Sonic Movie 3 - Spoiler Thread (Open spoilers within, beware)

I just remembered this because I forgot to mention it when I showed the Mexican Sonic popcorn bucket. Sonic doesn’t call Tom "Dad" at all in the movie, does he?

In the Latin American dub, when Sonic is freaking out about Tom not waking up, he actually calls him "Dad" near the end. That made me remember he calls him dad at the end of Sonic 2.

I wonder if they decided it would be weird for Sonic to keep calling him that and just went back to him calling Tom by his name.

 

Sonic definitely didn't call him dad in the English version but I do remember either Tom or Maddie making a comment about having nuclear alien children.

 

Hi!

First post here (in a long time – had an old account, actually, just forgot all of the details for it)!

These movies surprised me so much, they're part of the reason I got back into the series, but Sonic 3 in particular is the biggest surprise.

I liked movie 1 and 2 solely because despite all of the Marvelisms (the quipping, pop culture references), which I generally don't really find funny and even often a lazy alternative to putting the work into developing characters, they looped back to simple and sincere messaging and straight-forward, simple dialog when it truly mattered.

It also helps everyone being a fan of pop culture is part of their characters. I think that aspect is most effectively used for Sonic in movie 1 because that's the only lens through which Sonic knows the world and it is a lot more jarring when more characters start making references, but they made me at least "alright" with them, which is cool.

However, each movie makes the easy and obvious move and picks a theme and sticks with it.

Sonic 1: "It's okay to be different/wierd."
Sonic 2: "With great power comes great responsibility."

Both are fairly standard ideas on paper, but when thinking more about it, these themes are surprisingly consistent within their respective movies.

They're ultimately still 6-7/10 movies to me because they run some of their jokes (or set pieces) to the ground to a pretty extreme degree (the dance sequences and particularly the wedding sequrnce in 2), but there is a solid foundation there.

I think none of these movies should look as good as they do, either.

I think the character designs for the Sonic characters still cross that uncanny valley feeling in a few moments, but generally look at least alright (which I also find a fairly crazy achievement for live action).

I was also really impressed by some of the set dressing in 2, actually. Labyrinth zone and the Death Egg looked awesome and had awesome moments for the characters.

All of this is relevant for my thoughts on Sonic 3 because Sonic 3 evolves and fortifies its own self-contained story with these themes from the previous movies along with developing its own.

Shadow feels like he doesn't belong just like Sonic was seen as a strange alien and didn't really belong.

Sonic ends up using the Emerald for selfish and irresponsible reasons.

And these are all used to further Sonic 3's main theme: "You're not controlled by your suffering/past/negative feelings."

And Sonic, Shadow and Eggman all fall into this theme. Sonic and Shadow ultimately choose a different path to revenge and Eggman ends up saving the world because of his differing principles compared to Gerald's.

I think it's so cool how sometimes these themes interconnect between movies, whether it is intentional or not.

For example, in 2 Tails is also put in the "outcast" position, which is carried on by Shadow in 3.

And in 3 Knuckles chooses reasoning and responsible action over a fight, not repeating the powerhungry actions of his tribe, being above the corruption.

It's to the point where it feels like almost everything in 3 is connected to the themes to me.

At the start of the movie, there's an argument about Team Sonic and Team Knuckles, but by the end it's just "team".

Tails and Knuckles ultimately have to bail Sonic from his hotheaded decision, reinforcing the theme of friendship.

Even the darn telenovella scenes are part of Shadow's arc where he understands Gabriella is not a price to be won – he does care!

The connection between Maria's skating and Shadow's skating is awesome.

The fact that we actually get a sense of Shadow's and Maria's relationship without that much dialog and her appearances in the movie build up to the reveal of her death is very good storytelling because building up to a truth instead of just giving it to the viewer lets you really convey the importance of that reveal; I love the cinematography in that scene.

Equally, the scene where Shadow knocks out Tom is great because it only works because of the characters being who they are. If we didn't have two entire movies where Tom and Sonic developed a bond, I think it wouldn't have the same effect.

You still understand why, but the previous movies add to it. And Shadow didn't really necessarily do it because he wanted to hurt Tom, but because getting the key was just a step in the plan. He even saw himself in Sonic.

(Personally, I saw Rockwell's reaction to Walters as a temporary confusion. Like a "wait, what?" kind of reaction.

And I can't believe Stone and Eggman got the closure they got.

Because the pacing is so brisk, I think even the jokes I didn't care for were much snappier, much better timed.

