Where would the ‘Sonic the Hedgehog’ franchise be without Jim Carrey?
The box office numbers will likely still be very high, but most of them are from teens and gamers addicted to high-fructose storytelling.
Carrey brings the laughter, killer lines and slapstick that make “Sonic” fun for all ages. Yes, it’s good. Still.
That’s not the case for “Sonic the Hedgehog 3,” the weakest link in the saga. Yes, Carrey pulls double duty in two funny roles, but the series’ surplus of CGI crushes the film’s third act.
We’re talking flat pie.
Our favorite blue hedgehog (Ben Schwartz) is loving life with his best friends Knuckles (Idris Elba) and Tails (Colin O’Shaughnessy).
Their peace is shattered when fellow hedgehog Shadow (Keanu Reeves) awakens from a 50-year slumber in a military camp.
Don’t ask…
He’s determined to avenge the death of his dear friend, and his teleportation abilities make him an existential threat to Sonic, his comrades, and perhaps the entire world. Desperate times call for desperate cooperation, prompting the team to team up with old enemy Ivo Robotnik (Carrey) to stop Shadow.
Can the villain be trusted? What about Robotnik’s long-lost grandfather (Cary, again)? Which side is the old timer on anyway?
The plot is a lot more complicated than it needs to be, and alliances change every 15 minutes or so. Buckle in.
Sonic’s “parents” Tom (James Marsden) and Maddie (Tika Sumpter) don’t get much to do this time around, but their presence in live action is important. So does the sense of family that is evoked early and often.
Is this part of an unannounced “Fast & Furious” shared universe?
The rest is comedic chaos aided by brilliant CGI effects and Carrey’s innate charisma. He sells all the catchphrases, rehabilitates the weak lines and crushes the better ones. The gag targeting the failure of “Green Lantern” is almost worth the price of admission.
It’s out of left field, but who cares? That’s just “Sonic!”
It’s a visual mess, and that’s even before the ending, which contains so many false endings that you’ll stop caring about halfway through the movie. This franchise could collapse if Curry sticks to his retirement plans.
Two extended music sequences, one of which taps into the wonderful Traveling Wilburys song, suggest the need to kill time by any means necessary. Why not wrap things up in a neat 90-minute package? Is this exactly what a kid-friendly and occasionally inspired franchise needs?
Hollywood’s “go long or go home” strategy continues to confound.
Every time “Sonic” faces a narrative problem, it bounces back with a clever line or an inspired visual gag. The film’s approach to cuisine may be lazy, but this collective good will will crush even the film’s most cynical viewers.
It’s hard to get angry at a movie dedicated to silliness of the highest order. And who does silliness better than Ace Ventura, the franchise’s detective?
Hit or Miss: “Sonic the Hedgehog 3” is more of the same, which is good news if you like Jim Carrey’s unparalleled brand of comedic mayhem.