The Super Mario Galaxy Movie brings Mario, Luigi, Princess Peach, and company back together, this time faced with a threat spanning across the galaxy.  Bowser Jr. (Benny Safdie) steps up as the new major foe, not quite being able to match the introduction to Bowser (Jack Black) from the first film.

Bowser Jr. in The Super Mario Galaxy Movie.

It feels opportune to jump right into the pacing, due to the fact that it would be difficult to overstate how much is happening here in rapid succession.  We are introduced to our 3 new major players early on; Rosalina (Brie Larson) as she is taking care of her Lumas, Bowser Jr., and the 3rd being Yoshi (Donald Glover), after being teased in a post credit scene in The Super Mario Bros. Movie.  This film plots a far rockier course narrative wise in comparison to its predecessor, feeling much heavier on its feet, clunkier, and overstuffed with references and easter eggs.  The issue is that it felt more comfortable in its approach creatively in the first half of the film.  Characters were utilized differently, offering the film the opportunity to grab hold of its own identity and build from there.  Unfortunately the turn was as quick as the pacing, with the film quickly losing its structure without taking its foot off of the gas, resulting in an unwieldy feeling.

This crazy pacing also stripped the film of opportunities at character growth and depth.  There is shockingly little to be said about strides at any sort of character arc for our main trio of Mario (Chris Pratt), Luigi (Charlie Day), and Princess Peach (Anya Taylor-Joy).  The trio is put through the wringer here in their quest to save Rosalina, stop Bowser Jr., and save the galaxy, but it would be grasping at straws to say that anything changes from where we last saw the group.  While it could be argued that the source material could be a factor, the first film was able to turn these iconic video game characters into compelling characters that were able to grow and develop with their own unique stories.  Mario was always there for his brother, but was able to find confidence in himself, summoning the courage to take a stand and make an impact in a way he never thought possible.  Luigi was able to conquer his fears and stand up for himself, while Peach was able to learn the importance of never giving up or backing down.  This film unfortunately doesn’t build from there, rather opting for fan service moments instead of finding a way to balance in strong character moments.

The most interesting baseline for inklings of character growth comes from Bowser, still miniature after being given the blue mushroom upon being defeated in the previous film.  His initial interactions with Mario and Luigi felt unique, offering the films strongest comedic moments, while also displaying a true internal struggle.  Him fighting his dark side and truly trying to take strides in “growing” on the inside were really well done, and I feel the film losing its identity coincides with this story point being quickly forgotten.  The rest of Bowser’s story felt like it was following a template, catering to elements of attempted fan service and game lore whilst derailing any growth, even taking steps back from what made the character so strong in the previous film.  It didn’t help matters that Bowser Jr. just came across as a less nuanced rehash of the Bowser narrative.  The father-son dynamic is not strong and even though Bowser Jr.’s magic paintbrush offers some unique spectacle moments, the lack of identity doesn’t do enough to set him apart.  Everything comes across as too boiler plate, with more focus given to sloppy world building rather than making him feel like his own character worthy of standing alone as a villain.

Mario, Luigi, and Miniature Bowser in The Super Mario Galaxy Movie.

What can’t be denied about this film is the strong visuals.  Directors Michael Jelenic and Aaron Horvath ensured they built from their previous entry with bright colors, visually rich details, and an immersive atmosphere on a galactic scale.  While the film is enjoyable to look at, it doesn’t change the fact that it’s nearly impossible to connect with anything that’s happening.  Not only is there no meat on the bones, but it’s hard to ignore that Mario takes a back seat at times in his own movie.  This choice doesn’t come across as earned, rather it feels like he simply gets forgotten about in a story that’s trying to stuff 3 hours worth of moments and events into a 90 minute movie.

Luigi, Yoshi, and Toads in The Super Mario Galaxy Movie.

2 out of 5 stars

Even though some Nintendo fans may appreciate what was done here, it’s hard to deny this film being anything other than a major step back for the franchise.  With little attempt at a cohesive narrative in an attempt to overstuff the experience with game elements at a blistering pace, the end result is a bloated and surface level glimpse at these characters.  It’s made abundantly clear that Nintendo and Illumination are attempting to fast track a cinematic universe, even though the end product here does surprisingly little to meaningfully expand the world.  Compared to the surprising amount of depth and character exploration in the first film, The Super Mario Galaxy Movie pails in comparison.