{"id":13036,"date":"2024-12-19T04:36:08","date_gmt":"2024-12-19T11:36:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/?p=13036"},"modified":"2025-01-15T16:46:47","modified_gmt":"2025-01-15T23:46:47","slug":"sonic-the-hedgehog-3","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/2024\/sonic-the-hedgehog-3\/","title":{"rendered":"Sonic the Hedgehog 3 * Far Exceeded My Expectations, And Proves A Worthy Successor To The Previous Two Films"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-13052 alignleft\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Sonic3.cover_.png?resize=122%2C185&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"122\" height=\"185\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Sonic3.cover_.png?resize=198%2C300&amp;ssl=1 198w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Sonic3.cover_.png?w=463&amp;ssl=1 463w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 122px) 100vw, 122px\" \/>Sonic the Hedgehog returns to the big screen this holiday season in his most thrilling adventure yet. Sonic, Knuckles, and Tails reunite against a powerful new adversary, Shadow, a mysterious villain with powers unlike anything they have faced before. With their abilities outmatched in every way, Team Sonic must seek out an unlikely alliance in hopes of stopping Shadow and protecting the planet.<\/p>\n<p>KIDS FIRST! Film Critic Daniel S. comments, \u201c<em>Sonic the Hedgehog 3<\/em> far exceeded my expectations, and proves a worthy successor to the previous two films. Booming with heart, vibrancy and thrill, <em>Sonic the Hedgehog 3 <\/em>takes the Sonic franchise to new heights.\u201d Eli C. adds, \u201c<em>Sonic The Hedgehog 3<\/em> is beyond funny. It is hilarious. It is laugh-out-loud, knee-slapping, hold-your-belly, funny.\u00a0 There are so many unexpected twists and surprises. Just when I thought I knew what was next, something or someone pops up.\u201d \u00a0Braedyn M. wraps it up with, \u201cThe CGI is really advanced in this film \u2013 it is hard to tell what is computer animated, and what is real.\u00a0 The background music and sound effects add a nice touch, and Shadow\u2019s mysterious backstory kept me wondering what would happen next.\u201d See their full reviews below.<\/p>\n<p>Sonic the Hedgehog 3<br \/>\nBy Daniel S., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, Age 16<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/U79nrX_xwKs?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-US&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\"><\/iframe><\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><em>Sonic the Hedgehog 3<\/em> far exceeded my expectations, and proves a worthy successor to the previous two films. Booming with heart, vibrancy and thrill, <em>Sonic the Hedgehog 3 <\/em>takes the Sonic franchise to new heights. Its impressive action sequences, well-written plot, and exceptional voice performances make for perfect family viewing for the holidays.<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/8PkWJiiqOMQ?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-US&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\"><\/iframe><\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_13038\" style=\"width: 267px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-13038\" class=\" wp-image-13038\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/sonic-the-hedgehog-3-STH3-FF-004K_rgb.jpg?resize=257%2C108&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"257\" height=\"108\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/sonic-the-hedgehog-3-STH3-FF-004K_rgb.jpg?resize=300%2C126&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/sonic-the-hedgehog-3-STH3-FF-004K_rgb.jpg?w=700&amp;ssl=1 700w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 257px) 100vw, 257px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-13038\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Sonic (Ben Schwartz) in Sonic the Hedgehog 3<\/p><\/div>\n<p><em>Sonic the Hedgehog 3<\/em> sees the return of the beloved blue hedgehog, Sonic (Ben Shwartz), enjoying his life on earth with his friends Tails (Colleen O&#8217;Shaughnessey) and Knuckles (Idris Elba). Once Sonic is met with Shadow (Keanu Reeves), a seemingly dark reflection of himself, Sonic is forced to defeat Shadow by all means necessary. Enlisting the help of his past foe, evil scientist Robotnik (Jim Carrey), Sonic and his friends are sent on a globe-trotting mission with world-threatening consequences.<\/p>\n<p>Perhaps <em>Sonic the Hedgehog 3<\/em>\u2019s most impressive achievement is its action. Since Sonic derives from the classic video game, these film adaptations are able to bring in some elements we haven\u2019t seen before. They elevate the art form of computer-generated action, by introducing some breathtaking game-inspired graphics.