Let’s face facts. Video game adaptations haven’t exactly had the best track record when it comes to screen adaptations. Over the years, we’ve been inundated with so many terrible facsimiles that the bar is now incredibly low. Recently, however, the likes of The Super Mario Bros. Movie, The Last of Us, and Fallout, seem to have broken that curse. There is another franchise, however, that isn’t as spoken about as much, but has been quietly on the rise, with each installment objectively better than the last.
When the first Sonic film was announced back in 2017, I don’t think anyone was expecting it to work on any level. That feeling of dread was then compounded when they released the now infamous teaser trailer with possibly the most uncanny valley looking CGI Sonic we could have ever imagined. The events that followed “Teethgate,” however, should have been a sign of how fantastic this film was going to turn out, because unlike most other productions, the team around the first installment actually listened to the fanbase and made the necessary changes.
After the massive success of Sonic the Hedgehog, a lot of people woke up to the idea that a video game movie could actually be good, and fun, and appeal to audiences of all ages. The first installment in the franchise was a feel-good film filled with pop culture references, tongue-in-cheek humour, and plenty of heart. It was the perfect recipe for a great day out at the movies with the family.
It also served as something of a wake-up call to the other studios that it was time to up their game. Sonic’s Nintendo rival Mario got an equally well-deserved treatment and the stakes had definitely risen.
Now you would think that the first Sonic movie might have been a fluke, but Sega and Paramount doubled down with its sequel and proved that this was indeed a formula that worked. Now with Sonic the Hedgehog 3 delivering yet another success, it might be time to regard the franchise as possibly the best example of how to make a video game adaptation.
If you watched the first two Sonic movies, I’m pretty sure you’ll love this one too. Sonic 3 is still filled with all of the franchise’s trademark humour and heart, as well as copious amounts of action. as well as some truly heartbreaking moments with the arrival of the fan favourite Shadow. While the first two movie were a fast paced and hilarious time from start to finish, the arrival of the fan favourite Shadow and the inclusion of some devastatingly heartbreaking moments keeps things fresh and new.
It is, once again, a testament to why this formula keeps working. The filmmakers know what the audience want.
With most adaptations, the studios are in it for the IP. If we’re lucky, they might stay true to the source material. If we’re not, then we end up with Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time. What sets The Last of Us, The Super Mario Bros. Movie, and Sonic apart, is the fact that they were able to not only respect the source material, but add enough new material in order to bring to it an exciting narrative energy.
The Sonic franchise also stands out by virtue of having a personality of its own. The filmmakers have jammed so many pop culture references into this that it would make Deadpool proud. It allows for fans to connect to these characters on a deeper level. They make the same inside jokes and references as us, they suffer the same emotional problems as us, and they even love the same chilli dogs as us (okay, that one may be purely personal to me, but I’m sure it’s still relatable). And they do it all with style and grace, with homages to both the video game, and anime as well – Dragon Ball Z and Akira feature prominently in Sonic 3.
And then there are the easter eggs, which are essentially a love letter to all of us who grew up with these games. But that isn’t to say that you won’t enjoy this franchise if you didn’t grow up a gamer. Because at it’s core, these Sonic movies have always been a deeply relatable story about family, overcoming your fears, and staying true to yourself.
Lastly, the most important thing that a lot of other video game adaptations could learn from the Sonic franchise is to not take themselves so seriously. Sure, you’re adapting something that’s based on an iconic franchise, but that doesn’t mean you can’t have a little fun in the process.
The whole concept of a speedy blue alien hedgehog is utterly absurd, but instead of shying away from the insanity of it all, the filmmakers lean into it, they poke fun at themselves, they break the fourth wall, and amp it up, without ever losing sight of the humanity of it all.
So when you book your tickets to see Sonic the Hedgehog 3, take a moment to appreciate just how far the industry has come with its video game adaptations, and soak in the many reasons why Sonic has succeeded in areas where others have failed. Hopefully in years to come, Sonic will start facing some real competition at the box office. I for one believe that Sonic, like Iron Man before it, is a genre game changer. And after watching this threequel, I think it’s safe to say that the Sonic success train, isn’t going to be stopping anytime soon.
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