FILM REVIEW: THE SUPER MARIO GALAXY MOVIE (PG) ESP RATING: 3/5
- Gavin Miller
- 1 hour ago
- 3 min read
Yes, there’s definitely more fan service than you can squeeze into the Milky Way – but it still hits the spot when it comes to the target demographic.
The uber-successful 2024 animated original didn’t thrive on its script, and this is absolutely no different. This definitely won’t bother the Best Animated Film nominations at the Oscars next year, that’s for sure.
But it still does two massive things right: once again the world is a colourfully zesty palate of luscious eye-candiness; and it’s chock full of ‘nods’ to multiple Super Mario games, and the wider Nintendo universe as a whole.
In fact, it’s almost a feature-length advert to what the gaming giant is going to bring to the table in the future, as it expands its properties into mega-bucks movie franchises. The Legend of Zelda is on its way, and Donkey Kong was omitted from this sequel with a rumoured 2028 film in the pipeline for that iconic character. That’s just for starters.
And why the over-reliance on a constant slew of ‘Easter Eggs’ throughout a movie can undoubtedly prove monotonous, it did just the trick while watching this with my 12-year-old son, Joshua.
He absolutely loved pointing out absolutely everything he could see – and he was extremely impressive at doing so – which alone kept him entertained throughout.
And this cleverly took the impetus away from its basic wafer-thin plot.
Just like with most Mario games, it starts with the uninventive kidnapping, as the hyperactive ‘Prince of the Koopas’ Bowser Jr (Benny Safdie) abducts Princess Rosalina (Brie Larson) – the adoptive Mother of the Lumas – from the Comet Observatory in a far away galaxy.
Heroic Italian plumber brothers Mario (Chris Pratt) and Luigi (Charlie Day) – who have just befriended lovable dinosaur Yoshi (Donald Glover) – are then tasked with protecting the Mushroom Kingdom as Princess Peach (Anya Taylor-Joy) and Toad (Keegan-Michael Key) attempt to aid Rosalina by traversing the cosmos.
But when the kingdom is attacked soon after, Mario, Luigi and Yoshi, along with an apparently ‘reformed’ Bowser (Jack Black) – who accompanies them for the ride when he is returned to his normal size after being minaturised at the end of the first film – get embroiled in the generic quest.
What ensues is a very formulaic tussle across multiple star systems as Bowser Jr looks to re-align with his father in an attempt to rule the universe.
Along the way the biggest– and coolest – slice of ‘fanboy’ recognition undoubtedly comes in the form of fighter pilot Fox McCloud (Glen Powell) – who comes to the aid of Peach and co – but that is simply one of dozens and dozens of Nintendo-centric acknowledgments.
And therefore it depends which side of the fence you sit on. For me, the constant slew of fan-orientated content actually works and it didn’t matter that the story was no more inventive than the ‘A to B’ world-grinding of an average Super Mario Bros game.
Admittedly that may disappoint for anyone hoping for a bit more ingenuity the second time around – but this unashamedly knows what it wants to be. And that is to set the groundworks for a flurry of multi-billion dollar franchises.
Which, after the opening weekend at the box-office – it seems to be doing with some galaxy-sized aplomb.
ESP Rating: 3/5
Gavin Miller
Joshua Miller (Gavin’s 12-year-old son) Rating: 4.5/5
Showcase Cinema De Lux Peterborough & Odeon Luxe Peterborough, Out Now
Voice Cast: Chris Pratt, Charlie Day, Anya Taylor-Joy, Jack Black, Brie Larson, Glen Powell, Keegan-Michael Key, Benny Safdie, Luis Guzman & Donald Glover
Running Time: 1 Hr 38 Mins
Directors: Aaron Horvath & Michael Jelenic
Film Review Venue: Showcase Cinema De Lux Peterborough
For all the latest film information & showtimes at Peterborough’s Showcase Cinema De Lux & Odeon Luxe cinemas go to www.showcasecinemas.co.uk and www.odeon.co.uk
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