Unforgettable Triumph: Top-Rated Thrills in the Finale Movie Series

Sonic the Hedgehog 3: A Sonic Adventure like No Other

The world of Sonic the Hedgehog is entering a new era, and it’s not just the blue blur who’s speeding into the fray. With each subsequent movie, the Sonic films have sought to shed their "family" movie image for one that’s more authentic to the anime-inspired twists and turns of the long-running platformer series. And this latest film succeeds. Sonic the Hedgehog 3 is a loose adaptation of one of the most beloved stories in all of the series’ 30 years.

A Tale of Two Heroes

While there are a few lapses in judgment, Sonic 3‘s greatest strength is that it prioritizes its non-human characters, rather than sidelining them in service of the less-interesting humans. After the colossal letdown of the Knuckles series’ human-centric story, I was relieved to see Sonic 3 not only focus on the anthropomorphic aliens, but also give them some of their best material yet. Keanu Reeves’ Shadow is the heart of the film. Though his backstory differs slightly from the games, the same throughlines of grief and vengeance flow through him. Reeves’ performance in the Shadow Generations tie-in DLC was rough, but his soulful delivery in the film carries the heavy weight Shadow bears in the darkest stories the movies have told.

A Balance of Tone

The movie takes most of Sonic Adventure 2‘s key components, effectively delineating the film into two tones depending on which speedy hedgehog is at the center of any given scene. The moments when Shadow is the focus are as contemplative and evocative as the ones in his debut in the Dreamcast game two decades ago. Sonic’s scenes, meanwhile, are cheerful and optimistic, with the angst of Shadow’s darker story bleeding through as the movie attempts to examine both characters’ reactions to loss.

A Refreshing Change of Pace

The clear duality Sonic 3 draws between Sonic and Shadow is what makes the film a more intentional video game adaptation than the previous films. More than just bringing in familiar characters and lore, Sonic 3 actively adapts the structure and symmetry of Sonic Adventure 2 to great effect. Though the movie sadly is missing a key player, as Rouge the Bat doesn’t appear in Sonic 3 as some speculated, the asymmetry between Sonic and Shadow, even as they appear to be equal in strength and skill, is the clearest sign of a directorial intent that was too nebulous before.

A Shift Away from Distractions

Paramount’s overreliance on human characters has been one of the most glaring issues of the Sonic films. Capable actors playing Sonic’s human friends were often given the worst material in the script and it made even the shortest scenes feel excruciatingly long. Sonic 3 isn’t innocent of this, as Jessica Jones actor Krysten Ritter joins the cast as GUN agent Director Rockwell who mostly exists as a temporary obstacle for everyone before being quickly shuffled off the board. The Knuckles series might as well have not been named as such, as Idris Elba’s take on the beloved Echnida was barely in the show. For two movies, it felt like Carrey’s unhinged, show-stealing performance as Eggman was immune to this, but the movie does such an otherwise good job of keeping the focus on Sonic and Shadow that those distracting, low-effort propensities funneled into his performance instead of elsewhere.

A Blast of Emotional Catharsis

Watching Sonic and Shadow clash with an edge and style that feels even more electric than anything the first two movies even attempted is a blast, and its final battle is especially raw, emotionally cathartic, and well-earned after three good, gradually improving movies and a bad TV show.

A Sonic Adventure that’s Earned

I think "earned" is the word my mind keeps wandering to as I think back on Sonic 3. These movies have come so far from when Paramount first revealed the horrifying gremlin that was Ugly Sonic in the first trailer it has since tried to wipe from the internet. Each movie has gradually tried to introduce more of the weird, earnest shit that has kept Sonic and Shadow in the hearts of millions even as the series has hit snags that would have ended most other big franchises. If you’d told me 20 years ago that 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’d told me it would be good, I would have believed you even less.

[Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles stand in a burning Tokyo.]

[Sonic and Shadow stare each other down.]

[Image: Paramount]

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