Sonic the Hedgehog 3 was released on December 20th to the excitement of all Sonic fans. The SEGA x Paramount Pictures production was met with positive reception from diehard Sonic fans and newcomers (like me) alike. Starring Keanu Reeves and Jim Carrey in a double role, this movie got popular for its actors, but later for the plot itself.

The movie follows Sonic and his newfound family- Tails, Knuckles, and the humans Tom and Maddy, as they defeat a new enemy, Shadow. Shadow is a hedgehog like Sonic, and after the tragic death of someone he loves, he vows to seek revenge on the world. To defeat Shadow, Sonic must team up with Dr. Eggman, the villain he defeated in the previous movie. Throughout his journey, the characters explore themes of friendship, family, revenge, and forgiveness. 

The movie’s overarching idea is that sorrow creates villains. This is demonstrated through Shadow, who acts as Sonic’s alter ego. They have a lot in common, for they are both (relatively) new to Earth and look alike as hedgehogs. However, their experiences could not have made them any more different. Sonic’s support system of family and friends led him to harness his powers for good; Shadow’s trauma created vengeance. For a children’s movie, this idea was surprisingly well-developed. Although Eggman and Shadow’s backstories fall into the typical archetype of sad backstories creating villains, it was impactful to see that theme grow throughout the movie. 

Speaking of clichès and typical archetypes, this movie was full of them. From “Team Sonic needs to save the day!” to “annihilating” the Earth, I predicted every plot twist and turn ten times over. Fights were extensive, and at one point it was boring to see standard hero phrases being repeated every other minute, with the internal conflict of “ I can’t get along with a team” being the sole internal conflict for Sonic. 

On a lighter note, the humor was on point. The movie was filled with randomness in the weirdest way that made it ironically funny. The destructive villain of the prequel, Dr. Eggman is reduced to a comedy figure who has a whole glow-down and watches Spanish soap operas instead of being a menace to society.  Aspects like suddenly dancing, and some allusions to outside media- Google Maps, Hello Kitty, Tom Cruise and Mission Impossible kept the humor moving. 

All in all, there is no experience necessary to watch this movie, for it is hardly connected to its prequels. It exceeded the expectations for its target age group- seven to ten-year-olds but was watchable for everyone else.