Sonic the Hedgehog 3

Ever since the first Sonic movie listened to fans and delayed release for a much needed redesign of the blue blur, the Sonic franchise has benefitted from having the winds of goodwill at its back. Smart casting choices, family-friendly storylines and increasingly complex action scenes rewarded this faith, younger viewers enjoying the fun, while adults had the benefit of easter eggs and sly humour to keep them entertained. 

And everyone loves Jim Carrey who steals every film like the villain he portrays.

Sonic 3 smartly takes the tone a little darker, adopting the Harry Potter model of growing up with the audience. Shadow has long been a fan favourite character, adopting the "evil version of the hero" trope that made characters like Venom, KARR and Reverse Flash pop culture icons. Keanu Reeves is another smart casting choice, bringing some John Wick energy to his character - Shadow even uses a gun at one point, about the most un-Sonic act you can think of. Reeves is perfect for the role and works it well, being sympathetic and menacing in equal measure. His backstory is adapted well for the big screen, though the characters who facilitated his change of heart in the games, notably Amy and Rouge, are nowhere to be seen.

Carrey, who genuinely seems to love chewing the scenery in this franchise, works his magic again here. Playing not only Ivo Robotnik, but also his grandfather Gerald, the duplication of his manic energy is seamless. We've had characters play different character that interact before (Austin Powers probably the most relevant example) but it's never been better than Carrey here. The ability to hit eyelines and match his own energy is peerless and an absolute joy to watch. "Double your villains, double your fun" is an apt line and delivered with a knowing wink to the audience.

While all the previous supporting characters make an appearance, such as James Marsden's Tom and Tika Sumpter's Maddie, many are more cameos that keep the broader world feeling familiar. Adam Pally's hapless police officer Wade has an important but very short role in the film, Natasha Rothwell and Shemar Moore (Maddie's loud sister and her husband) are inexplicably included during a heist scene (logically it makes no sense but they make the most of their time and seem to enjoy returning) but the most welcome supporting actor is undoubtedly Lee Majdoub as Robotnik's put-upon assistant Agent Stone. His wide-eyed admiration for Robotnik while suffering his endless abuse has made him as enjoyable to watch as the established characters - he gets a nice payoff at the end too, which I liked. It really felt earned and gave both Robotnik and Stone some character growth. 

G.U.N, the shadowy (no pun intended) agency that the story revolves around are represented by a returning Tom Butler as kindly (and slightly odd) Commander Watters and new face Krysten Ritter as Commander Rockwell. Sadly Ritter is the one performance that I found largely confusing, playing both officious protector of Earth, but with the swagger of a villain. She's pretty much forgotten about in the final act, and that's probably for the best.

I love that they worked in this expression from an Archie comics story that became a meme.

For adults, aside from Carrey's knowing winks, we have plenty of Easter Eggs to enjoy - the more overt Chao Garden restaurant is probably the most notable, the cute little critters being introduced in Shadow's gaming debut Sonic Adventure 2. I also enjoyed seeing Tokyo make an appearance, the early chase featuring Sonic and Shadow up the side of the Tokyo Skytree just felt perfect, bringing the characters home and giving the Japanese fans some iconic imagery of their own.

The core team remain as lovable as ever - Tails and Knuckles aren't given as much to do this time around, though they both have day-saving scenes to enjoy. Elba as Knuckles continues to be a particular delight, even if his bullish pride and tendency to take things literally making him the Drax of the Sonic team. Taken as a threesome they have an effortless chemistry and my daughter, Thea (who at 5 is already a fan of the series) was spellbound whenever they were on screen. The interplay, such as Knuckles laughing at Tails when a little girl thinks he's Detective Pikachu, is adorable. 

Team Sonic - now established, their interplay is central to the film, while human characters are now supporting roles.

Suitably, the 1 hour and 50 minute runtime rarely slows down, each breakneck sequence leading to another, peppered with heartfelt flashbacks to provide motive for our dark anti-hero. Thea managed to pay attention the whole way through though I admit I was feeling a bit tired by the never-ending sensory overload, especially in the final third. That said I'm already looking forward to seeing it again when the Steelbook 4K release lands.

My favourite part of the film was the first stinger - I knew it was coming (damn you internet) but that also meant I knew my daughter would get a glimpse of her favourite character, and it was genuinely magical as she sat awestruck and wide-eyed hugging the character's plush and whispering "look Daddy it's *redacted*" Argh, my heart...

Director Jeff Fowler hits his mark again, creating a satisfying and - most importantly - fun movie that the whole family can enjoy. It's almost bizarre that a computer game character has just spanked Disney's live-action Lion King prequel, but here we are - no doubt SEGA are absolutely delighted.