Ladies and gentlemen, Sonic fans far and wide, the day has finally arrived. Sonic Rebound Episode 7 is here, and trust me, it was one for the books. Since I’d just rewatched the earlier episodes, it didn’t feel like a two-year wait…but it was. And now, in this Sonic Rebound Episode 7 review, I can confidently say: it was worth it. Silent Sniper moves the story forward in a big way, as any arc semi-finale should, and it sets the stage for an epic showdown in Episode 8.
In this episode, Sonic heads out to Eggman’s base – Arsenal Pyramid, for the Sonic Forces fans, on a tip from Rouge that he might catch Whisper there. Along the way, he runs into Silver, who knows of Whisper as a legendary figure from his own time. Soon, the three of them are working together to shut the place down and get answers about the recent Badnik attacks, and who’s really pulling the strings.
There’s a lot to love in this one. While it still pulls inspiration from the comics, it’s slowly starting to branch into its own storyline, and that’s exactly what I was hoping for. The visuals? Great across the board. One or two shots had a style I didn’t love, but nothing that actually took away from the experience. The battle scenes were easily a highlight, especially this one moment where Sonic and Silver are taking out flying Badniks around a giant Super Badnik. That sequence alone was incredible.
No complaints on the audio front either. The music fit perfectly and enhanced every scene without overpowering anything. Voice work was top-tier. I actually thought Silver might’ve been voiced by GamerGuyd7Aces, but it turns out it was RobertMartyr, and he nailed it. Hdubs as Whisper also delivered a strong performance. In the comics, Whisper always felt like she was literally whispering—but in a show, you gotta project a little more, and Hdubs found the right balance. And Swordtee did a great job as Mimic—his voice sounded exactly how I imagined it when I first read the comics, which made the scene he was in hit even harder.
The surprise appearance of the Freedom Fighters in Silver’s timeline caught me off guard, but it actually makes sense the more I think about it. Sonic SatAM took place in the year 3234, and we’ve never really gotten a confirmed timeline for the IDW comics. If Sonic’s world is just another dimension with its own timeline, it tracks. But it does raise questions, especially since Eggman Neo, aka Robotnik, is pulling the strings, and he’s usually tied to the Freedom Fighters. If he really is from another dimension like the show implies, then GamerGuyd7Aces is definitely leaning into the creative freedom, and I’m here for it.
All in all, I really enjoyed this episode. The two-year wait wasn’t easy, but this made it feel justified. At the end of the day, this is a fan series, and it’s already miles ahead of the last official Sonic show. Hopefully, Episode 8 doesn’t take quite as long to drop, because I’m ready to see how this arc wraps up.
Silent Sniper
Story
Visuals
Audio
Summary
Episode 7 of Sonic Rebound delivers a high-stakes team-up between Sonic, Whisper, and Silver as they take on Eggman’s base. The visuals, action, and voice acting are some of the strongest in the series so far. With the Freedom Fighters teased and the arc finale approaching, this episode sets the stage for something big.
We’re officially less than a day away from the premiere of Sonic Rebound Episode 7 – Silent Sniper, and the hype is real. It’s been two years since Episode 6 dropped, so revisiting it now for this Sonic Rebound Episode 6 review felt like the perfect lead-up. This was my first time rewatching it since release, and honestly? It hits even harder the second time around. This one was fun to revisit, and it’s easily one of the best in the series so far.
The Fate of Dr. Eggman centers on Shadow, who’s ready to shut Mr. Tinker down for good. After that Eggmanland name-drop in the last episode, Shadow’s convinced he’s still a threat, amnesia or not. Sonic, of course, steps in to defend him, and what we get is an absolutely epic Sonic vs. Shadow showdown. Meanwhile, Team Chaotix gets a little off-the-books help from Rouge, which moves the story closer to what’s coming in Episode 7.
From start to finish, this episode is just solid all around. I’ve said it before, but Shadow is my favorite Sonic character – he’s basically the Vegeta of this world (and yes, Vegeta is also my favorite DBZ character). That dynamic really shines here. Watching Sonic try to reason with Shadow felt just like Goku trying to stop Vegeta from going too far. The tone, the pacing, the character beats – it all just worked. And seeing Shadow get humbled just a bit by Sonic? Always satisfying.
Now let’s talk about the action – it’s top-tier. The Sonic vs. Shadow fight looked fantastic. Backgrounds were detailed, animation flowed smoothly, and everything felt cohesive and professional. For a fan series, this episode might have the cleanest production yet. No noticeable dips in quality, no janky frames – it just moved.
The audio was just as polished. I love me some Sonic Unleashed tracks, but when that Sonic Heroes music kicked in during the battle? I was locked in. That alone leveled up the hype. Voice acting was also on point. Mardiculous as Shadow delivered a performance that felt straight out of early Sonic X – Jason Griffith vibes, for sure. And BulmaBunny absolutely nailed Rouge – she is the voice I want for her in the games, period. Also, Espio finally sounded like a real character again thanks to Swordtee40. Gone is the flat “ninja-bot,” and in his place is someone with actual tone and inflection. Huge improvement.
The balance between story and action is really what sets this episode apart. While Sonic and Shadow are clashing, the plot continues to move with Team Chaotix and Rouge making progress in the background. Knowing what’s coming in Episode 7, this episode perfectly sets the stage. And yeah, this is my favorite episode so far. Makes sense that Sonic’s Vegeta would outshine Sonic’s Piccolo (sorry, not sorry, Knuckles). It’s always been like that, even in the mainline games and shows.
With Episode 7 right around the corner, I’m more than ready. We’re finally getting more Whisper, and the multiverse stuff is about to crack wide open. If the tease at the end of Episode 6 is any indication, we’re in for something special. Full review for Silent Sniper drops tomorrow afternoon. Don’t miss it!
The Fate of Dr. Eggman
Story
Visuals
Audio
Summary
Episode 6 of Sonic Rebound delivers an intense Sonic vs. Shadow battle while pushing the story into new territory. The visuals and audio are top-notch, and the voice performances elevate the entire experience. It’s the strongest entry so far and sets the stage perfectly for Episode 7.
