‘Sonic the Hedgehog 3’ overview: Jim Carrey retains issues loopy

The great thing about the “Sonic the Hedgehog” movies is that they proceed to shock, nonetheless entertaining, self-referential and even insightful they are often. Since the primary movie defied expectations in 2020 (the inventive staff redesigned the character after on-line backlash at a primary look), a 3rd movie now hits theaters, and the collection exhibits no indicators of stopping.

Directed at a breakneck tempo by Jeff Fowler, “Sonic the Hedgehog 3” is loud, chaotic and sometimes banal, with a visible fashion that may solely be described as “searing,” however the screenplay by Pat Casey, Josh Miller and John Whittington is humorous, biting and would not take itself too significantly. It’s a intelligent, kid-friendly style train (a riff on “Mission: Impossible” this time) that gleefully breaks the fourth wall to get us all in on the jokes.

There are additionally references to “The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift” and “John Wick,” notably with the voice casting of Keanu Reeves as Shadow the Hedgehog, a type of “Dark Sonic” character, who’s right here a wounded warrior bent on revenge. Ben Schwartz returns to voice Sonic, the sunny blue alien who “has to go quick.”

But the true motive to offer the “Sonic” movies an opportunity is a bravura efficiency of pure clowning by Jim Carrey as Sonic’s nemesis, Dr. Robotnik (forgive me, I chuckled when Sonic cheekily referred to him as “Dr. Robuttstink”, it has been an extended 12 months). And within the third episode, there’s double the Robotnik, double the enjoyable, and double the possibility for Carrey to exhibit the type of outsized bodily humor that made him well-known. Carrey performs his character’s grandfather, Gerald Robotnik, who experimented on Shadow in a secret navy laboratory 50 years in the past.

The plot is a bit incomprehensible a few key and an area laser that Robotnik the elder and Shadow wish to use to explode the Earth as a result of they’re indignant on the lack of a pricey niece and good friend, Maria (Alyla Browne). Robotnik the youthful joins the mission within the curiosity of household bonding, whereas Team Sonic, which incorporates the grumpy Knuckles (Idris Elba) and the energetic Tails (Colleen O’Shaughnessey), in addition to their human caretakers, Tom and Maddie ( James Marsden and Tika Sumpter), staff as much as attempt to cease the Robotniks and be taught some vital classes about teamwork and cooperation alongside the best way.

And then, amidst all of the chaos, dance breaks and jarring physique swaps (Krysten Ritter seems briefly in a task that appears largely reduce from the movie), “Sonic the Hedgehog 3” all of a sudden stops for a second, to a surprisingly sharp dialogue about grief and loss. The proven fact that this dialog takes place between two animated hedgehogs sitting on the moon solely provides to the surreal nature of this surprisingly transferring second, however Reeves’ vocal efficiency manages to promote this meditation on studying to stay with the ache of loss. Shadow and Sonic collectively come to the conclusion that isolation and bitterness are not any approach to honor the reminiscence of a misplaced beloved one.

The collection exhibits no indicators of stopping (there are usually not one however two post-credits teasers), and with every iteration there are diminishing returns on the character and the method. But so long as they preserve the foolish fourth-wall-breaking humor and heartfelt messages of unity, the Sonic franchise might need legs.

Katie Walsh is a movie critic for Tribune News Service.