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The most casual observers may not hear anything significantly different in the basic strategy of the music for Sonic the Hedgehog 3, but between the better orchestral presence and the interpolation of a significant number of the video games' themes, there's much more to appreciate. The ensemble doesn't have the blatantly cheap sound that bludgeoned Sonic the Hedgehog 2, though there are times when augmentation does bother. While there aren't any moments of outright superhero pizzazz like that which closed the first score, listeners will encounter more dramatic depth in the second half of Sonic the Hedgehog 3 due to its story's needs. Additional rock personality from the 1990's games is also infused into the work at times, a move certain to thrill longtime enthusiasts of the concept. Aside from the obnoxious suspense cue "I Found You Faker!" and annoying synthetic manipulation late in "That Mad Scientist!," the listening experience is pretty smooth and avoids prancing into the realm of stupidity. A distinct Latin flair is handled well in parts. Most listeners entertaining Holkenborg's approach will be interested in his employment of old and new themes, and he responds with mostly satisfactory results, even if the protagonists never really enjoy prolonged heroic statements of their themes in this score. His main theme for Sonic is often reduced to just its first four notes, opening "It All Starts With This" with a brief dramatic moment. It turns overwhelmingly dark in "The Ultimate Lifeform" and is slow but redemptive at the start of "Green Hills, Present," in which the theme tries to build to a heroic statement at 0:36 but retreats back to lesser wholesomeness. Sonic's theme is tender early but forced into suspense late in "New Day, New Adventure," slight at the end of "Talk About Low Budget Flights," reduced to fragments of heroic posture on brass in "We're Outta Here!," and worried in "No Time for Games." It's urgently insistent in "Feel My Loss, and Despair," massively huge and slow in "I Die Hard," and informs the drama early in "For All the People on That Planet." The idea backs the retro video game material in "Too Easy, Piece of Cake," bubbles softly on acoustic guitar in "Green Hills, Good Future" with a brass phrase to close the culmination of the cue, and starts "The Edge of Tomorrow" before the suspense takes over. Unfortunately, the Michael Giacchino-like Knuckles theme receives no major development here, but Holkenborg and his team counter with strong forward movement for the Dr. Robotnik theme.

The returning Dr. Robotnik theme in Sonic the Hedgehog 3 understandably experiences the most impressive development in the work, starting as normal while blaring on low brass at 0:38 into "It All Starts With This." This villain's theme stews in the middle of "A Rotten Eggman," suggests slight pomp in "The Eclipse Cannon," becomes ominous on brass in "MA-RI-A," and devolves to a trite stance in the midsection of "The Truth of 50 Years Ago." It is playfully plucked and chopped in "That Mad Scientist!" before late melodramatics, sinister at the outset of "I'll Make It Through," more streamlined in compelling drama in "Big Time Villains," and maneuvers around in "Feel My Loss, and Despair." Critically, though, it turns to major-key heroics at 2:16 into "Last Story" on strings over driving percussion, brass continuing the turnabout in a stunning shift of mood for the theme. The transformation is truly impressive, and it's a clear highlight of the score. In the all-new music, the Latin flair in "La Ultima Passion" and "La Ultima Passion Pt. 2" is a competent diversion that is intertwined with the action in "The Eclipse Cannon" and slight in "The Truth of 50 Years Ago." More importantly, a theme of family (also for the doomed Maria character) extends from the Latin material into "MA-RI-A" and informs the drama in the score's latter half, continuing on strings in "Wishes Are Eternal." These heavier tones are tender with some gravity in "Throw It All Away," flourish in choral grace in the middle of "For All the People on That Planet," and climax with choir and electric guitar in "Last Story." This idea achieves its own redemption in "Last Story" after the villain theme turns positive in an appropriate twist. As for the returning video game themes, those by Jun Senoue for the "Sonic Adventure 2" game include the mandatory "Live & Learn" song (adapted into the score in the cue "Live and Learn" and informing "The Ultimate Lifeform," "Wow... He's Fast!," "The Truth of 50 Years Ago," "E.G.G.M.E.N.," and "Too Easy, Piece of Cake." Senoue's Eggman material also contributes, and his "Escape from the City" theme interjects obviously in "G.U.N. Control." Tracked into the movie is Masato Nakamura's "Green Hill Zone," but Fumie Kumatani's pretty "Event: The Last Scene" theme from the "Sonic Adventure 2" game is very nicely conveyed orchestrally in "Sayonara, Shadow the Hedgehog," a lovely interpolation certain to please fans. Ultimately, these references are a pleasure for some but may fail to impress more casual listeners. Still, the overall quality of the original music and past references in Sonic the Hedgehog 3 put it on par with the first score, even without prominent glory for Sonic's main cinematic theme.  ***   @Amazon.com: CD or Download

Bias Check:

For Tom Holkenborg reviews at Filmtracks, the average editorial rating is 2.16 (in 19 reviews) and the average viewer rating is 2.48 (in 5,292 votes). The maximum rating is 5 stars.

Total Time: 63:03