You ever watch an episode of a show that isn’t filler but feels like filler? That’s how I felt watching Episode 5 of Sonic Rebound, Mr. Tinker. Think Dragon Ball Z levels of “this probably matters later, but right now I’m just along for the ride.” It’s not a bad episode by any means—just the most self-contained one so far.
To be fair, that’s not really on GamerGuyd7Aces. He’s pulling straight from the IDW Sonic comics here, and this episode sticks close to the source. The big creative swing already happened in Episode 4 with the reveal that Dr. Robotnik from the Archie Sonic continuity is the real villain in Rebound. That twist still holds weight—and let me just say, Protagonist absolutely owns the role. His Robotnik voice is pitch perfect.
This time around, Sonic heads to a quiet mountain village where Team Chaotix—Vector, Espio, and Charmy—have discovered a familiar face. Only thing is, Eggman doesn’t remember being Eggman. He’s calling himself Mr. Tinker now, living a peaceful life and genuinely helping people. He’s kind, soft-spoken, and totally unaware of his past as the world’s biggest menace. Naturally, this raises a huge question: if the villain has no memory of his crimes, does he still deserve to pay for them?
I liked seeing the Chaotix crew again, and they were handled well. Charmy wasn’t nearly as irritating as usual, which is always a win. Vector was perfectly cast—Trevzed sounds almost exactly like pre-2010 Vector, and I respect the accuracy. Espio’s voice was just okay for me, and honestly, he hasn’t sounded great since the Sonic Rivals era. The uncredited VA here was fine, but something about the newer direction for Espio never fully clicks with me.
Visuals? Mostly strong. There were a few dips, but nothing that killed the vibe. The opening scene with Sonic and Espio running corkscrews through the mountain while fighting Badniks? That was sick. It was fast, colorful, and smooth—just not consistently that way all the way through. But the use of Sonic Unleashed music again? Always a win.
Voice-wise, Paxton Lee continues to impress as Sonic. I actually thought it was still BobbyDubs in Episode 3 and 4, which says a lot. Paxton stepped in quietly and nailed it. Politics aside, I still have a soft spot for Mike Pollock’s Eggman, so Colin’s version didn’t quite do it for me—but again, that’s more personal bias than anything else. The episode also gives us a quick tease of Shadow and Rouge at the end, and Mardiculous’ Shadow sounds so close to Jason Griffith’s take that I couldn’t help but get hyped.
So yeah, even though this one felt a little slower, it’s not filler—it really does move the story forward. It just felt like a side quest until Shadow and Rouge popped up. I still liked it more than Episode 3, but not as much as 2, and definitely not as much as 4. That said, it’s still a good episode. Five episodes in, and not a single one has been bad—and for a fan series, that’s seriously impressive. The second arc has officially begun, and tomorrow we’re diving into Episode 6, where Sonic and Shadow go head-to-head over the fate of Dr. Eggman. You won’t want to miss it.
Mr. Tinker
Story
Visuals
Audio
Summary
Episode 5 of Sonic Rebound slows things down with the introduction of Mr. Tinker, giving us a thoughtful twist on Eggman’s identity. Team Chaotix gets their time to shine, the visuals hold strong, and the voice acting continues to impress. It’s a slower episode, but it still pushes the story forward in meaningful ways.
Episode 4 is here, and wow—this one hits. We finally get the return of Knuckles, and man, it’s so good to see him again. Ever since Sonic 3 & Knuckles (still the best Sonic game, don’t @ me), Sonic and Knuckles have had that classic brotherly rivalry, and that dynamic shines here. The original comic issue this is based on was great, but Episode 4 of Rebound? It goes beyond.
You’d think we’d be getting the same formula again—Sonic rolls into town, links up with a buddy, takes down some Badniks, then dips. But this episode finally breaks the cycle. Sonic shows up in a new town, sure, but this time he meets Knuckles, who’s already there investigating a missing shipment of Wispons. Turns out the town’s basically being held hostage by two over-the-top mercenaries who give off Dr. Seuss villain energy with their weird rhyming introductions. Naturally, Sonic and Knuckles team up, take them down, and free the town. But the real twist? Sonic actually sticks around to celebrate with the townspeople, and the mystery villain makes an appearance at the end—totally unexpected and way more interesting than the comic version.
This was the change I was hoping for. It still follows the structure, but it finally feels like we’re going somewhere. The villains weren’t just more Super Badniks—they had personality and actually pushed back a little. Seeing the mystery villain this soon was the cherry on top, and I’m genuinely excited to see where they go with it. The moment added real weight and opened the door to something much bigger than just “bad guy of the week” energy.
Now let’s talk about the visuals: this is how it’s done. Everything looked clean from start to finish. The animation was smooth, the pacing was tight, and even though the episode was twice as long, there was no dip in quality—which is impressive, especially after Episode 3’s rougher spots. I was NOT expecting Spark the Electric Jester to make a cameo, but I’m never gonna complain about fan service inside fan service. And shoutout to whoever added that punch Knuckles throws—if you know your anime, you caught that Tournament of Power reference from Dragon Ball Super. Loved it then, love it now.
Voice acting was mostly on point again. I’m really glad they gave Knuckles a voice closer to his Adventure era. It might not be my favorite version of his voice, but at least he sounds serious and not like a complete goofball. Not a fan of Tumble’s voice, though—it was just a bit too extra for me. But that’s personal taste, and it didn’t hurt the episode at all. The real MVP moment? Seeing Whisper Wolf animated for the first time. She’s one of the best characters introduced in IDW Sonic, period. I haven’t kept up with the comics, but Whisper still ranks high on my list and I can’t wait to see her in action when Episode 7 drops Saturday.
This is one of those episodes where there’s really nothing to complain about. Sure, I’ve got personal preferences, but there’s nothing wrong with the episode itself. It’s just straight-up good. Resilience expands Sonic’s world in a way that reminds me of the Archie days, and it sets the stage for something way bigger than anything we’ve seen so far. The multiverse is coming—and I hope GamerGuyd7Aces sticks the landing. Episode 5 review drops tomorrow—don’t miss it.
