Here’s my The Super Mario Galaxy Movie review, which opens April 4 from Universal Pictures, starring Chris Pratt, Anya Taylor Joy, Jack Black, Charlie Day, Brie Larson and more! The film is directed by Aaron Horvath, Michael Jelenic, Pierre Leduc and written by Matthew Fogel.
Check out the Galaxy Movie trailer below:
Mario (Chris Pratt) and Luigi (Charlie Day) are back for a new adventure, and this time, the plumbers and their gang go intergalactic as they rescue another princess, Princess Rosalina, who also has some mysterious ties to our dear old Princess Peach (Anya Taylor-Joy). Along the adventure, the bros also gain new allies in the form of Yoshi (Donald Glover) and Starfox (Glen Powell). And it’s not just the good guys who get new friends, as Bowser (Jack Black) also gets an ally in the form of Bowser Jr (Benny Safdie from Oppenheimer).
The two main points of the film are the appearance of Bowser’s kid, who aims to follow in his father’s footsteps, including kidnapping a princess in the form of a new character, Princess Rosalina. The gang go on their own small adventures with Toad and Peach escaping the castle to rescue Rosalina. Meanwhile, Mario and Luigi end up running the Mushroom Kingdom just about the time that Bowser Jr makes a move in the hopes of rescuing his dad.
The pacing’s pretty solid for the sequel, giving us time to really appreciate and enjoy each character, like Toad and Peach’s adventures show us how much of a capable lady our princess is and doesn’t really do well as a damsel-in-distress. So while we establish that Mario’s a capable guy, “Galaxy” shows a more sensitive side to our beloved franchise player. One of the main points here is how Mario has feelings for Peach, but he doesn’t really know how to take the first step. Then there’s that tragic backslide for Bowser, who was already showing signs of rehabilitation after being cooped up in the Mushroom Kingdom castle since the events of the first film. And it’s also sadly his fault for giving such screwed-up advice for his kid and providing the little brat with the firepower and resources to get even. So when the time comes that Bowser’s getting mixed feelings about their latest evil schemes, it’s ultimately his son who sways him back to join the Dark Side.
You’ll also love the appearance of Starfox here as it’s not just a cameo. It’s a full-blown role where he joins the team in rescuing Rosalina before she gets vaporized and used as firepower for the Koopas’ latest scheme. Glen Powell did an exceptional job of transferring his Top Gun: Maverick vibe into the role of Starfox for this one. I feel like Nintendo and Universal Pictures/ Illumination is also using “Galaxy” to test out other animated films starring our favorite Nintendo characters. Obviously, we’ll be seeing a “Super Mario Bros Movie 3” down the line, and we’ll also probably see a solo Starfox movie.
If there’s one big issue I have in the sequel, it’s the lack of good pop music or needle drops. In the first film we got stuff like AHA’s “Take on Me” and all that but now, there’s just a little bit of music. Not really a big deal and all but I just wanted to let you know in case you’re expecting that sort of thing.
The film is loaded (and I mean loaded) with so many references, but I personally loved the moment when the filmmakers decided to incorporate the classic NES Super Mario 8-bit game for the film’s climax. I actually had to do a slow clap when I saw that so keep your eyes peeled fanboys!
Stay put too as there are two Super Mario Galaxy movie post-credit scenes, one is very important, and another has a more comedic tone but also connects with some of the main characters as well as a returning fan favorite from the first movie.
Overall, the kids will definitely enjoy “Galaxy” as well as adults. It’s also going to be a fun ride for big Mario fans with so many references and easter eggs, and of course, more power-ups for the plumber bros and even good ol’ Yoshi.
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