Sonic 3 shows no signs of slowing down.
Sonic the Hedgehog 3 roars back onto the big screen with all the vibrant energy, humour, and heart that fans have come to expect from this surprisingly successful franchise. Building on the success of its predecessors, this third instalment doesn’t just raise the stakes—it blasts past them, delivering a high-speed adventure that firmly establishes the Sonic cinematic universe as an unanticipated powerhouse of family entertainment.
Picking up where Sonic the Hedgehog 2 left off, with Sonic (voiced by Ben Schwartz) settling into his new role as a protector of Earth alongside his adopted family Tails (Colleen O’Shaughnessey), Knuckles (Idris Elba) and, of course, Tom (James Marsden), Maddie (Tika Sumpter) and their dog Ozzie, Sonic the Hedgehog 3 starts with a bang as G.U.N. summon the colourful trio to Hong Kong to deal with a threat from G.U.N.’s shady past: Shadow the Hedgehog (voiced with menacing gravitas by a pitch-perfect Keanu Reeves). With the fate of the world hanging in the balance, Sonic not only teams up with his friends but is forced to reach out to his arch-nemesis Doctor Robotnik (Jim Carrey).
Sonic the Hedgehog 3 accelerates beyond the road trip formula and human subplots of the first two films, dialling back the pop-culture jokes and product placement to focus on a more plot-driven narrative centred primarily on the characters that fans keep flocking to see. By dialing up the emotional stakes, this third instalment becomes the most entertaining and successful entry thus far, cementing Sonic’s place as a movie icon for gamers and non-gamers alike. Sonic’s journey feels more mature this time, as he grapples with what it truly means to be a hero and the weight of his responsibilities while Shadow’s introduction adds a layer of complexity and moral ambiguity to the story, offering a dark mirror to Sonic’s experience and exploring the idea of redemption, and the fine line between vengeance and justice.
Director Jeff Fowler returns with a confident grasp of the franchise’s tone, blending kinetic action, sharp humour, and genuine emotion. The set pieces are dazzling, from a gravity-defying London-based heist to a spectacular outerspace showdown and the visuals don’t disappoint, the vibrant animation and seamless CGI bringing the world of Sonic to life in a fashion we could scarcely have dreamed of back during Paramount’s first, disastrous, sneak peek at the character design.
Ben Schwartz continues to shine as Sonic, delivering a performance that captures the character’s trademark wit and exuberance while giving him moments of introspection and growth, growth that’s driven by Keanu Reeves bringing the necessary intensity and depth to Shadow, ensuring he’s anything but a one-note antagonist. Colleen O’Shaughnessey’s charming Tails remains adorable but Elba’s Knuckles has come on leaps and bounds during his Paramount+ spin-off, bringing a gruffly sardonic humour to proceedings and emerging as the unexpected comedic MVP of Sonic the Hedgehog 3.
While James Marsden and Tika Sumpter’s contributions are shrewdly scaled back this time around, they still have an important part to play in proceedings, as does Lee Majdoub’s long-suffering Robotnik stooge Agent Stone. Of course, though, it’s Jim Carrey—postponing his mooted retirement to return as not one but two generations of the nefarious Robotnik family—that steals the show, making a mockery of any thoughts of career twilight and rolling back the years with a performance of chaotic energy that matches anything he did at the height of his fame.
Sonic the Hedgehog 3 is everything a blockbuster sequel should be: bigger, bolder, and brimming with heart. It honours its source material while confidently charting its own course, delivering a film that’s as fun for die-hard fans as it is for newcomers, so grab your chilli dogs and get ready for the ride of a lifetime—on the strength of this, everyone’s favourite blue blur is in cinemas to stay.
