“The Super Mario Galaxy Movie” follows Mario and Luigi, who join companions old and new while traveling across the stars to stop Bowser Jr.’s crusade.
Fun First, Story Second
Story is minimal. Fun is abundant. That’s the epitome of “The Super Mario Galaxy Movie.” And this isn’t necessarily a bad thing — it’s a film that knows its audience to the fullest. Kids will be smiling, and longtime Super Mario fans will at least remain entertained.
Rather than being a cohesive film, “The Super Mario Galaxy Movie” feels like a montage of moments. There are more characters here than in the previous installment, and they are split up for large portions of the runtime. This results in an experience that jumps between various subplots and never fully meshes together.
On top of this, the movie loses the emotional heartbeat that “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” had. There are still familial ties: Mario and Luigi, Bowser and Bowser Jr. and more. However, it doesn’t have the charm of its predecessor. Because Mario and Luigi were living regular lives at the start of “The Super Mario Bros. Movie,” the audience was able to get a closer look at their real-world relationships. That’s completely abandoned here, as Matthew Fogel’s script moves the characters into a “galaxy” of possibilities.
As a whole, the film more often than not forgoes the emotional aspects that were so strong before.
A Visual Playground Packed With Nostalgia
“The Super Mario Galaxy Movie” ups its visuals. The animation is once again vibrant and colorful, bringing the characters and entire world to life. The film also plays with 8-bit sequences and storybook-style flashbacks.
Even when the story is lacking, it’s hard not to get sucked into the world of “The Super Mario Galaxy Movie.” There’s so much eye candy — for better or worse.
Much like “The Super Mario Bros. Movie,” this entry is full of nostalgia. This includes characters completing obstacles off a world map, Mario riding Yoshi through space and the appearance of other fan-favorites (and much more). It can feel like it’s over-relying on sentimentality, but that’s not necessarily to any fault of its own.
By design, directors Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic take viewers on a journey that inevitably passes through famous characters and iconic moments along the way.
Crowd-Pleasing Ride That Feels Incomplete
The main cast of Chris Pratt (Mario), Charlie Day (Luigi), Anya Taylor-Joy (Princess Peach) and Jack Black (Bowser) once again succeed. The group carries over the quality work from “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” and continues it here.
Other notable performances come from Donald Glover (Yoshi), Brie Larson (Rosalina), Benny Safdie (Bowser Jr.) and Glenn Powell (Fox McCloud).
Criticisms are always plentiful when portraying classic characters that fans know and love. While none fully match the beautiful simplicity of the games, each actor brings their own quirks to make the characters work.
While “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” leaned heavily on old-school music, this entry takes a step back. Instead, it allows Brian Tyler’s score to shine. While licensed songs still appear at times, the overall auditory experience feels more faithful to the source material.
Stuffed to the brim, “The Super Mario Galaxy Movie” flies by. With just a 98-minute runtime, it doesn’t waste a single moment. In fact… it’s almost too short. It would have benefited from an extra 10 minutes, specifically in the conclusion. As the movie winds down, there isn’t much sense of finality.
Much like the “Sonic the Hedgehog” movies, the show must go on. This keeps “The Super Mario Galaxy Movie” feeling like a stepping stone rather than a complete experience.
“The Super Mario Galaxy Movie” is pure fun. The story is minimal, but it makes up for it with mesmerizing visuals and entertaining set pieces. Kids will be in awe, and adults will feel a rush of nostalgia. A perfectly suitable popcorn flick for the entire family.
Rating: 3.5 out of 5