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_13042\" style=\"width: 260px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-13042\" class=\" wp-image-13042\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/sonic-the-hedgehog-3-STH3-FF-007K_rgb.jpg?resize=250%2C105&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"250\" height=\"105\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/sonic-the-hedgehog-3-STH3-FF-007K_rgb.jpg?resize=300%2C126&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/sonic-the-hedgehog-3-STH3-FF-007K_rgb.jpg?w=700&amp;ssl=1 700w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 250px) 100vw, 250px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-13042\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Shadow (Keanu Reeves) in Sonic the Hedgehog 3<\/p><\/div>\n<p><em>Sonic the Hedgehog 3<\/em> is no exception. With several action set pieces, spanning from Tokyo to London, the film is worth watching for its thrilling cinematography. What I find particularly appealing is how the film plays with color in its characters, especially during fight scenes. We are exposed to an extent of vibrancy that is absent from other films, so it feels incredibly refreshing to witness something that feels genuinely joyful and energetic. As for <em>Sonic the Hedgehog 3<\/em>\u2019s plot, the writing is surprisingly airtight. It\u2019s built on a foundation of familiar aspects, like cliched dialogue and predictable plot points, but the way that it reshapes an easily-digestible formula keeps the film enjoyable. While this unavoidable predictability is a given, we are exposed to numerous unexpected and fresh twists, visuals, and characters. The subplot featuring the franchise\u2019s brand new character, Shadow (Keanu Reeves), is, by far, the strongest aspect of the film. Powerful and unexpectedly emotional, it paints Shadow as a tragically complex villain, which strengthens the film as a whole. As is standard with the Sonic franchise, the voice performances are superb. Each actor, especially the incredible Ben Shwartz as Sonic, gives an impressive personality to their CGI character. They feel real, not just in the way they physically interact with the environment, but in the amount of character each one has \u2013 they have distinct features, as well as distinct personality traits.<\/p>\n<p><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/variety.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/Idris-Elba-Knuckles.jpg?resize=248%2C140&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"Idris Elba Joins 'Sonic 2' as Knuckles\" width=\"248\" height=\"140\" \/>A standout is the legendary Idris Elba, who creates an incredibly rugged, but loveable character in Knuckles. Knuckles is undoubtedly one of the most entertaining parts of the film, in his impeccable comedic delivery by Elba. By far the biggest standout of <em>Sonic the Hedgehog 3<\/em> though is Keanu Reeves&#8217; shadow, which Reeves crafts into a deeply multi-faceted villain. Reeves, venturing into voice acting, absolutely steals the show. His performance not only makes Shadow sympathetic, but a truly threatening and fitting villain.<\/p>\n<p><em>Sonic the Hedgehog 3<\/em> achieves not only good fun, but cements itself as the best film of the Sonic trilogy. It is heartwarming, uplifting, and sometimes hilarious. Solely restrained by some foreseeable plot elements, <em>Sonic the Hedgehog 3 <\/em>elevates the landscape of video game adaptations.<\/p>\n<p><em>Sonic the Hedgehog 3<\/em> receives 4 out of 5 stars from me and I recommend it for ages 8 to 18, plus adults. It releases in theaters December 20, 2024.<\/p>\n<p>Sonic The Hedgehog 3<br \/>\nBy Eli C., KIDS FIRST! Film Critics, Age 9<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/iUCJ_beRIWg?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-US&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\"><\/iframe><\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_13048\" style=\"width: 260px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-13048\" class=\" wp-image-13048\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/sonic-the-hedgehog-3-STH3-FF-005K2_rgb.jpg?resize=250%2C105&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"250\" height=\"105\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/sonic-the-hedgehog-3-STH3-FF-005K2_rgb.jpg?resize=300%2C126&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/sonic-the-hedgehog-3-STH3-FF-005K2_rgb.jpg?w=700&amp;ssl=1 700w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 250px) 100vw, 250px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-13048\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Knuckles (Idris Elba) in Sonic the Hedgehog 3<\/p><\/div>\n<p>I absolutely love this film! <em>Sonic The Hedgehog 3<\/em> is beyond funny. It is hilarious. It is laugh-out-loud, knee-slapping, hold-your-belly, funny.\u00a0 There are so many unexpected twists and surprises. Just when I thought I knew what was next, something or someone pops up.<\/p>\n<p>The storyline continues the story of the hedgehog named Sonic (Ben Swartz) and his friends and family, Tails (Colleen O\u2019Shaughnessy), Knuckles (Idris Elba), Tom (James Marsden), and Maddie (Tika Sumpter). They team up against some old and some new powerful enemies. Of course, Jim Carrey returns as Dr. Robotnik, but he is not Team Sonic&#8217;s only enemy. Sonic and his team fight against new enemies that are more powerful than expected.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_13040\" style=\"width: 258px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-13040\" class=\" wp-image-13040\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/sonic-the-hedgehog-3-STH3-FF-010K_rgb.jpg?resize=248%2C104&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"248\" height=\"104\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/sonic-the-hedgehog-3-STH3-FF-010K_rgb.jpg?resize=300%2C126&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/sonic-the-hedgehog-3-STH3-FF-010K_rgb.jpg?w=700&amp;ssl=1 700w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 248px) 100vw, 248px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-13040\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Shadow (Keanu Reeves) in Sonic the Hedgehog 3<\/p><\/div>\n<p>I have watched and loved many of the <em>Sonic <\/em>movies and television spin offs and this movie is my favorite. <em>Sonic The Hedgehog 3 <\/em>had me laughing, gasping, and dancing.