The Super Mario Bros. are back for another round of spot the reference. Except this time around, they'll be journeying well beyond the shores of the Mushroom Kingdom, to galaxies far away. Because for some reason, the folks at Illumination have opted to skip right past the prehistoric trappings of Super Mario World and warp-pipe their way right down to the floaty planets of Super Mario Galaxy. So does that leap forward create an opportunity for something fresh, or is this just more of the same?
The film picks up right after the events of the previous one, with its titular pair of Brooklyn plumbers now regulars in the Mushroom Kingdom. They are quickly introduced to Yoshi, the green dinosaur who was teased at the end of the last film. And it doesn't take long before they are all swept up in a new grand adventure, as the Mushroom Kingdom is invaded by Bowser Jnr., who seeks to set his father free so they can conquer and rule over the galaxy together.
Heading into The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, I knew the film was likely to adhere to the same Easter Egg-laden formula introduced in the first movie. After all, that film had gone on to gross over $1.3 billion in 2023, and it was widely praised among fans for its faithful adaptation of those early Super Mario games. So my only real hope for its sequel was that it would offer some subtle refinements to that formula by delving even further into the lore that made those games so special.
But as the saying goes, if it ain't broke, why fix it? Because that seems to be the very mantra with which Nintendo and Illumination have approached The Super Mario Galaxy Movie. Put plainly, if you weren't a fan of the first film's breakneck pacing and paper-thin characterization, then chances are you wouldn't be here either. Except in their bid to go even bigger for the sequel, the issues that plagued the previous movie have become that much more pronounced and magnified.
There's no easy way to say this, but the movie felt overstuffed and inconsequential at the same time. There was so much crammed within its one hour and thirty-eight minutes runtime, with multiple storylines that didn't get anywhere near enough care or attention. The same thing can be said about the characters, with so many of them being juggled between those competing storylines and barely any character development to speak of. There was also an overreliance on plot contrivances, which completely took me out of the movie on multiple occasions.
I understand the argument that these movies are geared towards kids and, therefore, there is a much lower bar of quality that they need to clear in order to be deemed acceptable. But why settle for acceptable when the potential for greatness is right there in front of you? And it is that lack of greatness that left me feeling mixed about the movie and somewhat disappointed. The film felt downright unfinished at times, with a jumbled-up narrative that barely bothers to properly delineate between flashbacks and present-day plot lines. I mean, even the kids deserve better than that.
On a positive note, the animation powering the film is as vibrant and beautiful as ever, with Illumination sparing no expense in bringing the various worlds and their denizens to life. The same could be said about the score, which once again did a great job of incorporating the familiar tunes and notes from the games. I also found myself chuckling a couple of times at the various jokes and visual gags throughout the movie. But none of those things were enough to elevate the film beyond the realm of just passable.
The Super Mario Galaxy Movie is an overstuffed excursion that lacks the novelty of seeing the familiar worlds of the Super Mario games brought to life on the big screen for the first time. Even more than the first film, it tries to function as a celebration of the 40 years' worth of video games that have endeared countless gamers to characters like Mario, Luigi, Yoshi, and others. But it ultimately falls short of its true potential due to its adherence to a formula that already feels worn by movie number two, which can only make one wonder what the future holds for the beloved video game franchise.
