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(Spoiler Free) Discussing Sonic the Hedgehog 3! || Chatsu Shorts
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In this stocking filler of a Chatsu Shorts episode, Satsunami discusses the latest Sonic the Hedgehog film. After two years of waiting, did the third entry into the series live up to the hype? Or is there still more living and learning to be done here? Grab your chaos emeralds and let's find out!
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Transcript
Positive Trends in Video Game Films
00:00:05
Speaker
Welcome to Chatsunami.
00:00:18
Speaker
Who would have thought that five years on from Sonic the Hedgehog's live-action debut that we would be talking about video game films in a positive light? From the Super Mario film to Detective Pikachu, there seems to be a somewhat resurgence of filmmakers proving that they can take something silly, get family-friendly and turn it into an emotional rollercoaster.
Sonic's 2019 Design Controversy
00:00:38
Speaker
I don't even have to go in depth about the storm the debut of Sonic's first film had in 2019, with fans still haunted by that original design of the Blue Blur. And surprisingly, due to the negative attention this film was getting, I never watched it until a year or two later when it dropped onto Netflix.
Sonic: A Road Trip Movie
00:00:56
Speaker
And while I overall enjoyed the film, there was a somewhat meddling feeling I had for it. It reminded me of all the bloody Road Trip films, where the main human character would be paired up with a CGI animal to save the day for whatever reason. Not bad, per se, but just an inoffensive
Character Introductions in Sonic 2
00:01:12
Speaker
film. The then-2022 rolled around at the speed of sound, and we were collectively blown away by how good the sequel was, from the introduction of fan-favourite characters like Tails and Knuckles to more references to the games. The franchise was starting to pick up speed, and there was only a matter of time before it would hit its peak once it introduced the iconic Shadow the Hedgehog.
00:01:33
Speaker
It would then be a two year wait, and the mediocre Knuckles miniseries to wade through. See what I did there. Before we would get to the highly anticipated third entry, and after going to see Sonic 3, was the hype warranted? Was it everything and more that I could hope for? Or is there still some living and learning to
Standout Performances
00:01:50
Speaker
do here? Without any further ado, this is my spoiler-free review of Sonic the Hedgehog 3. Let's start with the positives of this film. As always, the acting is in top form, with Ben Schwartz reprising his role as Sonic, Colleen O'Shaughnessy as Tails, Idris Elba as Knuckles and Keanu Reeves debuting as Shadow of the Hedgehog, which was indeed a welcome surprise. What I loved as well was the way that all these actors genuinely seemed to be enjoying themselves when promoting the film.
00:02:17
Speaker
This can also be extended to villains of the film Doctor Robotnik and Agent Stone, played by the talented duo Jim Carrey and Lee Magdoom. Considering that Jim Carrey said he would be retiring after the second Sonic film, it was an absolute delight not only seeing him reprise his role as the malevolent mad scientist, but also returning as Professor Gerald Robotnik, which is something we'll get onto later.
Game References and Fan Service
00:02:42
Speaker
Long-term listeners of the show will no doubt know how much of a Sonic fan I was growing up. This was showcased during our Sonic month of 2022, when my friend Adam and I deep-dived into the history of the games, as well as our thoughts on the movies. So when I say I was most likely the only one audible gasping in the cinema when certain references flashed up on the screen, you can trust me when I say it was a Sonic fan's dream come true. Without spoiling anything, there are numerous callbacks to the games, big and small, which will leave you smiling every time they pop up. accompanied by the surprisingly stellar visual effects, it leaves you wanting more
Shadow and Maria's Relationship
00:03:17
Speaker
at some point. No more is this apparent than with the relationship between Shadow and his closest friend, Maria Robotnik. The film is peppered with flashback scenes to Shadow's time but living with Maria, and despite a few changes made to their origin story, I could have honestly watched more of it. It was sweet and heartwarming, setting up the parallels between Sonic and Shadow, which made it all the more satisfying when the
Critique on Tone and Pacing
00:03:41
Speaker
finale happened. My only minor gripe would be that Gerald Robotnik, Maria's grandfather, didn't really have much screen time with Maria, which I find weird giving his motivation to adventure in both the games and the film. And before you ask, there was no cheering in our cinema screening. That being said, while I overall enjoyed this movie, there were definitely a few moments that I felt could have been handled better. While the humour was pretty funny for the most part, with even Shadow getting a few good one-liners, there are some scenes where it killed the tone harder than Gun Kilmerie and the games. You go from high-octane action scenes to the Robotniks being, well, Jim Carrey-esque.
00:04:17
Speaker
And that's the main paradox I feel this film has. On the one hand, this series is establishing its own lore, while borrowing from the games. This is perfect, as it allows them to cherry-pick the best of the games, while adding their own elements. That being said, when their own plot lines don't work, they really don't work. It almost feels like Paramount are too afraid to treat certain topics with a sense of seriousness, without someone making a follow-up quit. Sometimes this can undermine the characters and their motivations for the most drastically different being Gerald. It's hard not to compare, but Gerald is a tragic figure who lost his granddaughter to an organisation he trusted, and that thread is carried over here. But because he flips from goofy to maniacal so fast that you can blink and miss the transition. That being said, he has some incredible jokes that come out of left field. This is not the fault of the actors, but instead, whoever made these things decisions, which in turn, even for a children's film, can come off as childish. Further compounding this is the rushed pacing for the first half of the film. It feels almost like a checklist of things you've seen from the trailer, and when the serious moments happen, you barely have time to ruminate over them before they're gone. Even when Gunn arrive into the film with her new director,
00:05:30
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They're once again very much a bumbling side antagonist that are there to remind you that they are
Nostalgic Tribute to Sonic Fans
00:05:36
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part of the plot. Despite the rushed pacing and clunky humour at times, I genuinely loved this film. And I'll admit I did tear up at a couple of moments. It is an absolute love letter to fans of the game, and especially older ones who grew up with the series. It's a fun blast of nostalgia that'll have you wishing for more. No doubt I'll be doing a full episode on this one, so I cannot wait to share that one with you soon. Either way, I'll be keeping an eye on where this series will be going. But what did you think? Was this the Sonic Adventure you hoped for? Or did the crack show with the Eggman Empire? Whatever the case, reach out to us and let us know what you thought.
Conclusion and Holiday Wishes
00:06:11
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But as always, thank you all so much for listening to this episode. Seeing as this is the last episode before the holidays, I just want to wish you all celebrating a very Merry Christmas.
00:06:20
Speaker
For more episodes, check us out on our website, chattsunami.com, as well as all good podcast apps. Huge shoutout to my panel loading patrons, Robotic BattleToaster, Sonya and Ghosty. Thank you so much for supporting the show, and if you would like exclusive access and behind the scenes content, then you can check us out over on Patreon at patreon dot.com forward slash chattsunami. But until next time, stay safe, stay awesome and most importantly, stay hydrated.