Film Review – The Super Mario Galaxy Film (2026)

      The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, 2026.

      Directed by Aaron Horvath, Michael Jelenic, Pierre Leduc, and Fabien Polack.

      Featuring the voice talents of Chris Pratt, Anya Taylor-Joy, Charlie Day, Brie Larson, Keegan-Michael Key, Jack Black, Benny Safdie, Donald Glover, Luis Guzmán, Kevin Michael Richardson, Issa Rae, Glen Powell, Juliet Jelenic, and Ed Skudder.

      SYNOPSIS:

      Mario sets off into space, discovering cosmic realms and confronting galactic obstacles far removed from the Mushroom Kingdom.

      For better or worse, the NCU (Nintendo Cinematic Universe) is officially here. The Super Mario Galaxy Movie doesn't just follow the Hollywood trend of making sequels bigger, louder, and more expensive; it desperately imitates the Marvel-style spectacle, focusing on cramming each frame full of nostalgia, beloved characters, enemy types, recognizable classic soundtrack snippets, and action. Even with rare flashes of vibrant action through colorful and intricately designed CGI, it ultimately feels like overwhelming noise and chaos, with little effort put into showcasing the handful of new characters, let alone the iconic duo of Mario and Luigi (again voiced by Chris Pratt and Charlie Day with the faintest hint of an Italian accent and minimal personality; the latter slightly fares better due to his natural comedic talent).

      As suggested by the title, the stakes are raised with the entire galaxy at risk, as Bowser Jr. (voiced by Benny Safdie), a youthful version of the notorious spiky, power-hungry turtle (Jack Black) who is fixated on abducting Princess Peach (Anya Taylor-Joy) for various motives ranging from infatuation to harnessing her magical stardust powers for a doomsday weapon, steps up following his father's failures (who, as seen at the end of the first film, is shrunken and residing in a similarly sized castle, overseen by the Mushroom Kingdom). The furious son navigates through space in a ship, aiming to kidnap Princess Rosalina (voiced by Brie Larson), while clad in metallic armor and wielding a magical paintbrush that can create weapons or creatures from a thick purple substance to aid him in battle.

      Keeping this in mind, while The Super Mario Bros. Movie was focused on honoring and incorporating material from older games on retro consoles, this installment seemingly propels itself into the next generations of gaming. At least this indicates the sequel isn't merely replicating its predecessor, which is noteworthy given the extensive 40-year history to draw from (the exception being Donald Glover's voiceover for the adored little green dinosaur Yoshi, a character introduced in the earlier days).

      The issue lies with the filmmaking team of Aaron Horvath, Michael Jelenic, Pierre Leduc, and Fabien Polack (along with screenwriter Matthew Fogel and the many Japanese creatives at Nintendo involved) who are concerned more with inserting characters into the film without providing them meaningful narrative roles or characterization and lack the restraint to stop, pulling from additional Nintendo franchises such as Fox McCloud (from the Star Fox games, voiced by Glen Powell) and hinting at future projects featuring a far more attractive animation style.

      The overarching takeaway is that, irrespective of whether the storytelling merits it, Nintendo is set on launching this universe. Nothing I can express will negate that as a financially astute decision, but enormous box-office earnings cannot compensate for a shortage of substantial artistry. Not even Yoshi charmingly mugging for the camera and adorably repeating his name in different situations and tones contributes much, since, like many characters, his inclusion feels more like a ploy to please fans than a well-thought-out decision with intent.

      The frustration is magnified by the fact that when The Super Mario Galaxy Movie adheres to its gaming foundations and endeavors to convey the essence of platforming gameplay as a cinematic experience, the results are thrilling, beautifully animated, and display a creative respect for the source material, converting it into a film rather than lazily inundating viewers with references. There’s a montage where Mario and Luigi interact with a board akin to those in the games, transporting them to various levels with distinct objectives, propelling the running and jumping. Another significant moment culminates in a pre-final boss level riddled with deadly traps; someone is bound to have fun taking that chaos and recreating it into a challenging experience in one of those games focused on player-created Mario levels.

      Regarding humor, the moments that land involve Bowser grappling with the desire to reform his evil nature and be a better father, which ultimately sees the two indulging in chaos as they strive to conquer the galaxy together. Since The Super Mario Galaxy Movie opens with Princess Rosalina reading a storybook to the different Luminaries about princesses, Mario, and Luigi, the filmmakers seem eager to convey a message about parenthood and the tales we