The Mario Brothers are back on the big screens in The Super Mario Galaxy Movie! The sequel comes after the success of the Super Mario Bros. Movie in 2023 which captivated audiences with its brilliant humour. The first film was a love letter to the fans of the Mario and Nintendo franchises. Whilst the first film focused on a single liner storyline, stuffed with nods to Mario Cart and Super Mario games, The Super Mario Galaxy Movie goes further, opening up the world to include more Nintendo characters. So, is it a thrilling ride, or does it fall off the rainbow road? Read on for my full review - minor spoilers ahead.
The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, squashes so much into its 1-hour 38-minute runtime that it's difficult to sum up. To set things in motion Princess Rosalina (Brie Larson), who is telling her adorable Lumas' bedtime stories, is kidnapped by Bowser Jr. (Benny Safdie). It's a fanatic start setting up the mission for Princess Peach (Anya Taylor-Joy), Mario (Chris Pratt) and Luigi (Charlie Day) to rescue Rosalina. It has a clear villain in Bowser Jr. whilst teasing the dilemma Bowser (Jack Black) faces with his son out to avenge him. Unfortunately, the film quickly descends into a confused zig-zag of scenes. It's fun, but a mess. It could be that these endless side quests were intentional, catering to audiences with short attention spans. But it's likely due to a case of being 'over eager'. By opening up the into the Galaxy it was probably overwhelming to choose which characters and worlds to include, and it seems like too many made the final cut. It's a strange one, the film is so fun to watch because of the fan service we get from the side quests, but the side quests make it a frustratingly muddled watch. It's the perfect catch-22.
There are several newcomers, Rosalina, Yoshi (Donald Glover) and Bowser Jr. all of which are so perfect! Yoshi adds another level of cuteness to the film, he is the missing piece of the puzzle that fans are going to obsess over. Rosalina shines when she is on screen, but she does not have enough screen time. Bowser Jr. is a more typical villain unlike his father, and it's fun to see the father-son duo dynamic. Interestingly, Mario feels out of place in his own film. Peach and Rosalina are the clear central characters, whereas Mario struggles to find his place in the film. This is not an issue, the Princess' are more fun to watch, but it's not great when audiences can see the forced way Mario is included in key moments. Among the many cameos the best is Star Fox (Glen Powell), he is the MVP of the film. Powell bringing his charisma even to a voice role, the interactions between Fox McCloud and Mario are so progressive and self-aware which was fun to watch.
The look of the film is slick, these films have really found their style. The animators are able bring characters together from all over the Nintendo universe, giving them a cohesive style. These characters look like they belong together which goes beyond simple fan service and hints at a possible Smash Bros. Movie at some point. the film also has some great nods to the game style which contrast nightly with the animation style. Elsewhere we only get one Bowser song, which is great but leaves you wanting more. For fans of the cheerful yet gloomy Luma - Lumalee (Juliet Jelenic) you will have to wait until the first of two after credits scenes, but her scene is sow worth it and the best in the film!
Overall The Super Mario Galaxy Movie is great fun, even if it is a bit muddled. The characters are just as well formed as they were in the first film, although poor Mario feels a little lost. It's a simple case of the film biting off more than it can chew. It's saved by fan service, laughs and the two after credits scenes. Great fun, with a potential for further films.
3.5 stars.
Thank you for reading x
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