“The Super Mario Galaxy Movie,” the long-awaited sequel to “The Super Mario Movie” from 2023, finally arrived this week to a similarly mixed reception from audiences.
Hype surrounding the film surged last week following the announcement that Star Fox protagonist Fox McCloud would appear in the film, with Glen Powell cast as the star pilot. This wild addition left many speculating about what other characters might be hidden in the movie. Fortunately, I was able to see the film on opening night, so here is my spoiler-free review of “The Super Mario Galaxy Movie.”
While I am not typically a fan of Illumination, the animation studio behind the film, I must applaud their work here. The Mushroom Kingdom, along with all of the galaxies visited throughout the film, looked fantastic. I particularly liked how they incorporate qualities of classic Super Mario level design into their environments. The characters’ designs, especially the background NPCs and enemies from the games, make the locations truly feel alive.
Unfortunately, it is difficult to give the film much more praise. The plot is incredibly hollow and, at times, aimless. It felt as though I was constantly being pandered to, with every scene containing a flashy action sequence, an easter egg, a reference, a character reveal, or some combination of the four. Rather than tell a compelling story, the filmmakers stitched together a series of references to impel me to simply point at the screen and clap.
And I did exactly that.
As much as I think filling a movie with easter eggs and references is the cheapest form of entertainment, I still loved every second of it. I loved hearing the memorable music tracks from the games reimagined as cinematic arrangements. I loved seeing classic characters like Birdo finally get screen time instead of being confined to sports spin-off titles. I loved seeing guest characters from other franchises make it onto the big screen—and yes, I said characters, plural.
It is difficult to endorse this film if you are not a Nintendo fan. Without a genuine love for Nintendo’s various franchises, you will likely find this film boring and unevenly paced. In that case, you would be better off skipping this one and playing some fun Nintendo games instead. But if you have a fondness for Mario and friends, and are okay with being nostalgia baited, this movie is a fun time.
