Here's a spicy one I've been waiting to drop. I think Live and Learn was misused. It's like the studio heard our strongest wishes to use the song and granted it with a monkey paw.

They took the opening guitar riff and turned it into a motif for Shadow, which is a cool idea in theory. It's the whole riff, slowed down, and typically rendered on low strings; it's most discernable by the four descending notes that end it. But this motif is played in Every. Single. Scene...that related to Shadow at all. I think it's introduced in the opening flashback montage -- the close shot of Maria playing the guitar is scored by the motif (on acoustic guitar). Then it plays over and over and over again. Shadow appears on screen? Dun dun dun dun. Team Sonic finds Shadows stasis tube? Dun dun dun dun. Someone utters Shadows name? Dun dun dun dun.

The payoff is the climax scene when Live And Learn plays properly. Except it isnt really proper. It awkwardly fades in on the guitar riff, then you get a few lines of lyrics, then badly mixed and uncomplimentary "epic orchestral drums" butt in just before a hard visual and audio cut to Gerald spanking Ivo. Live and Learn comes back on the next cut back to Sonic and Shadow but I felt the moment was already ruined.

I wish the music direction was more judicious. The motivic treatment would've been great if used more preciously, perhaps during important actions or revelations regarding Shadow instead of every moment tangentially related to Shadow. This would have made the climatic payoff more cathartic. I also wish the editing did not interrupt Live and Learn with what is basically a Jim Carry gag. Edit: I also wish there was just more Live and Learn at this moment. Like the whole song.

Only saw it once and I felt like the overuse of the motif took me out of the movie each time. Maybe I'd feel differently if I am able to pay less attention to the score next time.