Pretty much the whole gang has returned for the third Sonic the Hedgehog entry in this ongoing franchise — which I applaud for maintaining consistency — but the result is also pretty much the same, despite a noticeable deepening of the material.  These movies are simply not for me.  Then again, I wonder who their core audience really is.  Are there really genuine adult fans of these things?  And are kids honestly entertained by these silly science-fictiony shenanigans?

Jeff Fowler’s third movie brings a new visitor to Earth: Shadow (voice of Keanu Reeves), a deeply vengeful Hedgehog bent on destroying our planet.  Sonic, Tails and Knuckles team up against Shadow, but they also need the expertise of crazy Dr. Robotnik (Jim Carrey) to beat him.  And then someone’s long-lost father enters the picture to complicate matters, turn the tables and accelerate planetary destruction.  It’s not so silly anymore; is this really, truly aimed at kids?

I’ve complained that this is silly, which it is, and I’ve complained that it is heavy going dramatically, which it is.  Both apply, and yet both trends work in its favor, at least at times.  The film is fast paced enough to keep attentions alert, and (to my surprise) the motivation for Shadow’s unhappiness is remarkably effective.  At the heart of all this nonsense is a genuinely powerful and impactful relationship that not only explains Shadow’s subsequent actions but gives them credence.  And then there is the father-son relationship that develops in the second half, which is largely played for laughs but which, again, has real weight to its implications.  That this film explores personal disappointment and grief to the depths that it does is not just surprising but remarkable.  And then the plot takes over, complications are disposed abruptly and the world is saved.  For a price, which is not really discussed at all.

This uneven mix brings my rating back down to the two star level of the others.  Granting the larger ambition of this one and its effectiveness in its flashbacks to exploring Shadow’s heartbreak, it still forces itself to be action comedy, even in the face of sacrifice and tragedy.  Being a feature film (the third, actually) based on a popular video game, it cannot help but be what it is, even if it could have been something greater.  ☆ ☆.  19 April 2026.