TO the third Sonic movie rolls off the production line with relentless inevitability and no small amount of excitement among its core teenage fanbase; The Marvel Cinematic Universe could learn a lesson or two about how to keep audiences engaged. The fuss over Sonic’s strangely designed teeth seems like a long time ago and if Jim Carrey really is only in it for the money, it certainly gives his dual role here something important. And while no one could deny the cash-grabbing fan-service that underpins the entire project… well, it’s actually an experience that’s still enjoyable, even if you’re someone who doesn’t understand the intricacies of the games’ narrative. from the early 2000s.
So this Sonic reboot takes the traditional third installment approach by foregrounding a “dark” version of Sonic; in fact, the almost identical hedgehog Shadow, who is distinguished from our hero by his black and red color. At the beginning of the proceedings, Shadow escapes from a containment unit where he is being held for various complicated reasons, and Sonic (along with his echidna and fox companions) is called in to deal with him. Soon enough, for more complicated reasons, they find themselves briefly fighting alongside Ivo Robotnik before (and I don’t think this is a huge spoiler) digging up Robotnik. grandfather in an abandoned military base. Then… it starts to get complicated.
Having a rich mix of plots, character arcs, and dramatic incidents to draw from over three decades of games means that this movie, frankly, is full of curveball story moments, seemingly random (often unannounced) flashbacks, and strange side scenes. . jumps; but everything is held together, practically, by a kind of delirious energy that creates its own momentum. The human elements are a bit hit and miss: the big-name voices of Keanu Reeves and Idris Elba (as Shadow and Knuckles respectively) surprise no one, and James Marsden and Tika Sumpter (as Sonic’s adoptive family, the Wachowskis) do. a chemistry-free zone, it seemed as if they met for the first time seconds before the cameras started rolling. Carrey, however, is very good value for money, writing a couple of lines that could really make adults laugh and overall achieving a decent effect. Without him, this movie could have been so much worse.