The sequel to “The Super Mario Bros. Movie,” the highest-grossing video game adaptation of all time, goes bigger: more worlds, more characters, more chaos. The opening introduces two key characters from the Mario universe. Bowser Jr. (Benny Safdie) builds an army and captures cosmic Princess Rosalina (Brie Larson) in his search for his father. When we meet Bowser (Jack Black), he is still shrunken in Princess Peach’s castle. Princess Peach (Anya Taylor-Joy) leaves Mario (Chris Pratt) and Luigi (Charlie Day) in charge of the Mushroom Kingdom while she goes out to search for Rosalina.
“The Super Mario Galaxy Movie” follows the same structure as the first film, meaning there’s no cohesive story connecting the events. Instead, we jump from world to world, pausing only to introduce new characters. I never played the games, but I could feel the audience’s excitement with each reveal. On top of the characters mentioned earlier, the roster is packed, featuring Yoshi (Donald Glover) and, surprisingly, Glenn Powell as Fox McCloud in an extended cameo. The characters aren’t the problem—the script is. It needed another pass to give them something meaningful to do.
Rosalina, who destroys Bowser Jr.’s giant robot with cosmic powers in a spectacular introduction, gets sidelined for most of the film. She’s crucial to Bowser Jr.’s plan but barely appears until the end. Jack Black loses his impact as Bowser due to the story choices. The tiny form comes with a high-pitched voice modulation that undercuts his menacing presence. Bowser goes on a brief healing arc, trying to be calmer and kinder. Thankfully, it doesn’t last. I had less of a problem with Pratt’s Mario this time, but I still couldn’t unhear Charlie Day as Luigi. The biggest surprises were Glover and Safdie; I never would have recognized either of them.
This film is far from perfect, but I had a really fun time watching it. The theater was packed and full of life. The animation is impressive, clearly crafted with care and attention to detail. Each world feels fully fleshed out despite the short time the characters spend there. There are Easter eggs hidden throughout for loyal fans to find—musical chimes, snippets of theme songs. Action scenes, especially those with Bowser Jr., shift to 2D screens that mimic the games. For outsiders like me, each world feels distinct with unique identities and color palettes.
“The Super Mario Galaxy Movie” prioritizes spectacle over story, and it shows. The pacing is too rushed, key characters get sidelined and the script is thin. If the film had an extra 20 minutes, the story could have matched their ambitions. But directors Horvath and Jelenic deliver where it counts: stunning animation and creative world-building. It’s very similar to the first, but I believe it was a step up. It’s undeniably fun. Kids will love it, and it’ll make a fortune. Sometimes that’s enough.
Final Verdict: Go See In Theaters (3.5/5)
Junior Ranon Travers is a Staff Writer. His email is rtravers@fandm.edu.