Resilience
Story
Visuals
Audio
Summary
Episode 4 of Sonic Rebound breaks the formula in the best way, reintroducing Knuckles and giving the story real momentum. The animation is sharp, the voice acting strong, and the episode delivers fun surprises like Whisper’s debut and a slick anime reference. It’s easily the strongest episode so far and sets the stage for something big.
We’ve got a double feature tonight, starting with Episode 3 of Sonic Rebound, Entangled Encounter. If you watched all the way through, you might’ve caught that Knuckles didn’t show up like he originally did in the IDW comics. Instead, Tangle takes the spotlight this time. In the comics, Knuckles popped up in issue 3, with Tangle and Blaze showing up in issue 4. Why the swap? Who knows. Doesn’t bother me, though.
This time around, Sonic rolls into yet another village getting stomped out by Egg Pawns. While fending them off, he meets Tangle the Lemur, a newer face with a wild tail she uses like a whip—and she’s quick to jump into the fight. Mid-battle, Blaze shows up too, pulled into Sonic’s world thanks to the Sol Emeralds. The three of them tag team the threat and, like clockwork, Sonic continues on his journey.
Story-wise, this one follows the same formula as the first two: Egg Pawns attack, Sonic shows up, teams up, moves on. Tangle being brand new does help shake things up a little, but it doesn’t really change the rhythm. It’s not bad—it just doesn’t add much weight. The episode ends by teasing the mystery villain again, which would be cool… except I know who it is, and I’m judging a little, because they should absolutely know Sonic isn’t about to take an L to some newcomers like Rough and Tumble.
That said, the audio in this episode was on point. Music was balanced well, nothing drowned out the voice acting, and it all sounded clean. I actually thought Sonic’s voice glitched in the beginning until I realized it was an inner monologue—which, cool touch. BobbyDubs is still killin’ it as Sonic. Tangle and the rest of the cast sounded solid, too. The one weak link for me was PinkoJunko’s Blaze. Not terrible, but something about it just didn’t click for me.
Visually, this episode didn’t land as strong as I’d hoped. The quality was mostly consistent, but it felt like a step down from Episode 2. Some scenes looked more like moving sketches than finished animation. There were moments where the art style jumped up a notch and looked pretty clean, but overall, it wasn’t as polished as last time. I get it—it’s a fan project and not everything can be a glow-up every week.
So yeah, Entangled Encounter isn’t bad, but it’s definitely the weakest episode so far. After how much Episode 2 leveled up, I was hoping to keep riding that momentum. Still, every show hits a dip here and there, and I’m not jumping ship. It’s still a great fan series and I’m hyped for what’s next. Episode 4 review coming up next—let’s go.
Entangled Encounter
Story
Visuals
Audio
Summary
Episode 3 of Sonic Rebound introduces Tangle and Blaze, adding some variety to the familiar formula. The audio and voice work are strong, but the visuals take a noticeable step back. It’s still a solid episode, just the weakest so far in an otherwise impressive fan series.
We’re on day 2 of our mini review series for Sonic Rebound, and today’s post is all about the Sonic Rebound Episode 2: Fallout review. Just five more days until Episode 7 hits the web and we finally see the results of two years of hard work. I’ll be honest—this episode was a real step up from the first, and I had a great time rewatching it.
Length-wise, it’s about the same as the first episode, and the story structure feels familiar too—Sonic lands in a new town, meets a familiar face, and ends up brawling with more Badniks. This time, that familiar face is Amy Rose. If you’ve been around the Sonic franchise long enough, you know Amy made her debut back in Sonic CD—and back then, her whole thing was chasing Sonic around like a lovesick teen. That’s changed a lot over time, and Rebound reflects that growth. She’s still open about her feelings, but now there’s a calm confidence there, and Sonic actually respects it. You can see that in their chemistry.
As for the story, Sonic’s following up on Tails’ hunch that something bigger is behind these random Egg Pawn raids. He rolls into another town, takes down a Super Badnik, and runs into Amy. Naturally, more Badniks show up (because of course they do), and the two team up for the fight. After they clean house, Amy tries to convince Sonic to rejoin the Resistance—but he’s not about that life. Instead, she gives him a tip that points him toward his next stop… and that tip sets the stage for the arrival of our favorite red echidna.
Here’s where things really impressed me: the production took a major leap forward. Episode 1 had moments of brilliance but was super inconsistent. Episode 2? It’s fully animated, minus one flashback that uses stills (which honestly, I’m fine with—flashbacks do that all the time). The fight between Sonic and Amy? Smooth, fast, clean. There’s even a scene lifted straight from the comic that looked amazing. And that POV shot from Amy’s perspective? Chef’s kiss. Subtle, but so effective.
Easily the best shot of the entire episode
Audio’s leveled up too. No rough mic quality or background noise this time. BobbyDubs kills it again as Sonic—no surprise there—and Alyssa Mireles does a great job as Amy. I appreciated that she didn’t try to copy Cindy Robinson. Her performance felt more in line with the Lisa Ortiz days, which fit the tone of the episode perfectly. She brought a nice blend of confidence and heart that worked really well.
I’ll be honest—I don’t remember every beat of IDW Sonic Issue #2, so I can’t tell if this was another exact comic-to-animation recreation. But honestly? Doesn’t even matter. It was a good episode. It flowed naturally, kept my attention, and left me wondering what’s coming next. That’s what good storytelling does. You don’t need constant drama or flashy twists when the pacing and tone are this on point.
Rewatching these episodes has been a blast. The jump in quality from episode 1 to 2 shows just how much the creator cares about this project. Feedback was taken, improvements were made, and it shows. Even though I was kinda meh on this arc in comic form, seeing it animated with great music choices—shoutout to the Sonic Unleashed OST—makes all the difference. There are still a few rough edges with the art, but nothing that gets in the way of enjoying it.
