Review: Sonic 3 becomes highest grossing film in franchise with huge success

By Nisa Dari

Have you ever wondered what would happen if Sonic didn’t find his current family after losing his guardian, Longclaw? Well, don’t look too far. 

Sonic the Hedgehog 3 – an action and adventure animated film – was released on December 10 at the Empire Leicester Square in London, UK. 

It became the highest-grossing film in the franchise. The movie somehow manages to be a tearjerker and hilarious simultaneously. The blend of nostalgia and great storytelling keeps both long-time fans and newcomers thoroughly engaged with the movie. 

The many references to the Sonic games leaves fans like me pleased and were incredible to see. The visuals of the movie are so appealing and striking to the viewers that they make the three-year wait worth it. The animation remains top tier.

Shadow (voiced by Keanu Reeves), who was asleep for 50 years, is awakened by a mysterious person. After he starts causing chaos and havoc in the streets of Tokyo, Sonic (voiced by Ben Schwartz), Knuckles (voiced by Idris Elba) and Tails (voiced by Colleen O’Shaughnessey) are assigned to defeat this newly emerged enemy with powers unlike anything they’d come across before.

Beneath his tough and strong demeanour, Shadow has a past full of trauma and grief from losing the one person who was like family to him, so he seeks out revenge against humanity with the help of an old friend. 

Will Shadow doom the world to an end or save it before it’s too late? Desperate times call for desperate measures, so Sonic seeks out the help of someone who was once their enemy. Yes, you guessed it right. Doctor Eggman turns out to be the ally Sonic needs the most. This is a battle between characters who are two sides of the same coin.

Entering the cinema, my expectations for this film were high, and I’m happy to say I wasn’t disappointed. 

One of the most touching moments of the movie was when we got glimpses of Shadow’s past and his friendship with Maria, who became so dear to him. It helps the viewers get a taste of Shadow’s true self and why he went down such a tragic path. The movie succeeds at balancing humour and serious moments. 

The dance sequence between Eggman and Gerard is iconic and entertaining to watch. It is utterly hilarious. One thing that stands out from the movie is the animators’ consistency in showing the similarities between Shadow and Sonic. You can see how this will play as a key factor later in the movie to unite the two.