‘The Super Mario Galaxy Movie’ is a Cosmic Mess
The Super Mario Galaxy Movie has prompted deep reflection in me. Back in 2023, I was still a new writer here. In fact, The Super Mario Bros. Movie was one of my first reviews here at The Cosmic Circus. At the time, I called the animated film “an acceptable nostalgic delight.” My reasons were that the animated film embraced the game’s flawed logic unapologetically while creating a vibrant spectacle. At the same time, there was certainly room to grow despite the nonsensical world it embraced.
It brings me no joy in saying this. The Super Mario Galaxy Movie is the most unhinged, incoherent sequel for a major intellectual property since Michael Bay’s Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen. The first film at least had a throughline that could rationally be explained on paper. And that plot had enough there to build a somewhat flimsy house on top of it. The Super Mario Galaxy Movie takes that house, blows it up with dynamite, tries to make something new out of it with Elmer’s glue, covers it in glitter and candy, lights it on fire, and then catapults it into the sky. Did that make sense? If it doesn’t, it’s because that’s how the movie feels.
What is The Super Mario Galaxy Movie about?
The film begins somewhere in the galaxy, where Princess Rosalina (Brie Larson) serves as a mother to a group of childlike stars. Her kingdom is invaded by a galactic machine controlled by Bowser Jr. (Benny Safdie), who kidnaps Rosalina to exploit her powers for a cosmic cannon.
We then catch up with Mario (Chris Pratt) and Luigi (Charlie Day), who are assisting the Tostarenans with an issue caused by Yoshi (Donald Glover). It’s in the Yoshi setup, when viewers can feel the screenplay lacks any joy in Yoshi’s wonder. In every sense, Yoshi could have been treated in the same vein as Baby Yoda or Toothless from How to Train Your Dragon. Instead, Yoshi is introduced, he gives the audience a chuckle for a moment (including a confusing flashback), and then the story moves on like it’s nothing.
Back in Mushroom Kingdom, things are going well until Princess Peach (Anya Taylor-Joy) finds out her sister Rosalina is in trouble. She and Toad (Keegan-Michael Key) set off to rescue Rosalina while Luigi and Mario defend the Mushroom Kingdom.
Bowser (Jack Black) is the only character given a coherent plotline in the film. He has turned over a new leaf as a shrunken image of his former self and spends his time making soup while painting in the castle. His newfound personality seems sincere, but it conflicts with Bowser Jr.’s agenda to restore his father to the throne as King of the Koopas. Bowser Jr. then attacks the Mushroom Kingdom, and the script wildly spins out of control like a Kart in collision with a banana peel on Rainbow Road.
Matthew Fogel’s screenplay goes off the rails
The screenplay by Matthew Fogel features a series of events that can only be described as “things just happening.” Dinosaurs chase Mario and Luigi; there’s a gun that turns characters into babies for some reason; Princess Peach and Toad pursue a klepto monkey; hidden cities, robots, and much more. Even as I write this review, I can’t be sure of the order of these events. Still, it doesn’t matter because, if you scrambled them in any order, the plot would remain largely unaffected.
What makes the sequel so frustrating is the complete lack of wonder. No matter how someone feels about the first movie, when Mario first sees the Mushroom Kingdom, there’s a feeling of surprise. The same is true during the Mario Kart chase on Rainbow Road. There’s a sense of magic in the way these characters experience enchantment, even as the world is difficult for them to understand.
Sadly, the screenplay ignores this magic and instead throws every Nintendo element onscreen to sell toys. Each subplot barely connects to the next, usually to introduce a new reference or character. For example, the film briefly shows a new villain, Wart, who leaves the main plot as quickly as he appears. Bowser, as noted, has the most detailed story, but even his character falls into a strange creative choice, likely to promote a new toy.
Illumination animators deserve better
Adding to the frustration, none of these factors are the animators’ fault. The one thing The Super Mario Galaxy Movie gets right is the visuals. The artists at Illumination understand the task and perfectly capture every colorful aspect of the Mario world. Every frame of the sequel could be a screensaver or a poster for a kid under 10. The bright and glossy style is a perfect match. To give the animators more credibility, they also experiment with new forms in some sequences, including anime and 8-bit throwbacks.
The unfortunate truth is that the story doesn’t live up to the visuals’ ambition. The team at Illumination works hard to infuse the madness with as much eye-popping galactic spectacle as possible. For example, there are dazzling sequences involving a space chase and a long, continuous shot of animated characters running from a collapsing building. But like a tree ornament, as beautiful as it is to watch, the inside is completely hollow.
Final thoughts on The Super Mario Galaxy Movie
I defended The Super Mario Bros. Movie, and at the time, I felt it was the right choice. If this is the franchise’s future direction, I can’t confidently say that The Super Mario Galaxy Movie is a good follow-up.
Sure, there are impressive visuals, and it will satisfy a quick nostalgia craving. And yes, kids will be entertained. But it disrespects children’s intelligence, and both kids and Mario deserve better. It’s like giving a child too much Nerds candy. It’s bright and colorful, and at first, everything seems fine, but then the headache gradually begins.
