Sonic the Hedgehog 3is already shaping up to be one of the most exciting movies of 2024, despite releasing in a year already filled with great projects. With anexcellent first trailer released,Sonic 3is clearly looking to expand the franchise in scope, pulling deeper than ever before from theSoniccanon.Sonic 3’s great casthas become even greater with Keanu Reeves as Shadow, yet for all the excitement, the threequel may still face an insurmountable problem, thanks to the previous movie’s ending.

One of the great things about the first twoSonicfilms was their final battles, more soSonic the Hedgehog 2than the original movie.Sonic 2showed up with an awesome final scenewhich showed that the filmmakers were finally pulling more elements from the original games. However, it’s unclearwhether the upcomingSonic the Hedgehog 3is going to be able to live up to what came before, or if it will fall short of what happened in the second movie’s climax. The answer to this question will go a long way toward determining the film’s success.

Shadow skating along the water in Sonic the Hedgehog 3

Sonic The Hedgehog 3’s Finale Needs To Live Up To The Previous Film

Sonic the Hedgehog 3looks set to build on the momentum established by the first two films in the franchise. The trailer shows thatthe film is delving deeper into the lore of theSonicfranchise than ever before, bringing back direct plot points from the older Dreamcast games. Additionally, theperfect usage of Keanu Reeves as Shadowpromises to add an extra element of intrigue for fans both new and old. And yet, the spectacular ending ofSonic 2runs the risk of makingSonic the Hedgehog 3a tad underwhelming.

IfSonic the Hedgehog3isn’t able to live up to the high bar thatSonic 2’s finale set, then the film as a whole will absolutely suffer.

Sonic goes Super Sonic in Sonic the Hedgehog 2

Even if the film is as great as it seems to be,if it can’t live up to what has come before, then it will be seen as a disappointment.Sonic the Hedgehog 2was reviewed decentlyby critics, touted as a film that, while it had its issues, showed exactly how a goodSonicmovie can be made, and much of that is due to the climax of the film. Featuring a spectacular set piece, incorporating all the main protagonists in a variety of inventive ways, the finale raised the bar for the franchise. IfSonic the Hedgehog3isn’t able to match the expectations thatSonic 2’s finale set, then the film as a whole will suffer.

What Made Sonic The Hedgehog 2’s Final Battle So Good

It Was A Number Of Different Factors

Sonic the Hedgehog 2was a great film for a number of reasons, like the great inclusions of Knuckles and Tails and Jim Carrey’s continued excellence as Robotnik. However,one of the most outstanding parts of the film was the final battle, where Knuckles, Tails, and Sonic fight off a giant Eggman robot.Sonic 2’s climax, despite somewhat sidelining Tails, is great for a variety of reasons, with a big one being that we finally got to see the main trio work together after Knuckles had been an antagonist for the rest of the film.

One Of The Worst Sonic Games Ever Made Can Finally Be Redeemed Thanks To Sonic The Hedgehog 3

The Sonic movies have done a great job introducing people to the franchise, and now they have the chance to redo the most infamous Sonic story.

The most exciting part of the film was at the end of the fight, when all seemed lost until Sonic took the power of the Chaos Emeralds and became Super Sonic. With the reveal of the Master Emerald in the trailers, the Chaos Emeralds and Super Sonic showing up was a possibility, but it didn’t take away from the scene itself.Seeing the movie delve deeper into concepts more specific to theSonicfranchise was a great surprisewhen compared to the more grounded approach of the first movie, and took the film series to new heights – setting a clear benchmark forSonic 3to try and match.

Shadow looking angry after breaking out of his containment in Sonic the Hedgehog 3

Sonic The Hedgehog 3 Already Has The Blueprint For A Great Climax

The Film Is Adapting From A Preexisting Story

As a difference from either of the previous films,Shadow’s origin inSonic the Hedgehog 3seems to be a more direct adaptation of the story ofSonic Adventure 2.The story of the game is ambitious and dark, and while it doesn’t entirely stick the landing,the basic outline of the story is a great starting point forSonic 3. Sonic Adventure 2ends with Sonic and Shadow teaming up to defeat the Biolizard by becoming Super Sonic and Super Shadow. With the second film having introduced Super Sonic to audiences, having Sonic and Shadow both go super to save the day is the perfect way to up the ante.

While the film is unlikely to be a direct, 1:1 adaptation for obvious reasons, the climax of this film should be similar to the game, and further projects should continue to take similar inspiration from the games. While it could be seen as too similar toSonic 2’s ending, if it is done right,Sonic the Hedgehog 3’s ending could easily surpass the previous film’s climax.

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Sonic the Hedgehog 3

Cast

Sonic the Hedgehog 3 reunites Sonic, Knuckles, and Tails as they face a formidable new adversary, Shadow. With Shadow’s unprecedented powers posing a significant threat, Team Sonic seeks an unexpected alliance to thwart his plans and safeguard the planet.