There's an argument to be made that the movies repeat themselves too much, but I see it much more as consistency, rather than repetition.

Maybe some of this is looking too deep into it, but I really don't feel like this is the case considering the much more dense pacing of it.

I think I'd still give Sonic 3 a 8ish out of 10 because I think it sometimes goes by too quick (maybe stay a bit longer in the Maria flashbacks or find a more graceful way to transition into the comedic scenes, but I felt like the Super fights especially should've been longer. What we got was still really fun and cool, but maybe just a little bit more here and there would've been perfect.)

I had no expectations for any of these to be any good, but the first two are passable kids' movies and the third one is a genuinely solid one.

 

Is there a screenshot of the biolizard kaiju? I missed it when I watched the movie it was so quick. I thought it was just Godzilla.

 

Oh yes somehow I missed it. That’s definitely biolizard. It’s so cool that they went to the effort of making it fit the classic film aesthetic for this!

 

I'm disappointed they didn't so some extreme body horror with the Biolizard. The tubes and wires that come out of it have limitless potential.

But I guess this is a kid's movie so ¯\_(ツ)_/¯.

 

Mmh, I'm currently concerned with who is going to be voicing 3rd Best Girl. I know Shadow wasn't given a voice immediately, but that felt more like the film team knew they held the key to a nuke and had to be deliberately conscientious of who to give it to - Literally a make or break deal for Paramount financially due to his sheer popularity that could influence the franchise's trajectory.

The reason we managed to get Colleen into the 2nd film is because, if I recall, she was invited to the booth at the time for the 1st film, acting as a pretty late notice option for the post-credits. My educated inference is that Paramount's intent wasn't to include her to begin with, more that she was 'convenient' to have around. Amy not being voiced feels like a worrying reminder that suits can chuck She-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named into any project they choose, for a job more suited to the talents of a properly trained voice actor -- so the situation is more foreboding than it needs to be, is what I'm attempting to convey.
We'll just have to see what happens in 2⅓ years from now, but I'm going to sort through a list of actresses that come to mind:

• S.W.M.N.B.N - You (likely) know who she is.
  
• Colleen - Just re-use an actor you already have.
• Zendaya - Recency bias. News of her marriage with Spider-Man means lots of eyes are on her.
• Scarlett Johansson - Prominent actor, featured in the Paramount release 'Transformers One'.
  
• Tara Strong - Biggest VA in the game, best-case scenario.
• Lisa Ortiz - Y2K Amy supremacy. Dubbing since '86.
  
• Cindy Robinson - Current Amy Rose... Since when did she voice Paprika?
• Ashleigh Ball - Rainbow Dash. Tails in Sonic Prime.
• Emily Blunt - Showing up in a lot of big-budgeted films as of late.
• Christine Marie Cabanos - Wildcard option. Mako.

 

Spoiler: SWMNHN

 

He’s obviously talking about Amy Schumer.

 

I unironically like Awkwafina's voice but don't ever make her sing again, please. She wouldn't be a good Amy though.

I think they should hire Anya Taylor-Joy for Amy because it'd be funny.

 

Afwjehbndksamlfjnh apologies, thought an image'd be funnier. xd I get a kick out of treating Awkwafina like she's some mythical, vengeful god lmao

But yeah, feel like most VAs have it rough as it is, wish they'd be considered more in this day and age. I don't have a problem with her, just what she represents within the wider industry.

 

She is a Zionist that is ok with supporting the IDF and their ongoing genocide in Palestine. I hope she does not get a chance in the role. She does not deserve it and I hope after showing what a heartless monster she is by supporting innocent children being bombed and murdered, her career evaporates.

 

Mannnnn, s'just been revelation upon revelation... Today ain't my day, huh? Is Tiffany Grant still cool? Matthew Mercer?

 

You didn't know, so don't beat yourself up too much for it. As for Tiffany Grant, uh, idk.

 

Does Tiffany Grant still do stuff? I know her more as the lady who goes around talking about how cool Asuka is than the lady who voiced Asuka.

Anyway, yeah, I think after Mike and Karen and Wally we really don't need another wildly racist voice actor on this series.

 

The last thing I heard her in was in Mega64's End of Evangelion in 5 minutes where she did some VO as Asuka's mom.

 

It occurs to me that, to answer the plothole of the Chaos Emeralds in Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (2024), they could have just had Knuckles' quest in Knuckles be to locate the Chaos Emeralds and restore the Master Emerald...