Sonic the Hedgehog 3 - 4K Blu-ray Review

[Michael Scott]

Sonic the Hedgehog 3



Movie:
4K Video:
Video:
Audio:
Extras:
Final Score:

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Movie
I remember being around in 2019, hearing that Paramount was creating a Sonic the Hedgehog film, and immediately setting my expectations on the ground. At this point, the whole “animated characters in a live-action world” films had been done to death, and I fully expected the film to be like Detective Pikachu, basically. Meaning that it might be good for some young kids and to act as nostalgia bait, but ultimately an abortion of the original story (not that Sonic had the most massive backstory ever from the SEGA days), and most likely a cash grab. Especially when you factor in that once the animation for Sonic showed up, the entire internet bullied Paramount Studios into completely re-animating the titular character from a creature you might see in sleep paralysis (I shamelessly stole that line from someone else) to something that actually resembled the speedy blue hedgehog we all grew up on in the 90s and early 2000s. I didn’t even bother seeing the films until 2023, as I assumed they would be exactly how I expected. It wasn’t until the 2nd film came out and the trailers were plastered everywhere that I actually sat down and watched the first two films and the mini-series last year, and ended up changing my mind.

If you’ve watched the first two films (and the Knuckles mini series), then you know that Sonic (Ben Schwartz) is an alien hedgehog that crash-lands on planet Earth, only to be “adopted” by a lone human named Tom (James Marsden). Now he, Tom, Knuckles (Idris Elba), and Tails the fox (Colleen O’Shaughnessey) are all living in relative peace thanks to the government leaving them alone until their skills are needed. Robotnik (Jim Carrey) isn’t causing trouble, and right now, life is good. But things take a quick turn for the worse when Shadow (Keanu Reeves), a mysterious black and red clone of Sonic, wakes up from a 50-year cryo-sleep and breaks out of the secret government installation where he was being kept sedated. Now he’s out causing trouble, and of course, Robotnik has a hand in all of this, meaning it’s double trouble, and double the action.

Structurally, Sonic The Hedgehog 3 is very similar in tone and feel thanks to the tenure of the original cast of the last two films, AND director Jeff Fowler helming all three films back to back. In that vein, we really do have much of the same repeated, and I don’t mean that in a negative light. The film is fast paced (yes, pun intended), with Sonic taking the spiritual lead for the film, but making more than enough room for Knuckles, Tails, and the rest to shine as full-fledged partners. The Sonic games were never exactly bastions of deep and abiding lore on par with Warhammer 40K, but everyone involved is very aware that each of the side characters outside of Sonic has a rabid fanbase themselves, and allows for them to feel like fully fleshed out characters rather than just cameo sidekicks.

I was originally against Idris Elba as Knuckles, as I felt that Elba’s deep voice and slow-paced delivery was not the proper head canon fit, but after about 15 minutes with the character, I sort of dig his role. Not to mention, Schwartz is having a ball as Sonic. Reeves is a wonderful addition as Shadow, and personally, he’s my favorite speedster “villain” of the 3 films. Reeves can almost do no wrong these days, and for good reason. He’s charming, can play dark characters well, and has a fan base who generally love him for being one of the least fake Hollywood actors in modern history. And let's face it, we all love us some Neo, even if he’s not Neo. But that being said, the man who has stolen the show with EACH of the three films is hands down Jim Carrey. Carrey is an absolute legend in the film world for his comedic timing (and his obsession with “the method” acting), and he absolutely steals every scene he is in as Ivo Robotnik. Before these films, Carrey was effectively 99% retired from the film industry, but he somehow found inspiration as the villain of the series, and effectively is almost as big a star as Sonic is himself in these movies.




Rating:

Rated PG for action, some violence, rude humor, thematic elements, and mild language.




4K Video: Video:

Digital animation has sort of garnered a name for itself as showcasing the cream of the crop style big budget animated film, and even with that “normalized greatness” mentality, Sonic 3 manages to stand head and shoulders over all the other. Blending CGI and real-world effects nearly seamlessly, the film sparkles and shines at every turn. Whether it’s the silky black and red streaked Shadow, Robotnik’s comical form, or just the downtown cityscape, everything looks incredibly detailed and nuanced. Fine detailing along the fur of the animated characters is superb, and the live-action clarity is unparalleled. I couldn’t notice any noise or banding anywhere, and crush is basically nonexistent (I thought I saw it once in the opening battle with Shadow, but I couldn’t replicate it again, so I’m thinking it was just a trick of my eyes the first time I saw it). The Dolby Vision presentation really richens up those black levels, and while the colors are no SUPER saturated and primary deep, they gain a sense of depth and richness that isn’t present on the SDR Blu-ray release. All in all, this is a fantastic home theater demo disc, and should be spinning in people’s “check this out, guys!” list for years to come.







