The Super Mario Galaxy Movie dazzles with visuals and nostalgia throughout, but lacks the story depth needed to truly level up as a great film.
GREENSBORO, N.C. — Some things are built to be played, not watched… and Mario might be one of them.
For longtime viewers of News 2 Reviews, you may remember that I eviscerated 2023’s The Super Mario Bros. Movie. It felt like getting pelted with red shells on Rainbow Road while I watched it.
So, naturally, expectations for the sequel weren’t exactly sky-high.
But The Super Mario Galaxy Movie is… better. Slightly.
Following their last adventure, Mario and Luigi have already saved the Mushroom Kingdom from Bowser. But this time, the stakes go cosmic. Princess Rosalina has been captured by Bowser Jr., who is determined to free his father at any cost. Now, with Princess Peach, Toad and a new ally in Yoshi, the brothers must venture into the stars to save the galaxy.
The film leans heavily into spectacle, delivering a fast-paced, colorful experience packed with action and nostalgia. Every frame bursts with energy, and the movie rarely slows down. The voice cast feels more confident this time around, settling into their roles more comfortably, while Brian Tyler’s sweeping score helps carry audiences from one world to the next.
There’s clear care here, both for the characters and the fans who grew up with them. But that’s also where the film stumbles.
The Super Mario Galaxy Movie plays like a speedrun, rushing from one set piece to another without taking time to build anything meaningful. While Mario has never been known for deep storytelling, instead thriving on the joy of jumping from level to level, film as a medium demands more.
It needs characters that feel like more than avatars. It needs moments that resonate beyond the action.
This movie never quite gets there.
It’s all spectacle… with no real substance holding it together.
Still, there’s fun to be had. The visuals pop, the references land, and for fans of the games, there’s enough here to spark that familiar sense of joy. In fact, it might even make you want to pick up a controller and revisit Super Mario Galaxy itself.
But as a film, it never quite reaches the next level.
At the end of the day, it’s a great level… just not quite a great movie.