Episode 3 review drops tomorrow night. Don’t miss it.
Fallout
Story
Audio
Visuals
Summary
Episode 2 of Sonic Rebound takes a big step up with fully animated scenes, better audio, and smoother pacing. Amy Rose’s introduction adds depth, showing growth in both her character and her dynamic with Sonic. The improvements in animation and storytelling make this a solid, engaging follow-up that builds real momentum.
Let’s be real—Sonic the Hedgehog has been around forever. The blue blur’s fanbase is massive and very creative. Fan games are the usual go-to for that creativity, but in recent years, fan series have started making waves too. One that really caught my eye is Sonic Rebound, an animated fan series by YouTuber GamerGuyd7Aces. It’s kind of a retelling of the Sonic IDW comics but with some twists that actually raise the stakes instead of just rehashing stuff we already know.
Now, I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again—I’m a Sonic fan through and through. So when Sonic Rebound dropped on YouTube back in the summer of 2019, of course I was there. And it’s still going strong. Episode 7 drops Saturday, May 24, and I figured now’s the perfect time to do a little rewind. All week, I’ll be reviewing each episode leading up to that big release. Let’s start at the top—Episode 1: The Aftermath.
If you’ve read the IDW comics, then you know they had a decent run (I tapped out around issue 50). The first issue was… fine. It did just enough to get the ball rolling—Sonic, Tails, some random village—but nothing that made me sit up. It tried to drop hints about the bigger arc, but eh, it didn’t really stick the landing.
Sonic Rebound’s first episode follows that same path, pretty closely. Honestly, it’s almost a panel-for-panel recreation of that first comic—same dialogue, same scenes. It’s basically the comic, but animated. That’s not necessarily a bad thing though. Like with most pilots, it’s all about setting the stage. You meet the characters, see where things are headed. It’s a slow burn, but there’s a spark there.
The setup? Post–Sonic Forces, Sonic’s poking around after a surprise attack on a village by some leftover Egg Pawns. Tails joins him, and together they realize something’s not adding up. Turns out, there’s a bigger force pulling the strings. Dun-dun-dunnn.
Voice acting? Mixed bag. BobbyDubs as Sonic is solid. He’s got a slightly higher pitch than Roger Craig Smith, but the vibe is spot on. I could close my eyes and hear Roger in there somewhere. KennyVoices handles Tails, and he nails it too—sounds similar to other fan vids I’ve seen, but that’s not a knock. He’s got the tone, the delivery, everything. Some of the other voices though? Not bad, just… a little too normal. Like, I shouldn’t be picturing the cashier at Walgreens when a Resistance member speaks.
Now for the rough stuff. The art quality jumps around a lot. Some scenes? Super clean, really impressive. Others? Kinda rough—like a sketchbook that got color dropped in. Same thing with the animation: some parts move fluidly, others feel like a still image slideshow. Audio also bounces between crisp and YouTuber-who-just-got-their-first-mic. The inconsistency doesn’t ruin the experience, but it does remind you this is a fan project.
But hey—when it works, it works. It’s not action-heavy, but it sets the tone for what’s coming. And even with my complaints, it’s not a bad episode. Not even close. It’s a solid foundation, and it only gets better from here.
Episode 2: Fallout review drops tomorrow. See you then.
The Aftermath
Story
Animation
Audio
Summary
The Aftermath is a solid start that plays it a little too safe by sticking so close to the comic, but it still manages to lay some decent groundwork. The voice acting’s mostly strong, the story shows promise, and when the visuals hit, they hit hard—but the quality dips and rough edges hold it back from being great. Still, it’s clear there’s passion behind this, and knowing what’s coming next, I’m glad I stuck around.
You can’t be Captain America without fighting a red villain
Phase 5 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe is coming to a close in just a few months. After a less-than-stellar start to Phase 5, Deadpool and Wolverine swooped in and gave us an extraordinary movie to enjoy, which seemed to signify that the MCU is back on the rise. Captain America: Brave New World continues this trend, and it feels like we’re back to getting consistently great movies again. Please don’t let social media fool you; this new movie is an excellent film, and I’m excited to see Sam Wilson’s Captain America continue in the MCU, whatever he may be doing.
While Brave New World is touted as a Captain America film, it’s much more in line with a spiritual sequel to 2008’s The Incredible Hulk. This entire film is due to the events of that movie. While one or two plot threads from The Incredible Hulk were resolved in She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, none of those seem to matter in the grand scheme of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Instead, Marvel decided to make good on the tease of a villain at the end of The Incredible Hulk and have Captain America deal with the fallout instead of a true Hulk sequel. This, by no means, has any bearing on whether Captain America: Brave New World is a good movie, but it’s not something that I’ll agree it was best to go this route.
By the movie’s start, Sam Wilson has been Captain America for 2-3 years and is doing a fantastic job from what can be seen by the audience. It’s worth noting Sam Wilson’s Captain America’s durability is nothing to laugh at. He hasn’t taken any serum to enhance his sense or abilities, yet he takes specific attacks like they’re nothing. He even gets stabbed multiple times in one fight and manages to come out on top with the weapons still in his body. Sam makes his run at Captain America unique by combining his shield with the wings he used while going under the Falcon moniker. This allows him to fight as he’s used to and pull off some sick moves that would be impossible without using those wings.
The Wakandans came through for our boy with the Vibranium wings
The story is a simple one. Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross has been elected president of the United States of America. In his first 100 days, he aims to have a peace treaty signed between multiple nations to govern the mining and disbursement of the adamantium formed on the island from the body of Tiamut the Communicator in Eternals. However, in the background, Ross’s efforts are being sabotaged, and war is on the horizon for control of the adamantium. Meanwhile, Ross is poisoned and turns into the Red Hulk as he struggles to control his temper. Through all this, Captain America must uncover who’s behind the attacks and why, all while attempting to keep peace between the nations.
