The third film in the franchise, inspired by Sega’s iconic and endlessly fun Sonic the Hedgehog games, feels like a natural extension of its predecessors—in other words, more of the same. Die-hard fans will have a blast hunting for references, kids will leave the theater wanting to race like Sonic, and adults will likely enjoy themselves whenever Jim Carrey is on screen. This time, he pulls double duty, playing two characters with his trademark comedic flair.
As the series progresses, it leans further into the hedgehog-focused action, reducing the human elements and shifting attention to the relationships between Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, and newcomer Shadow. While this change will delight fans, the simplified plot might leave younger viewers unchallenged and adults outside the fandom less engaged. Family films work best when they offer something for everyone, and here, the movie plays it too safe with its story and humor to truly stand out.
That said, there are standout moments: a heist sequence in the middle injects some much-needed energy, and the action set pieces in the final act are the franchise’s most thrilling yet. Still, the story lacks creativity in its execution, feeling a bit too comfortable delivering exactly what fans expect without surprising them with what they didn’t know they wanted.
Unfortunately, the score remains as generic and forgettable as ever. Director Jeff Fowler, now helming his third Sonic movie, knows the fan base well and crafts plenty of cheer-worthy moments that had my audience erupting in applause. For fans and kids, it’s a guaranteed good time. For everyone else, it might feel like the movie could’ve used a bit more of Sonic’s own spark to truly stand out.