quip or a heartfelt moment to share with each other. It’s especially true between Sonic and Shadow as they parallel each other in how they deal with pain. Shadow shows what would have happened if Sonic let the pain determine who he is.
Keanu Reeves did an amazing job bringing Shadow to the big screen. His vocal performance captured the angst and torture from his video game counterpart. When he has sentimental moments, he sells them extremely well to have the audience engaged with his character.
The comedy was hilarious to the audience. Some of the jokes left the audience dead silent while the majority of them got big laughs. One joke that was hilarious from start to finish was when Dr. Robotnik performed a goofy dance inside G.U.N. headquarters.
The action scenes were fantastic. The fights between Sonic and Shadow were intense, and thrilling, and had audiences pumped and on the edge of their seats. The varying speeds, the different shots and the way they impact the environment with their fighting were better than what came from the previous two movies.
While the movie used licensed music, some songs from the Sonic franchise made its way in. The highlight was the inclusion of fan favorite, “Live and Learn” by Crush 40 and remixed by Junkie XL. The audience got excited when the song started playing.
The final act was the best part of the movie. Not only does it provide amazing fight sequences, but there was extreme tension that left the audience worried about the characters. As the final act was coming to a close, the audience was shocked and relieved about the outcome.
Fans of the franchise will love how well they handle Shadow, the character dynamics, action, comedy and the final act. For those who don’t know the franchise, they will be entertained and satisfied with Sonic and the gang.
The blue blur delivers his best movie yet to fans and audiences alike and will have those who have seen it saying “Gotta go fast.”