Simple as the story may be, it works. It’s a great story and does a great job of showing how different this Captain America is versus the Captain America we’re used to, i.e., Steve Rogers. Where Steve had the serum to enhance his abilities, Sam doesn’t and relies on his intellect more than anything. It shows, too, as Sam catches on to many things before a lot of other “resourceful” staff and agency members. Even when he seems outmatched, he finds a way to turn the battle in his favor, such as when Sidewinder ambushes him, and especially when fighting the Red Hulk.
Captain America: Brave New World did many things right, one of which is the casting. Most people can agree that Anthony Mackie does an outstanding job as Captain America. Those who don’t never give a straight, factual answer as to why he’s not good in the role, so there is not much credence there. But this movie does a great job of showing how Sam handles the mantle of being Captain America. He doesn’t have any super soldier serum, but his intellect is at its peak, and he always shows why he deserves the mantle of Captain America. Taking over the late William Hurt’s role as Thaddeus Ross, Harrison Ford debuted in his first-ever MCU film and did a phenomenal job. The tension was always there, and he commanded respect every time he was shown. Seeing him do some of Hulk’s signature moves, such as the thunderclap, was some of the most hype moments I’ve experienced. I know this isn’t the end of the Red Hulk, and I’m hoping it’ll be with the Hulk in a proper sequel next time.
How has it been so long since we’ve gotten a proper Hulk?
Giancarlo Esposito played Sidewinder, leader of SERPENT – the MCU’s take on the Serpent Society. Giancarlo was perhaps my favorite role in the entire movie. His aura was legendary, and I’m most excited to see his character return in the future. Shira Haas plays the character of Ruth Bat-Seraph. This character in the comics is an Israeli superheroine named Sabra. Sabra was initially written into the movie, but due to the conflict of the Israel-Hamas war, the appearance of Sabra was scrapped, and Ruth was rewritten to be a former Black Widow. Her character was okay; it had nothing to do with the actress, but the character seemed bland except for a few well-timed lines. There was a time in the movie when you could see her wearing a costume similar to her comic counterpart, but it was covered with a jacket. I thought that was a pretty cool easter egg.
Danny Ramirez returns as Joaquin Torres, last seen in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. This time, Joaquin steps up and takes over as the Falcon. Some found his character annoying, but I didn’t mind his character. He’s an outspoken, cocky kid, but he still knows when to show respect. He makes mistakes like all heroes and learns a lesson the hard way, but what he gains, in turn, makes up for all the pain endured. Also returning from The Falcon and the Winter Soldier is Carl Lumbly as Isaiah Bradley – the first black super soldier. Isaiah becomes a pawn in Stern’s vendetta against Ross, and it’s painful to see. For those who don’t know, Isaiah was wrongfully imprisoned and experimented on for 30 years by the U.S. government. Watching him go through it all over again was heartbreaking and a subtle reminder of the injustice that’s alive in America, even in 2025.
Tim Blake Nelson returns as Dr. Samuel Stern from The Incredible Hulk. At the end of that film, Dr. Stern accidentally cross-contaminated Bruce’s gamma blood with his own, giving him superhuman intelligence. In the comics, he calls himself The Leader; however, throughout Captain America: Brave New World, he never refers to himself as anyone other than Samuel Sterns, so who knows if that will come about in the future? Dr. Sterns was the mastermind behind the sabotage of Ross’s treaty, having a vendetta against Ross due to his imprisonment for many years, among other things. Tim Blake Nelson did a good job in the role. He was extremely creepy on many occasions, which worked in the atmosphere of this political thriller. My big issue, which has nothing to do with the actor, is his appearance in the film. He looks absolutely disgusting, and it was tough to look at him during his scenes. Instead of an oversized head, usually very round or enlarged but smooth and shiny, the MCU version has a mutated brain, and Sterns is green with a mutated left eye. I get wanting to ground some elements in realism, but I feel like deciding to do that when there’s a red hulk in the movie cancels out the realism. Again, this is nothing against the actor, but it was not even close to being executed correctly and left a bad taste in my mouth.
While that was a very low point in the movie, there were much higher highs throughout the duration. I enjoyed most of the fight scenes. They weren’t on the same level as the previous Captain America films, like Winter Soldier or Civil War. The ground fights can sometimes come off as clunky, but this is just a regular man with professional military training, not a super soldier like Steve was. The air fights are stellar and are easily in the top scenes for post-Avengers: Endgame movies. Ground or air, there are enough fights to satisfy any Captain America fan.
Can’t wait to see how Sam handles leading The Avengers
I truly enjoyed this film. The political thriller tone was consistent throughout the movie, the action was constant, and the story was much more enjoyable than I expected. No, it’s not on the same level as Captain America: Winter Soldier, and that’s okay. The film isn’t meant to invoke feelings of nostalgia for the glory days of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Captain America: Brave New World serves to not only assist in moving the overarching story of the MCU forward towards the threat of the multiverse but also provide the gateway for mutants, namely the X-Men, being introduced to the MCU. It does what it’s supposed to do, and it does it well. I knew the movie would be a good one from the moment I saw the first trailer, and to be right about it feels gratifying.
There will be a lot of people on the internet and social media who will say that Captain America: Brave New World is not a good movie. But they’re wrong. If you go into the film and watch it for what it is instead of longing for the “good old days,” I promise you’ll enjoy it. You may not enjoy it as much as some of the older movies, and again, that’s fine. But that doesn’t make it a bad movie for one second. Decide for yourself whether you think the film is good or bad. It’s a great one in my eyes, and I’m ready to see Sam lead the Avengers as Captain America when they go up against the threat of Dr. Doom in Avengers: Doomsday next year. You better believe I expect him to be just as great as he was in Brave New World. Improvement is always the goal, and the momentum is too great for him to slow down.
Captain America: Brave New World
Story
Action
Tone
Summary
It’s much easier to enjoy Captain America: Brave New World without longing for the glory days of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Anthony Mackie does a fantastic job in the role, and I’m excited to see what the future holds for his character as he leads the Avengers against the next big threat.
