![The Red Right Hand Movie Reviews [Matthew Stogdon]](https://reviews.theredrighthand.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/cropped-header1.png)
Director
Jeff Fowler
Starring
Ben Schwartz
Keanu Reeves
Jim Carrey
Unbeknownst to our heroes, another alien hedgehog landed on Earth in the 1970s and was incarcerated by the military (well, the fictional body: Guardian Units of Nations [GUN]). But, after five decades sealed away, Shadow the Hedgehog [Reeves] is broken out of prison by a mysterious force. Possibly too powerful for Sonic [Schwartz], Knuckles [Idris Elba] and Tails [Colleen O’Shaughnessey], the gang must work together with an unlikely ally: Dr Robotnik [Carrey] to save the Earth.
At this stage, the Sonic movies aren’t trying to win over or court the unconvinced. The days of a compromised Sonic design that nearly tanked the film are long gone. Now we’re getting Akira bike-slides, Shadow with a gun, and a track from Crush 40. And in truth, I applaud this movie for finally understanding its core audience and demographic – namely that of small children and jaded millennials who want memes, references and nostalgia. And part of that is down to the director. See, Fowler ensures the same consistency throughout all three films but with each passing instalment, he gets to bring that vision closer and closer in-line with the video games’ focus on the anthropomorphic animal component, rather than clogging the story with unnecessary human antics.
Speaking of which, the family unit of Sonic, Knuckles and Tails works delightfully, but with the addition of Shadow, we get to see an interesting juxtaposition. A fairly cliche ‘two sides of the same coin’ juxtaposition, but an entertaining one never the less. And Reeves brings the pitch perfect level of edginess without being actually evil and comically committed to the bit – i.e. villainous as understood by a child. In the same way Knuckles’ meat-headedness and brash attitude were consistent to the point of funny in Sonic The Hedgehog 2, so too is Shadow’s angst-ridden broodiness; albeit infused with a healthy dose of sincere melancholy and rage.
Then we have Jim Carrey. The man who said he was stepping away from acting but just had to come back for one last ride. And it’s unsurprisingly fantastic. In a dual role as both Ivo and Gerald Robotnik, Carrey throws himself around with his characteristic buffoonery (sanctioned or otherwise) to the delight of many. That said, Carrey does spend most of the film just acting with himself – to the degree that he feels somewhat adjacent to the plot, despite being an integral part of it. Even his loyal henchman, Agent Stone (portrayed by Lee Majdoub) is largely sidelined.
But really this film builds to its bombastic third act. It’s the potentially world ending confrontation that fans have been waiting for this whole time. Emotionally wrought, excessive, and wonderfully silly. And admittedly, this film is better than it has any right to be because of it. Visually pleasing, stuffed with fantastic sound design, an imposing score from Tom Holkenborg, and a plan from Robotnik that deviates from mere world domination due to his literal insanity brought on by inconsolable grief. However, it should be noted that despite wrapping up succinctly, the ending feels a little abrupt and thanks to the scale of the spectacle, the smaller, quieter moments are diminished. That said, Sonic’s heartfelt earnestness and Shadow’s unrelenting angst are almost enough to bridge that gap.
In point of fact, Sonic is one of the few ongoing film series that actually improves with each additional outing; slowly building up an arsenal of supporting performances that continue to outgrow its 2019 roots. Sure we’ll probably get contractual appearances from James Marsden and Tika Sumpter going forward but it’s evident we don’t need them, outside of a few sage words of wisdom and the odd helping hand. The bonds Sonic forms with his friends and found family will continue to be the most compelling and enjoyable parts of these films. The real question is, given this is likely the final Carrey appearance, how will the absence of Robotnik impact the tone and flow going forward? Regardless, Fowler and co have found their niche and are going to pump these things out until we’re sick of them. But if they maintain this level of quality, I’m happy to see where it all goes.
Release Date:
20 December 2024
The Scene To Look Out For:
Earlier I mentioned how these films have set and maintained a consistent tone. With the inclusion of Shadow, there was a risk of going a little too dark, grim and gritty. And, yeah, it skirts that line incredibly close at times but there’s a few key minimisations to avoid going full horror film, all of which are clearly illustrated while the group are exploring a deserted base. It’s established that Knuckles is not a fan of ghosts – thanks to a hilarious “there’s no such thing as a friendly ghost” flashback – and the scene is broken up with the occasional Shadow jump-scares. But the entire sequence is presented and shot with that young audience in mind, like a ghost train rather than a legitimately scary experience.
Notable Characters:
While I’m happy the human part of the story isn’t hogging screen-time, Krysten Ritter is introduced and dismissed just as quickly. Playing the director of GUN, her inclusion feels like a waste of her abilities and a fairly under baked pseudo-adversary. I imagine she’ll make a return appearance at a later date but as a solo experience, it’s pretty underwhelming.
Highlighted Quote:
“Revenge guac!”
In A Few Words:
“Another fun adventure with all the action and laughs to entertain. This time with a soupçon of added ennui and complexity.”
Total Score: 4/5