\u00a0 Most of the characters are pretty funny but mostly, I love Jim Carrey\u2019s role as Dr. Robotnik. He is so silly in all of the <em>Sonic<\/em> movies, but he is twice as funny and silly in this one. He brings double the laughter. The jokes between Sonic, Knuckles and Tails are clever and fun. The new characters add to the comedy and the excitement. I was shocked to see the new characters and the powers they have. Plus their back stories are interesting and surprising.<\/p>\n<p>The music is as dance worthy as we expect from the Sonic movies. My favorite parts in the first two Sonic films were Dr. Robotnik\u2019s dance breaks. My favorite scene in this one is his dance break as well and, I have to say \u2013 he brings it twice as good and silly.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_13047\" style=\"width: 258px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-13047\" class=\" wp-image-13047\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/sonic-the-hedgehog-3-STH3-FF-003K_rgb.jpg?resize=248%2C104&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"248\" height=\"104\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/sonic-the-hedgehog-3-STH3-FF-003K_rgb.jpg?resize=300%2C126&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/sonic-the-hedgehog-3-STH3-FF-003K_rgb.jpg?w=700&amp;ssl=1 700w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 248px) 100vw, 248px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-13047\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Knuckles (Idris Elba), Sonic (Ben Schwartz) and Tails (Colleen O&#8217;Shaughnessey) in Sonic the Hedgehog 3<\/p><\/div>\n<p>The lessons learned in this film is to be true to who you are. Problems are easier when you\u2019re part of a team and, most importantly, you always have a choice to do the right thing. There are a lot of violent fight scenes.<\/p>\n<p>Sonic the Hedgehog 3 gets 5 out of 5 stars from me and I recommend it for ages 5 to 12, plus adults. This film opens in theatres on December 20, 2024.<\/p>\n<p>Sonic the Hedgehog 3<br \/>\nBy Braedyn M., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 15<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/lWtCSA5Bz5M?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-US&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\"><\/iframe><\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_13038\" style=\"width: 262px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-13038\" class=\" wp-image-13038\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/sonic-the-hedgehog-3-STH3-FF-004K_rgb.jpg?resize=252%2C106&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"252\" height=\"106\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/sonic-the-hedgehog-3-STH3-FF-004K_rgb.jpg?resize=300%2C126&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/sonic-the-hedgehog-3-STH3-FF-004K_rgb.jpg?w=700&amp;ssl=1 700w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 252px) 100vw, 252px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-13038\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Sonic (Ben Schwartz) in Sonic the Hedgehog 3 from Paramount Pictures and Sega of America, Inc.<\/p><\/div>\n<p><em>Sonic the Hedgehog 3 <\/em>is an excellent, fast-paced flick.\u00a0 The addition of more colorful characters, a new epic storyline, and multiple plot twists take the \u201cBlue Blur\u201d to places he\u2019s never been before.<\/p>\n<p>After the fall of Dr. Robotnik (Jim Carrey) in <em>Sonic the Hedgehog 2<\/em>, Sonic (Ben Schwartz), Tails (Colleen O&#8217;Shaughnessey), and Knuckles (Idris Elba) thought that they could finally have a moment of peace.\u00a0 Well, they were wrong. Enter Shadow (Keanu Reeves), a chaos-powered hedgehog with a strong vengeance against Earth.\u00a0 With no hope of being able to defeat Shadow by themselves, Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles must partner up with the one and only Dr. Robotnik.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_13037\" style=\"width: 260px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-13037\" class=\" wp-image-13037\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/sonic-the-hedgehog-3-STH3-FF-006K_rgb.jpg?resize=250%2C105&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"250\" height=\"105\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/sonic-the-hedgehog-3-STH3-FF-006K_rgb.jpg?resize=300%2C126&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/sonic-the-hedgehog-3-STH3-FF-006K_rgb.jpg?w=700&amp;ssl=1 700w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 250px) 100vw, 250px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-13037\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Tails (Colleen O&#8217;Shaughnessey) in Sonic the Hedgehog 3 from Paramount Pictures and Sega of America, Inc.<\/p><\/div>\n<p>From the start, I could tell that this movie was special.\u00a0 Director Jeff Fowler utilizes the unique personalities of the characters, and their interactions with each other is fun to watch.\u00a0 For instance, when Sonic tells Shadow that he doesn\u2019t want to fight him, Knuckles leans over and tells Sonic, \u201cActually, I would like to fight!\u201d\u00a0 It&#8217;s hard to pick a favorite thing about this movie.