Before reading this review, I highly encourage you to read my review of The Lion King (2019), as Mufasa: The Lion King is a direct sequel/prequel to this movie, and it does play a factor in my review of the film. Toward the end of my review, I speculated whether Disney would have the audacity to move forward with a sequel after the abysmal fan and critic reactions. However, critics play a tiny part in deciding whether to proceed with a sequel. Making over $1B in the total box office and acclaiming the title of the top animated film of all time for many years gave Disney all the more reason to move forward with a project no one asked for.
It’s no secret that I’m a big fan of The Lion King, mainly due to James Earl Jones’s performance as Mufasa. After losing James this past year, I’ve become even more protective of Mufasa as a character, but I understand I have no actual say in what’s done with him. That being said, I made sure to put my personal bias aside going into this movie, just as I did with the first film 5 years ago. I came out of this one slightly happier than The Lion King (2019), but that’s really the bare minimum to make a better movie.
Just as the first film was, Mufasa: The Lion King is a photorealistic animation movie, but it’s meant to look like live-action. One thing that everyone agreed on with the first film is that the scenery was gorgeous. Thankfully, Mufasa keeps that going, and I dare say it’s an even more beautiful film than The Lion King (2019). The colors are more vibrant, and the animation is smooth.
Mufasa had that royal aura even as a cub
The greatest improvement was the expressions of the characters. The characters in The Lion King (2019) came off as impassive since Disney intended to make the film mirror live-action as much as possible. It didn’t work at all and really hurt the film. This time around, the characters’ faces actually convey their emotions, and not in a subtle way. It’s clear when the characters are happy, mad, sad, etc. It’s something that the original animated movie benefitted from and does help make the movie more enjoyable.
Unfortunately, while they improved significantly in the expressions area, the music is another story. The music is by far the worst part of the movie. Sure, I Always Wanted A Brother may have become a sensation with the general audience, but there are no other memorable songs. Even the instrumentals don’t work for me. I don’t get an African or Swahili vibe, and it really sticks out.
The story does not sound like it will work on paper, and more importantly, it should not be considered canon. This story is not meant to be regarded as the same as the animated story and is strictly for the “live-action” Lion King series. In this series, Mufasa becomes orphaned due to a great flood and is found and saved by another lion cub named Taka, who would come to be the lion we know as Scar and a prince. Taka’s mother, Queen Eshe, took Mufasa into their pride, while Taka’s father, King Obasi, was vehemently against it as he didn’t trust any outsiders. As Taka and Mufasa grow together, a tragedy happens, and they are forced to venture out on their own for survival. This journey sets the path for Mufasa to become the king of the Pride Lands instead of Taka, as was his birthright. And while this may be called Mufasa: The Lion King, this is as much Scar’s movie as it is Mufasa’s.
I still don’t understand why they couldn’t give Scar his black mane
Before continuing, I will use Scar’s real name throughout the review. Although he did kill my favorite character, his real name is highly disrespectful, and his parents had to have hated him when they named him. Taka is the Swahili word for waste or garbage. If you ask me, that should be Scar’s real villain origin story. Sadly, his villain origin story is cliché and a pathetic attempt to garner sympathy from the audience for a character that doesn’t deserve redemption. Again, I write these words with no bias. I hate Scar for what he did to Mufasa in The Lion King, but here’s the thing. There was no sign that Scar had any ounce of good in him. He was a liar, manipulator, murderer, selfish, just the absolute worst a character could be. So, this attempt to Maleficentify Scar made no sense to me when it was reported that Scar was supposedly the rightful heir to the throne.
Mufasa: The Lion King switches between past and present, as Rafiki tells this story to Kiara, Timon, and Pumbaa while Simba and Nala welcome their newborn into the world. While I enjoyed Timon and Pumbaa in The Lion King (2019), they felt really annoying this time. They were selfish, trying to insert themselves into a story they didn’t have a place. Of course, Rafiki wouldn’t allow any of it, but they just weren’t funny to me, and it’s a shame because Seth Rogen and Billy Eichner had fantastic chemistry the first time around. However, the rest of the characters meshed together reasonably well. Not only do we see Mufasa and Scar’s journey, but Sarabi, Zazu, and Rafiki are also featured. It’s an all-star cast, and they all did a great job. Tiffany Boone was phenomenal in her role as Sarabi. She captured Sarabi’s fierceness and attitude from the original animated film and truly brought it to life as the future Queen of the Pride Lands. Kelvin Harrison Jr. worked well to capture Scar’s jealousy and conniving personality. Rafiki’s two voice actors, Kagiso Lediga and John Kani, were excellent. They were so excellent that I had no idea that he was voiced by two different actors as a young and old character because he sounded the same throughout the movie. Preston Iyman took over for the role of Zazu, and he didn’t annoy me as much as the first film, but I’ll credit the writers for that.
Princess Kiara makes her debut
Blue Ivy Carter makes her debut as Kiara in this movie, and while she did a great job at delivering her lines, whoever wrote for the character didn’t seem to grasp Kiara as a character. They kept presenting her as this scared little cub worried about her parents when she’s never been featured that way in The Lion King II: Simba’s Pride or The Lion Guard. It was repetitive, from beginning to end, but maybe she’s younger than she’s been depicted, and that’s where those traits come from.
Aaron Pierre – he’s NOT Mufasa. Look, he voiced the character in this movie and did a great job with line delivery. But it wasn’t Mufasa. The voice wasn’t deep enough. It didn’t get close enough to the hubris that James Earl Jones had when he voiced Mufasa. We were treated to a recording of James at the very beginning of the film, and it made me so happy to hear it. But I don’t understand how Aaron Pierre’s Mufasa doesn’t do it when he has the voice for it. I can hear it clear as day when he speaks in his regular British accent. But putting on the American accent takes away some of the bass and, unfortunately, detracts from the role.
Mads Mikkelson was the villain, Kiros, and the leader of The Outsiders. Kiros wanted to be the sole king of everything and was on a mission to kill all other lion prides. Mads was okay. I personally wish the villain had a deeper voice, but the sinister tone came through regardless. He was ruthless, and it was hard to see how Mufasa would win. Kiros is another lion that deserves no form of redemption. He’s pure evil, plain and simple. No further exploration into his past is needed.
