As I took my seat for Sonic the Hedgehog 3, I felt a wave of nostalgia sweep over me, reminiscent of countless Saturday mornings spent riveted to the television, enthralled by the blue blur’s exploits. The film begins with a frantic scene in which Sonic and his companions, Knuckles, and Tails, find their ideal household life upended by the appearance of Shadow, a moody new opponent.

This dark and intriguing hedgehog is more than just an adversary; he embodies a traumatic past, having escaped from a containment facility after decades of seclusion. It’s a powerful metaphor for our struggles—how the shadows of our past may creep into the present and demand confrontation.

As Sonic and his buddies are reluctantly lured into a mission that compels them to ally with their arch-nemesis, Dr. Ivo Robotnik, the narrative develops in a series of increasing battles. Jim Carrey’s dual...