When the Sonic movie was first being marketed in 2019, everyone’s hopes were crushed when the first trailer came out. The Sonic design was ugly beyond belief, nothing like the charming blue hedgehog gamers knew and loved.
Fans took to social media to share their despair. They’d wanted a Sonic movie since forever, and it was ruined before it had even come out. Or so they thought! Paramount was able to turn things around. A new trailer came out where Sonic actually looked like Sonic, and fans raised their hopes. And they were right to do it because when the movie came out it was actually good. It was the perfect family flick, with a great villain performance from Jim Carrey as Dr. Robotnik.
Box office-wise, it was a massive success, setting new records for a video game movie. A sequel was inevitable, and guess what, that was a big hit as well. Sonic was on top of the world. There was even a spinoff series on Paramount+ starring Sonic’s friend Knuckles in 2024. But could the blue blur keep up the momentum? Would Sonic the Hedgehog 3 be as good as the previous two?
It turns out the answer is yes. Sonic the Hedgehog 3 currently stands at 87% on Rotten Tomatoes, a much higher score than either of its predecessors, which came in at 64% and 69%, respectively. In fact, it’s a much higher score than most video game movies. The Super Mario Bros Movie, for example, did very well indeed at the box office but has a “rotten” rating on Rotten Tomatoes, albeit only just.
Keanu Reeves is getting particular praise for his performance as Shadow, Sonic’s dark counterpart, and Carrey is also being lauded for his dual role as Dr. Robotnik and Dr. Robotnik’s grandfather Gerald. The movie is one hundred percent faithful to the video game people loved, and it tells a compelling, action-packed story.
Fans on X, formerly known as Twitter, are going absolutely wild for the movie. “Sonic 3 is indeed peak 10/10,” one person wrote on the platform. “I cried I actually laughed I cheered I was smiling the whole time except for when I was crying. I wanna say so much but spoilers but know I am happy. SHADOW THEY MADE YOU SO COOL.”
Related: Sonic the Hedgehog 3 Provides Everything a Sonic Fan Could Want [Review]
Tim Gettys wrote on his X account, “Overheard leaving Sonic 3, ‘This movie was my Avengers.’ ‘Honestly, this movie was my Eras Tour.’ Facts.” Comparing Sonic to Taylor Swift—now that’s high praise indeed.
Some posted memes about the movie, using an old image of someone being taken out of a cinema on a stretcher.
Others highlighted how emotional the film’s storyline was. “Sonic 3 delivers in every possible way, the strongest film in the trilogy. It’ll have you in tears by the third act,” wrote an X user. Without giving anything away, it seems to be Shadow and Reeves in particular that are bringing tears to people’s eyes.
However, the box office is even more important than reviews—but there are no worries there, either. Box office projections have Sonic 3 ahead of its main competition, Mufasa: The Lion King. According to Variety, the movie is set to gross $55 million to $60 million in North America over the weekend. Sonic fans will definitely be turning out in their droves to see it.
In fact, such is the success of Sonic 3 that a Sonic 4 has already been greenlit. The mid-credits of Sonic 3 set up perfectly for a new movie starring some iconic characters of the franchise. It’s set to come out in 2027, and hopefully, fans will love it just as much as the others.
Published: Dec 20, 2024 08:33 am