Another issue that the film’s main character suffers from is a new ability or power bestowed upon him. Mufasa has significantly heightened senses, to the point where he can smell precisely how far away his adversaries are or where another lion is from by the smell of their fur. This gives Mufasa and his group a significant advantage in staying ahead of his enemies while on the run. However, this ability now presents a plot hole for The Lion King (2019) and is the sole reason why this movie should not be considered canon to the animated film one bit. If Mufasa had this ability, why didn’t it help him during the stampede against the wildebeest? He should’ve been able to sense it and save Simba in time, thus stopping Scar’s plan. I don’t believe that age weakens the senses to the point where they’re just gone, so it creates an issue where Mufasa’s death wasn’t necessary at all and ultimately shouldn’t have happened.
Everything the light touches…
Scar being made to garner sympathy didn’t sit right with me, and it still doesn’t. I’m not saying that characters don’t deserve redemption or sympathy, but make it make sense. And let it be unique and break the mold. Maleficent worked because it was new, showing that she wasn’t just some evil villain upset she didn’t get invited to a party. Scar’s path has been set and explored plenty of times, with it being clear that his hatred and anger stemmed from his jealousy of being in Mufasa’s shadow as children. There are books, comics, and even The Lion Guard touched on Scar’s origin in a much better way than Mufasa: The Lion King. Life wasn’t kind to Scar, but I refuse to give him a pass because he had a choice, and he very well could’ve chosen the other path.
Mufasa: The Lion King is a good movie. I’m happy to say that because I don’t want anything associated with The Lion King to fail or do horribly. It beat Sonic the Hedgehog 3 in the overall box office, and that’s an incredible feat because the fans have finally been humbled. While there were some issues with the story and portrayal of fan-favorite characters, the story worked and did a great job moving the story forward. Ending the story by introducing Simba and Nala’s son has me on the edge of my seat because the character should be none other than Kion from The Lion Guard. And while The Lion Guard was touted as a children’s show, it was pretty dark and did an outstanding job of expanding the world of The Lion King while explaining why Kion was nonexistent in The Lion King II: Simba’s Pride.
While Kion is hopefully being teased, Mufasa: The Lion King also set the stage for The Outsiders to reappear in the future. I don’t recall all of the lions meeting their doom, and The Outsiders were the villains of The Lion King II: Simba’s Pride, so we’ll see if they have a future. We know another film is in the works. I’ll never understand why, but I already know I’ll be checking it out. Hopefully, it continues improving, but let’s get the music right. Everything should work in sync, like the Circle of Life.
Mufasa: The Lion King
Story
Music
Visuals
Summary
While held back by an easily forgettable soundtrack, Mufasa: The Lion King offers a strong story backed by stunning visuals to give its audience a unique story of a lowly lion cub elevating to a king.
Sonic is about to live and learn a very valuable lesson
Some might disagree, but now is a great time to be a Sonic the Hedgehog fan. In 5 years, we’ve gotten three live-action movies, a spinoff show, and confirmation of Sonic Movie 4 coming in another 2 years. I’ve enjoyed almost all of it thus far. I wasn’t a fan of the Knuckles show like most Sonic fans I know, but thankfully, that was limited to 6 episodes of garbage. The Sonic movies, on the other hand, have gotten better and better with each entry, and Sonic the Hedgehog 3 doesn’t slow the momentum down for a moment.
Sonic the Hedgehog 3 is an adaptation of Sonic Adventure 2. Just as the movies have had different takes on things in the series, Sonic the Hedgehog 3 did some things differently. Some things worked, and some didn’t for me, but it all came together quite nicely. This third entry involves Sonic against his most powerful adversary yet, Shadow the Hedgehog. After being in stasis for 50 years, Shadow awakes to complete his mission for revenge against the military after a raid took away his best friend.
The Ultimate Life Form, Shadow the Hedgehog
Honestly, the story for Sonic the Hedgehog 3 was phenomenal. Sure, there are some pretty significant changes, but it didn’t take away from the story for me one bit. If I’m being 100% honest, this story works so well because it actually feels like a Sonic story. The past two movies were good, but they had a large focus on the humans. The first movie was understandable because it’s an origin story, and world-building needs to be established. Sonic 2 was a slight improvement – the horrible wedding subplot in the middle of the movie works against it, but still an improvement. Knuckles just went all the way back to go and focused on the humans for almost the entirety of the show. However, in Sonic 3, the humans were only there when necessary. It was all about Team Sonic and the villains.
Regarding the villains, this being a Sonic Adventure 2 adaptation, you’d expect to see Rouge the Bat as she was a core member of the villain team alongside Shadow and Dr. Eggman in the Dark storyline of Sonic Adventure 2. That’s not the case this time around, however. As previously mentioned, Shadow is the primary antagonist, and of course, Dr. Ivo Robotnik is back after somehow surviving falling into an abyss alongside a giant exploding robot. Where Robotnik is, Agent Stone is sure to be close behind, but he soon becomes a third wheel when Ivo’s grandfather, Gerald Robotnik, shows up and becomes an idol figure to Ivo.
Gerald being alive after all this time was one of the biggest changes to the original story. Again, it works exactly how they intended it to. I hated him as a character, though. He wasn’t funny to me. I knew he was up to something. And I’m sorry, but if I were Ivo, he would’ve been on the ground as soon as he told me I’m no Maria. I say that to give an example of his character working as intended because he turned out to be a complete piece of garbage in the end. To be willing to sacrifice the entire planet to take revenge against a small group of your country’s military is pathetic. I understand grief can make you do crazy things, but I feel like there are much better ways to enact revenge in that situation.
