Sonic The Hedgehog 3 /A Dream Come True

This past Friday night, I had the honor of watching Sonic the Hedgehog 3, and let me just start
by saying it was everything I could’ve hoped for and dreamed of as a huge Sonic fan. I grew up
playing all the Sonic Adventure games, as well as more recent titles like Sonic Frontiers and the
remake of Sonic Generations: Sonic X Shadow Generations. This time, the inclusion of a
Shadow based story mode to explore his backstory added depth and provided perspective on
why Shadow is the way he is.

For most of my childhood, I would always go back to playing either of the Adventure titles
because of their replayability and, of course, the great sense of nostalgia they give me every
time I revisit them. Sonic Adventure was the first 3D Sonic game to be released, and it was a
massive hit. It was followed by the sequel, Sonic Adventure 2 Battle, which completely changed
the landscape of Sonic games, shaping how they would be made and loved by fans
everywhere.

Those games brought so much joy to fans that, even to this day, I stumble upon reviews and
praise for those titles on YouTube and TikT ok. I was fortunate enough to start my Sonic journey
on the GameCube, but I was introduced to the series by my cousin Jonathan on the Dreamcast
when I was only a couple of years old—if I remember correctly. Nowadays, kids discover these
titles on Xbox and PlayStation, and it brings me so much joy to know people all over the world
can feel the same thrill I did playing these games. Seeing that legacy featured on the big screen
is truly unbelievable.

I’m going to try to avoid spoilers as much as I can, so bear with me. The first act of the movie
was phenomenal, particularly with the introduction of Shadow’s character and the gradual
retelling of his story throughout. The storytelling and explanation of Shadow’s persona are
scattered across the entire movie, and for some reason, it works incredibly well that way.
Instead of delivering a lengthy 30-minute exposition at the start—which might have dulled the
movie—the narrative unfolds naturally, keeping the pacing engaging.

This movie is packed with callbacks to the video games, particularly Sonic Adventure 2 Battle,
where Shadow was first introduced. In fact, I’d go as far as to say this movie is largely based on
SA2’s story, though with some tweaks, of course. There were also clear nods to Shadow the
Hedgehog, the first game in the franchise where Sonic wasn’t the main protagonist. Instead,
Shadow takes center stage, progressing through various levels while delving deeper into his
lore and origins. It’s a fascinating dive, and if you’re a big fan of anything Sonic-related, I’d
highly recommend giving it a shot.

The callbacks to Shadow the Hedgehog are especially evident in the use of a motorcycle and
weapons—elements first introduced in that game. These details clearly aim to make Shadow a
more “edgy” character, appealing to a slightly more mature audience. For fans like me, seeing
these nods in Sonic 3 was incredibly rewarding, especially because of all the callbacks to the
games I personally grew up playing.

One major takeaway for me was how well the movie handled its pacing. Even during Shadow’s
retelling, the film seamlessly transitioned to something ridiculous Eggman was doing or shifted
back to Sonic’s perspective, including his conversations with T ails and Knuckles. Speaking of
Knuckles—his portrayal throughout the film was absolute perfection in my eyes. Idris Elba,
funny enough, was born for this role. And don’t even get me started on Keanu Reeves as
Shadow. Keanu did an incredible job voicing and portraying Shadow, capturing the emotional
elements of the character, particularly given Shadow’s dark and tragic backstory. He even nailed
the comedic timing when interacting with the rest of the cast.

A huge shoutout also goes to Jim Carrey, who was absolutely phenomenal as Eggman. Not only
that, but he also portrayed Eggman’s grandfather, Gerald Robotnik, perfectly. I loved the theme
they developed for both characters, balancing charm with great comedic humor. The comedy
never felt forced—and trust me, there’s a lot of it, especially when Jim Carrey is on screen. His
comedic timing was spot-on, and the fact that he essentially acted alongside himself in scenes
with Gerald Robotnik was truly impressive.

I can’t give shoutouts to the entire cast without mentioning Ben Schwartz, who seems to
embody Sonic more and more with each movie. In Sonic 3, he completely mastered the
character, going full throttle with his performance. I’m so happy to know that Schwartz is a huge
fan of Sonic, and it absolutely shows in his portrayal of the Blue Hedgehog. Schwartz himself
tweeted and popularized the breaking news about Sonic the Hedgehog 4, set to release in
2027—a tweet that quickly went viral.

At the time, nobody realized Sonic 3 would become a massive success, reaching the top of the
domestic box office. It could’ve been number one worldwide in its opening weekend if it had
been released in more regions. So far, it’s only been distributed in the US, Canada, Norway, and
the United Kingdom. By the 26th, it’ll expand globally, and we’ll get to see its true box office
potential. Things are already looking very bright for Paramount.

The reviews for this movie have been outstanding, with Rotten Tomatoes currently giving it an
86% critics score and a 97% fan rating. With this level of exposure and praise, there’s no doubt
Sonic 3 will be a major success overseas. Considering the massive global fanbase of the Sonic
franchise—and the fact that this movie draws heavily from what I believe is one of the most
important games in the series, Sonic Adventure 2 Battle—it’s poised to be a huge hit.

While iconic titles like the original Sonic 1 and Sonic 2 are foundational to the series, SA2 holds
an unmatched level of significance in Sonic lore, and Sonic The Hedgehog 3 honors it
beautifully. All the little callbacks directly from the video games gave the movie so much more
substance, but it didn’t alienate casual fans who simply wanted to enjoy the film—especially
those who may not remember or have never played the older titles, which came out over 20
years ago.

Another major strength of Sonic 3 was its focus on core characters like Sonic and Shadow,
rather than the human characters, who often feel like distractions and can take up too much
screen time. By keeping the spotlight on Sonic and his friends, the film stayed true to what fans
love most about the franchise.

Overall, the movie was an enjoyable ride and one of the most memorable experiences I’ve had
in a theater in quite some time. The film opens up so many exciting possibilities, including
spinoffs and the future of the Sonic franchise. Perhaps we’ll even get a Shadow the Hedgehog
movie or series. Personally, I’m hoping for a film rather than a show because I feel a movie
would have more thought and consideration put into it. Shows can sometimes include
unnecessary filler or veer off track with extra material that fans may not care about.

A huge thank you to the entire team that put this movie together. For me, it was a dream come
true as a fan. I couldn’t be happier knowing this movie exists—it completely blew my mind and
exceeded all expectations. I knew I was going to enjoy it, but I fell in love with this film and its
characters. I can’t wait to see what the rest of the franchise has in store for us in the future.

10 out of 10 movie—but, of course, I’m extremely biased.