I have been a longtime fan of Sonic the Hedgehog, the blue blur that has served as video game company SEGA’s global mascot since the days of the SEGA Genesis/MegaDrive in the 90s. I have stuck with Sonic through its highest highs—such as fan-favorite Sonic Adventure 2—and its lowest lows (we do not speak of Sonic ‘06.) The character has always been a draw to me, thanks to his no-worries attitude and his need for speed.
Now Sonic is in the middle of a renaissance, thanks in no small part to his successful movies. This includes the most recent Sonic the Hedgehog 3, which is now streaming on Paramount+ and we had already raved about. Obviously, gamers ate it up like popcorn and chili dogs, but try getting an ordinary person with no little kids at home to take interest in it.
I took a friend and colleague to see the movie. I was sure she would suffer through it, since it was a movie about cute, talking alien animals from a video game. To my surprise, though, she was having fun with it. It turned out she was a big fan of Jim Carrey, so she enjoyed seeing two of him on screen at once, in the dual roles of Sonic villain Doctor Ivo Robotnik and his grandfather, Gerald Robotnik, being their goofiest and most animated.
She also got a kick out of the science and technology jokes the characters made as well, such as when younger Robotnik attempts to set up defenses and autocorrect on his equipment changes it to “the fences.” The younger Robotnik also quizzes the elder Robotnik on a scientific equation, whose response prompted her to point at the screen and mouth “yes.” I thought the movie was just making stuff up.
The both of us were also fans of the Sonic movie-verse’s version of Shadow, a darker, more revenge-driven hedgehog. Keanu Reeves is well-known for his more brooding roles, including formerly retired assassin and dog lover John Wick. He wasn’t just a self-serious punchline, though. He brought in enough pathos to get one caring about his backstory.
Sonic the Hedgehog 3 just might be the perfect entry into the franchise. The story doesn’t rely too heavily on the previous two, so anyone could just drop in and get caught up fairly quickly. The comedy is there as well, along with enough child-friendly messaging to make it a little more than simple entertainment.
Terrence J. Smith is MetaStellar's assistant fiction editor. He has contributed his writing to nonprofits and both print and digital publications. He enjoys all things technology, but remembers to meditate and appreciate the outside world.