Double the Eggmen
Jim Carrey plays Gerald in Sonic 3, so the audience gets a double dose of Carrey this time. I have to say that Jim Carrey did a stellar job. That isn’t surprising by any means, but you can see how much he enjoys playing the roles throughout the movie. The remaining cast that we’re familiar with was also great, as always. Idris Elba destroys as Knuckles every single time, and there can literally be no complaints against Colleen O’Shaughnessy’s Tails. If you have an issue with her Tails voice, you have to have a legitimate problem with it in the games as well, and she’s the most loved Tails voice I’ve seen in all my years as a Sonic fan. Ben Schwartz’s Sonic voice isn’t bad at all. My only issue is that it’s the same as almost all the other characters he’s voiced.
Paramount decided to go the route of a big-time celebrity again for Movie Shadow’s debut. Keanu Reeves is on the scene, and while he’s an outstanding actor on his own, he was easily the weakest out of the main squad. That’s not to say he did poorly, but it wasn’t consistent. He had some high highs but some extremely low lows. They want to have a celebrity voice for their prominent characters, but I wish Shadow could’ve gotten the same treatment Tails got. Tears would’ve welled up if I could’ve heard Jason Griffith in theaters.
This isn’t the Chao Garden I remember
Another front they improved on was the music. They finally incorporated some video game music into the movie, which was great to hear. It did get a bit repetitive because every time it switched to Sonic and Shadow in the climax, it would just be ‘Live and Learn’ playing, but I’ll take it. Apparently, it’s difficult to get video game music in the movies due to licensing, but they’ve had a Sonic Symphony tour for the better part of two years now, so how hard is it?
For anyone who says this next part is a spoiler, you’ll be alright. After adapting a game that’s 23 years old, you better believe I’m going to talk about Super Sonic vs Super Shadow in live-action. That was absolutely the most epic part of the movie, without a doubt. The Sonic movie crew got live-action Dragon Ball Z right before the actual Dragon Ball crew did. It’s crazy. But it was amazing to see – truly. The hype was there and didn’t stop until it was over. It was a privilege to see it come to life, especially how they both transformed. I can’t wait to get the Hedgehog Trio – they better bring all the sauce.
Sonic vs Shadow is epic the entire way through
Sonic the Hedgehog 3 is a solid film through and through. My only real complaint was knowing that Tom’s speech to Sonic at the beginning of the movie would impact him at the end. And I was right. During the climax, Sonic uses Tom’s words to give him strength and overcome Shadow. I’m never a fan of predictability, but that’s the only part. I was slightly annoyed that Sonic didn’t face any real consequences with Tom getting hurt, but understandably, this is a children’s movie, first and foremost. Secondly, Sonic has already lost a parent – Longclaw. At this point, there’s no actual need for the loss of Tom or Maddy in the Sonic movie series.
Now, you might be wondering what exactly I meant by ‘Movie Sonic finds his footing’ in the title of my review. Most people don’t realize that Sonic the Hedgehog has an expansive multiverse of characters, just like Marvel and DC – SEGA just doesn’t know how to utilize it. But just like Earth-616 is the O.G. Spider-Man, Game Sonic is the definitive Sonic. The Sonic movies are good, and they keep getting better. But it wasn’t until the climax of Sonic the Hedgehog 3 that Movie Sonic began acting like Game Sonic instead of some happy-go-lucky wannabe version of him. It’s something many fans have wanted for a long time, and it makes me ready for Movie 4.
Sonic wasn’t letting Shadow get the last hit
FULL SPOILERS AHEAD
Stay in your seats until the very end because there’s not just a mid-credits scene but a post-credits scene as well. The mid-credits scene is the most hype of the two and has me wondering how they’ll tackle the villain in Sonic the Hedgehog 4. An army of Metal Sonics hasn’t been seen before from what I can remember, and I was hoping they’d go the route of Neo Metal Sonic and Metal Overlord, but they could surprise me. Of course, Metal Sonic being revealed was fantastic – his design is a nearly 1:1 copy of his game appearance, and it’s perfect. However, the second character revealed is what got fans screaming. Just as Sonic is about to be taken out by a multitude of Metal Sonics, a hammer comes crashing through the gang of robots to save him. A hooded figure catches the hammer, revealed to be fan favorite Amy Rose. It’s about time, and we can all agree that Sonic isn’t even close to being ready for the ultimate challenge – girls.
END SPOILERS
The post-credits scene was great but not unexpected. I won’t flat-out spoil this one, but anyone familiar with Sonic the Hedgehog could’ve guessed this was coming. Another character is confirmed for the future of the series. That’s all I’ll say.
The filmmakers would’ve had to drastically change the story for Sonic the Hedgehog 3 to be bad. Sure, it’s not a 1:1 adaptation like people hoped, but the story was as strong as ever. Movie Maria is a great character in her own right, though I didn’t feel anything for her like I do in the games. Her illness is gone completely in the movie and with that being removed, Shadow’s purpose for being is never explained. His origin changed as well, though I feel like that will be explored in another Shadow spinoff project. If you’re a sentimental one, be prepared to shed some tears. Some of the scenes can be a real tearjerker. It’s a wonderful story that does its best to teach you not to lose yourself to grief. Take the time to mourn the one you lost, but honor them with your life moving forward, don’t taint their memory.
Sayonara, Maria
I’ve echoed these sentiments throughout my entire review, and I’ll do it again – Sonic the Hedgehog 3 is an exceptional movie. It truly improved in every aspect of the series. It was focused more on Sonic and his crew. The story was cohesive and flowed instead of feeling like multiple stories going on at the same time, and the movie used music from the games – even just for little riffs and motifs. It feels good to say that it’s times like this when it feels great to be a Sonic fan. Three movies that have been some of the best video game adaptations compared to adaptations from the past aren’t anything to sneeze at. And with each movie improving with each release, I’m confident that Sonic the Hedgehog 4 will be another great experience. But for now, Sonic the Hedgehog 3 is here and made its presence known, knocking a certain Lion King off his throne atop Pride Rock at the American box office. There’s no stopping the momentum.
Sonic the Hedgehog 3
Story
Music
Action
Summary
Sonic the Hedgehog 3 is a phenomenal film from start to finish. With a story that tugs at the heartstrings, watching Sonic go up against Shadow on the big screen is just as fun as playing through the story over 20 years ago.
