The Super Mario Galaxy Movie Cinema Review

Three years on from the smash-hit success of the first Super Mario Bros. Movie (one of only 13 films this decade to gross more than $1B at the worldwide box office), Nintendo and Illumination have returned with a sequel that follows directly on from the first. Whilst that played as an incredibly safe, zero-surprise version of the classic games (admittedly not known for their narrative maturity), the studios have another chance to take a few risks and explore the franchise lore and characters a little more deeply. So, do they take it? Well, it's complicated...

Desperate to avenge his father's earlier defeat at the hands of Mario (Chris Pratt) and Luigi (Charlie Day), Bowser Jr. (Benny Safdie) kidnaps cosmic guardian Princess Rosalina (Brie Larson) to drain her immense power to fuel a universe-destroying cannon so the Bowsers can conquer the galaxy. Enlisting the services of pilot Fox McCloud (Glen Powell), Peach (Anya Taylor-Joy), and Toad (Keegan Michael-Key) unite with the Mario Brothers - including a tag-along Yoshi (Danny Glover), who is inexplicably, but quickly roped into the proceedings for a final showdown with the Bower duo.

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Marketed as the pinnacle of the Super Mario Brothers 40th anniversary celebration (yeah, I feel old), The Super Mario Galaxy Movie takes off at break-neck speed with an unrelenting (occasionally exhausting) pace that's targeted very squarely at a younger demographic, but stuffed to the gills with easter eggs and references that pay tribute to the series to date. I won't spoil any more surprises that haven't already been revealed by the film's marketing campaign, but suffice to say, there are dozens of deep cuts references that long-term fans (read: old people like me) will get a kick out of. Admittedly, some are wholly indulgent, whilst others - such as the cameo for one-time NES-era accessory R.O.B, are deliciously appropriate for the narrative.

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Fans hoping to see a full adaptation of the classic Super Mario Galaxy game, first released on the Nintendo Wii console in 2007 (and later re-released on the Switch), are likely in for a bit of a disappointment. Whilst a number of elements from the game certainly appear, including the planet-hopping mechanic, as well as the character of Rosalina, the truth is that the game's title has been liberally borrowed for a plot that's an entirely new creation of the filmmakers.

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Ultimately, your enjoyment of the film probably comes down to one non-negotiable. First and foremost, this is a kids' animated film, and whilst some longtime fans like myself might claim a stake in the characters and the wider franchise, this is a film that's aimed fairly and squarely at a young demographic - one that the animation studio Illumination has a whole lot of experience in. Sure, adults will likely find plenty to be entertained by, but ultimately it's fundamentally determined by whether you're prepared to go along with an animated film that's meant for a 12 year old child - all the way down to the pace which moves along at an ADHD clip, acknowledging (and reinforcing) the attention-span deficit and multi-screen habits that are a sad by-product of modern society. If you've seen the Super Mario Bros. Movie, you'll know exactly what to expect. But still, there's evidence here that some of its criticisms have been taken on board, including the excision of jarring 1980's needle drops.

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For better or worse, all of the key cast from the first film have returned to the mic booth once again, albeit the controversies of Chris Pratt's casting having been mostly reconciled - I can't say I enjoy it, but I've come to terms with it. Charlie Day and Jack Black have a bit more to do here, and as evidenced by their engagement on the press circuit, both seem to enjoy their roles. I'm not her biggest supporter, but it's nice to see genuine Nintendo uber-fan Brie Larson fit rather well into the cast, although it's still not entirely clear what exactly Donald Glover has brought to the table as the voice of Yoshi, who communicates exclusively in the same manner as he does in the games. Whoever first proposed Benny Safdie as Bowser Jr. deserves a solid raise, who hands down owns the role and fits the tone and vibe of the character perfectly.

But perhaps the highlight for me is the introduction of one Fox McCloud from the Star Fox franchise (originally released as 'Lylat Wars' in Australia and Europe for reasons I still reject). Inexplicably ignored over the last decade - indeed, there hasn't been a game in the series released since 2016 - the entirety of the Switch era - his appearance is heralded by an awkward introduction for audiences who don't know who he is and serves somewhat as a necessary apology. Methinks that this is not the only time gamers will see him this year.

Overall, the Super Mario Galaxy Movie is a welcome extension of the franchise whose potential outside the game world had been mostly ignored by Nintendo over the last three decades and is now ripe for kind-hearted exploitation. Having grossed four times its budget in just the first few days of opening, I highly doubt the series will end here. The only question is, which title will the filmmakers borrow next?