\u00a0 However, I love the scene where the \u201cDonut Lord,\u201d Tom (James Marsden) and Maddie (Tika Sumpter) sneak into a military base under holographic disguises.\u00a0 Who does Maddie pick to be her disguise?\u00a0 Her no-nonsense sister, Rachel (Natasha Rothwell).\u00a0 When Tom tells Maddie that she needs to add more \u201coomph\u201d when she speaks if she wants to fit the part, Maddie tells Tom about all the problems he caused Rachel.\u00a0 After she is done, the only thing Tom can say is \u201cYep that sounds about right.\u201d\u00a0 The CGI is really advanced in this film \u2013 it is hard to tell what is computer animated, and what is real.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_13044\" style=\"width: 266px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-13044\" class=\" wp-image-13044\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/sonic-the-hedgehog-3-STH3-FF-020K_rgb.jpg?resize=256%2C110&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"256\" height=\"110\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/sonic-the-hedgehog-3-STH3-FF-020K_rgb.jpg?resize=300%2C129&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/sonic-the-hedgehog-3-STH3-FF-020K_rgb.jpg?w=700&amp;ssl=1 700w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 256px) 100vw, 256px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-13044\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Lee Majdoub as Agent Stone, Tails (Colleen O&#8217;Shaughnessey), Sonic (Ben Schwartz) and Knuckles (Idris Elba) in Sonic the Hedgehog 3 from Paramount Pictures and Sega of America, Inc.<\/p><\/div>\n<p>The background music and sound effects add a nice touch, and Shadow\u2019s mysterious backstory kept me wondering what would happen next.\u00a0 In the beginning the plot is a bit rushed, and it\u2019s hard to appreciate the peace and quiet that existed before Shadow arrives.\u00a0 However, the film makes up for that by finding creative ways to tie it together with the previous two films such as showing Wade (Adam Pally), who was the assistant sheriff in the first two films, but is now the guardian of the Master Emerald, an important position granted by Knuckles.<\/p>\n<p>The film&#8217;s message is to not let anger define who you are.\u00a0 Shadow learns that maybe friendship is better than fighting and, in time, is able to forge a strong bond with Team Sonic.\u00a0 Be forewarned that there is a small amount of profanity.<\/p>\n<p><em>Sonic the Hedgehog 3 <\/em>gets 4.5 out of 5 stars from me and I recommend it for ages 8 to 18, plus adults.\u00a0 It dashes into theaters on December 20, 2024. Be sure to stay till the end of the credits. You&#8217;ll be glad you did.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Sonic the Hedgehog returns to the big screen this holiday season in his most thrilling adventure yet. Sonic, Knuckles, and Tails reunite against a powerful new adversary, Shadow, a mysterious villain with powers unlike anything they have faced before. With their abilities outmatched in every way, Team Sonic must seek out an unlikely alliance in hopes of stopping Shadow and protecting the planet.<\/p>\n<p>KIDS FIRST! Film Critic Daniel S. comments, \u201cSonic the Hedgehog 3 far exceeded my expectations, and proves a worthy successor to the previous two films. Booming with heart, vibrancy and thrill, Sonic the Hedgehog 3 takes the Sonic franchise to new heights.\u201d Eli C. adds, \u201cSonic The Hedgehog 3 is beyond funny. It is hilarious. It is laugh-out-loud, knee-slapping, hold-your-belly, funny.  There are so many unexpected twists and surprises. Just when I thought I knew what was next, something or someone pops up.\u201d  Braedyn M. wraps it up with, \u201cThe CGI is really advanced in this film \u2013 it is hard to tell what is computer animated, and what is real.  The background music and sound effects add a nice touch, and Shadow\u2019s mysterious backstory kept me wondering what would happen next.\u201d <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[4949,15],"tags":[1001,485,6881,1363,1783,4869,8551,619,8552,8553,424,1365,342,793,8555,8559,1166,4203,8554,8558,2436,8550,620,1366,8557,190,8549,1487,8556],"class_list":["post-13036","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-feature-film","category-feature-film-reviews","tag-adventure","tag-animated","tag-animation-society","tag-ben-schwartz","tag-by-kids-for-kids","tag-colleen-oshaughnessey","tag-dr-robotnik","tag-eggman","tag-gerald-robotnik","tag-hedgehog","tag-idris-elba","tag-jim-carrey","tag-keanu-reeves","tag-knuckles","tag-krysten-ritter","tag-marza-animation-planet","tag-movie-reviews","tag-paramount-pictures","tag-robotnik","tag-sega-sammy-group","tag-shadow","tag-shadow-the-hedgehog","tag-sonic","tag-sonic-movie","tag-sonic-movie-3","tag-sonic-the-hedgehog","tag-sonic-the-hedgehog-3","tag-tails","tag-team-sonic"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/paS5I2-3og","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13036","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/13"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=13036"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13036\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":13058,"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13036\/revisions\/13058"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=13036"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=13036"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=13036"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}