If you’d told me this was the ambitious direction the Super Mario Bros. movie franchise would take after its 2023 success, I’d probably have nodded and said, “Yeah, I can see that.” But like most ambition, there’s always the risk of shooting for the stars and missing. Thankfully, this time, Illumination and Nintendo managed to hit those stars and snag a few extra 1-Ups along the way. Are the hiccups enough to drop you down a warp pipe into gloom and doom? Not really — but it depends on what color shell you ride in on. Anyway, let’s-a go into The Super Mario Galaxy Movie!
Picking up where we left off, the day — and Brooklyn — was saved thanks to Mario, Luigi, and friends. The movie doesn’t waste time; it jumps right into the action as a new galactic terror threatens everyone. We meet Princess Rosalina (Brie Larson) and Bowser’s bratty heir, Bowser Jr. (Benny Safdie). If you’re expecting a page-for-page retelling of the original Super Mario Galaxy plot, you’ll need a different warp zone — this one charts its own course. The apple doesn’t fall far from the Piranha Plant, though: Bowser Jr. proudly follows in dear old dad’s footsteps by princess-napping Rosalina, sending our heroes blasting off to rescue her once more. If you came looking for a deeper, more angsty plot from a movie based on the beloved, family-friendly Mario videogame franchise, well… this ain’t Mushroom Hamlet.
What the movie does do is basically throw you into a Mario game from point A all the way to point Z. We race from one colorful set piece to the next, punctuated by bursts of action, story beats, and a steady dose of humor along the way. There are epic battles, action-packed camera shots, and wonderful orchestrated renditions of beloved themes from the games. There are a metric ton of references, and my adult eyes were looking for as many of those Easter eggs as I could find. My kid, though, enjoyed the battles and the characters. If anything, they could have toned the montages down just a bit.
This is one of the movie’s few issues — it teeters between being both a blessing and a curse. They added a lot. I mean, a lot of references. The fan in me enjoyed them immensely, but I can imagine someone coming in fresh getting lost. There’s even some love for the old Super Mario Bros. 2 villains. A certain furry, vulpine character’s backstory is also given a quick anime-style flashback so you’ll know who he is. Again, as a fan, I enjoyed it. That reference alone all but confirms the running theory — and the swirling rumors — of this Nintendo-verse moving into Smash Bros. territory. I’m all for it, but it also means they probably left a lot on the cutting room floor.
As far as our heroes go, Mario (Chris Pratt) and Luigi (Charlie Day) have come into their own in this ecologically diverse and whimsical world, doing what plumbers do: being the Mushroom Kingdom’s fixers. Oh, they have a Yoshi (Donald Glover, really?) now too. They don’t leave you hanging; they explain how he gets there in a fun little sequence. Yoshi is a great addition to the cast and is more closely akin to his portrayal in the old Super Mario World cartoons of yore. Princess Peach is handled much better in this movie than in the last one. She’s allowed some more feminine tendencies, especially in her relationship with a certain plumber. Could it have used more? I think so, but what we got was fine. Bowser isn’t in this movie as much as I would have liked, but when he’s there, he’s a scene-stealer. Understandably, the spotlight is given more to Bowser Jr. Princess Rosalina has great scenes, but she’s unfortunately not in the movie all that much. Surprisingly, or maybe not, Seth Green’s Donkey Kong was not present.
Even with all the flash, there are some deeper themes in this movie that shine through. There are themes of familial bonds. For me, one of the strongest themes is the relationship between Bowser and Bowser Jr. Yes, I know they’re villains. For better or worse, Bowser’s fatherhood moments clearly influenced his son. It was the good things his dad did for him that drive Bowser Jr. to do what he does. They just want to bond. It’s especially heartwarming watching the scenes where father and son fight their foes as a team, even when they’re trying to dunk princesses in lava and cave in plumbers’ heads with a mace.
Production-wise, this movie is fantastic. The visuals are all on point. The animation team is on fire here. The characters are expressive and very well animated. Everything looks bright and vibrant when it needs to, just like a Mario game with souped-up graphics should. All the original cast is back with some additions. Chris Pratt has come into the role. Is there a better Mario voice? Probably, but he does just fine. I wouldn’t have believed you if you told me Rosalina was Brie Larson. There’s enough baggage there, but I thought she sounded great. I mean honestly, I didn’t see any political pandering at all in this movie. The only thing it really did was give me the urge to browse the Nintendo store, just like good capitalists should.
The Super Mario Galaxy Movie is great family fun for fans of all ages. You might be a little lost if this is your first time, but fans will love all the throwbacks and references. Also, stay for those end-credit scenes. When someone told Illumination and Nintendo execs to listen to the fans, they really did. This fan is still waiting for the Koopalings to show up. Y’hear that, Nintendo? Get on it!
A solid 8/10.
English (US) · 