Audio:

The Dolby Atmos track found on both the Blu-ray and the 4K UHD disc is equally impressive. And much like the video, it may not be overly showy and aggressive, but it is certainly still quite excellent. The film thrives on crazy energy blasts as Sonic and his friends zip around the screen, bouncing from one extreme edge to the other. And just like the character, the audio directionality does much the same thing. Surrounds crackle and whiz with energy, popping up from one side of the room, only to shift over to the other side with barely a half-second delay. Dialog is crisp and cleanly located up front, and of course, the bass is NICE and punchy. I will say this, I actually have gained a larger appreciation for more balanced mixes recently, and while the bass nerd in me kind of hopes for an overly cooked bass track to be awestruck over, the technical enthusiast in me appreciated how things blended together without standing out. Yes, the bass is still powerful and throbbing when needed (think Shadow’s escape, or this impact punches towards the Sonic team in the first 20 minutes of the film), but it isn’t so powerful that it just vibrates everything constantly. So yeah, this is an awesome track and definitely a treat to listen to.







Extras:

• Commentary by Director Jeff Fowler and the Voice of Sonic Ben Schwartz—Embark on an adventure with the director and star!
• Sonic Family Fun—The Sonic cast and crew share how they've become like a family over the years.
• Enter Shadow—Keanu Reeves and other cast members talk about his portrayal of fan-favorite character Shadow the Hedgehog.
• Robotnik Family Reunion: Ivo and Gerald—Jim Carrey and the Sonic family discuss how the characters of Ivo and Gerald Robotnik were brought to life.
• For the Love of Sonic: Directing a Trilogy—With a background in visual effects and animation, director Jeff Fowler shares how directing the Sonic films has been a dream come true.
• The Fox, the Echidna, and the Hedgehog—Ben Schwartz as Sonic, Colleen O'Shaughnessey as Tails, and Idris Elba as Knuckles invite us into the recording booth.
• Live-Action Lunacy: Acting Opposite Puppets—Find out what it's like to act alongside life-sized puppets!
• From the Cryo-Tank to London: The World of Sonic—Explore the production designs for the film's many spectacular locations.
• Team Sonic vs. Shadow—The team behind the epic battle sequences details how the action is choreographed for maximum realism.
• A Very Sonic Christmas—Team Sonic helps Santa Claus save Christmas!
• Gag Reel—Laugh along with Team Sonic and these hilarious outtakes!
• Deleted Scenes
• Sonic Central (Available on Digital Only)—A special message from director Jeff Fowler.

Final Score: ​

Is Sonic the Hedgehog 3 a perfect movie? Of course not, this is a kids' movie at heart with a PG rating. But just because it’s a kids' movie doesn’t make it fun for the whole family. In fact, I’d actually argue that this entire franchise is a love letter to us millennials who grew up in the 90s playing these games as kids. There are tons of easter eggs hidden throughout the film that only make sense if you’re in you’re 30s to mid-40s, and more than a few winks and nods at 1990s culture references. So yeah, it’s a kids' movie, but as a 43-year-old elder millennial, I’m fully on board for this. Paramount’s 4K UHD disc looks and sounds stunning, with some great extras, not to mention the very snazzy steelbook that I have in my hand for those who don’t want the “boring” Viva Elite packaging. Definitely recommended as a fun watch.


Technical Specifications:

Starring: Jim Carrey, Ben Schwartz, Keanu Reeves, Idris Elba, James Marsden
Directed by: Jeff Fowler
Written by: Pat Casey, Josh Miller, John Whittington
Aspect Ratio: 2.39:1 HEVC
Audio: English: Dolby Atmos (Dolby TrueHD 7.1 Core), French, Spanish DD 5.1, English DVS
Subtitles: English, English SDH, French, Spanish
Studio: Paramount
Rated: PG
Runtime: 110 Minutes
Blu-ray Release Date: April 15th, 2025

Recommendation: Very Fun Watch

 

[Michael Scott]

apologies for being a few days later than I like for a new release. This was entirely my fault. I accidentally put the film on my gaming desk instead of my work desk and it got covered up with papers lol... oooopsie

 

[tripplej]

Thanks for the review. I saw only the first one, which I thought was very good. Will have to re-visit this frachise.