Princess Peach (Anya Taylor-Joy) and Toad (Keegan-Michael Key) embark on a mission to rescue Princess Rosalina (Alison Brie), Peach’s long-lost sister, when she is kidnapped by Bowser Jr. (Benny Safide). Seeking revenge for the kidnapping, and shrinking, of his father Bowser (Jack Black), Bowser Jr. attacks Peach’s castle to try and free his father, but is thwarted by Mario (Chris Pratt) and Luigi (Charlie Day). During the battle Bowser Jr. drops the castle into the Honeyhive Galaxy, setting off a chain of events as Mario and Luigi, with the assistance of Yoshi (Donald Glover), try to track down Peach and Toad, and help them rescue Princess Rosalina.
‘The Super Mario Galaxy Movie’ is the follow-up to 2023’s ‘The Super Mario Bros. Movie’, which is the highest-grossing video game adaptation of all-time. While the original film didn’t manage to win over the critics, it proved to be a huge hit with audiences so a sequel was a no-brainer. This second film fared very well at the box-office too, falling slightly short of its predecessor but going on to become the second highest-grossing video game adaptation of all-time – not bad!
If you weren’t a fan of the first movie, you’re not going to be convinced by this sequel, which is bright, loud and hurtles along at a rapid pace. While there is a plot there, barely, the film doesn’t get too caught up on it, instead opting for a series of set-pieces that will entertain audiences, even if you don’t really have a clue what’s going on. The chaos of the ‘Super Mario Galaxy’ games is brought to life in a vivid explosion of colour and Easter Eggs for long-time fans of the franchise.
The film feels like it shoe-horns in Mario and Luigi, alongside the main story involving Princess Peach and Toad. They feel a little superfluous to requirements at time, as does Bowser, which is a little odd given that Bowser Jr. is causing chaos to try and retrieve his father. There are plenty of amusing moments, and the voice work from Chris Pratt, Charlie Day and Jack Black is very good, but it would have worked better had Mario and Luigi felt like a bigger part of the main plot. Don’t get me wrong, it’s interesting to spend a little more time with Princess Peach, but the strength of these characters is when they all work together.
The most successful aspect of ‘The Super Mario Galaxy Movie’ is the fight sequences. These are masterfully brought to life and there’s so much going on during them, that it can be quite breathtaking. The animation is superb, once again, and the detail in the scenes is something to behold. Fans of the franchise will definitely get a kick out of all of the nods to the games, in particular one very nostalgic scene towards the end of the film that sees Mario and Luigi helping to rebuild Peach’s castle.
‘The Super Mario Galaxy Movie’ is an entertaining watch but it’ll most likely be a hit with younger audiences. For adults there’s not a whole lot here to sink your teeth into aside from the visual spectacle. With a third film almost guaranteed, it looks like this iteration of The Super Mario. Bros is here to stay for a while. I just hope with the next film that the film-makers strip things back to basics and concentrate on the story, something I felt the first film managed much more successfully.
Cast: Chris Pratt, Charlie Day, Anya Taylor-Joy, Jack Black, Keegan-Michael Key, Brie Larson, Benny Safdie, Donald Glover Directors: Aaron Horvath, Michael Jelenic, Pierre Leduc Writer: Matthew Fogel Certificate: PG Duration: 102 mins Released by: Universal Pictures Buy ‘The Super Mario Galaxy Movie’ now
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