The Super Mario Galaxy Movie (2026) Movie Review

Synopsis:

Mario (Chris Pratt) and Luigi (Charlie Day) must reunite in another adventure once again. This time, they face Bowser Jr. (Benny Safdie). He seeks to free his father, Bowser (Jack Black), from captivity. The brothers must join with old and newfound allies across the galaxy to stop his crusade.

Review:

Even more so than the last film, The Super Mario Galaxy Movie is dependent on its references to carry the proceedings.

This is evident from its introduction of familiar characters and fan favourites such as Yoshi (Donald Glover).

Whilst these ideas are presented with eye-catching visuals, they’re devoid of substance.

Take the introduction of Yoshi as an example. Mario and Luigi find him on an unknown planet, hiding in a pipe. It’s in this scene where they befriend the little green creature.

Aside from telling Mario and Luigi his name, there isn’t much to the character beyond this. Whilst there is a flashback, all it does is leave more questions.

Yoshi hatches from an egg left in a random sewer. From there, he walks the streets of various cities around the globe.

No explanation is left as to how Yoshi got there and why. Though he may have had parents, the film fails to elaborate on anything.

This is also evident in Bowser Jr.’s creation of Planet Bowser and an armada of flying spaceships.

He also manages to have his army of Koopas construct a spaceship with advanced weapons systems.

How Bowser Jr. managed this remains unexplained throughout the entire runtime.

Though he may have used his father’s resources, this feat remains unfeasible.

This film also jumps from planet to planet, without any clear setup or payoff. One minute, Mario and Luigi are on one planet, then another.

It’s a film that doesn’t give audiences time to settle in, which can prove frustrating. For families with younger children, the film’s fast-paced nature may not be a problem.

Saying that, a film with Super Mario Galaxy in the title should set higher expectations. For fans of Nintendo’s video game classic from 2007, this film will disappoint.

In that game, Mario visits a wide variety of interesting planets. As it’s a video game, the player could explore those planets at their own pace.

This led to a natural gameplay flow without breaking immersion. In comparison, The Super Mario Galaxy Movie is less than two hours.

As a result, this leaves little time to explore any planet Mario and Luigi venture to. There are far fewer planets that are explored, as the film wants to keep moving.

A solution to this could have been Illumination (the studio), splitting the film into two parts. This could’ve have led to greater planet exploration for the viewer.

One of the few elements taken from the game involves Rosalina (Brie Larson).

From her Observatory in the sky, she commands cosmic power. She also has authority over beings known as Lumas.

Her backstory also involves Princess Peach (Anya Taylor-Joy). Later in the film, it’s revealed to the audience that Peach is her younger sister.

Though this is revealed in a quick flashback, it works in establishing a bond between sisters. This is an element that families with younger daughters will appreciate.

Whilst the addition of her is interesting, Rosalina has very little screentime. She displays her cosmic power during the film’s opening, though that’s it.

Once she’s captured by Bowser Jr., she becomes more of a stationary background character. This left her voice actress, Brie Larson, with very little to work with.

Despite having his name in the title, Mario has very little agency in this film. Whilst Peach goes to save her sister, Mario and Luigi are stuck on a side quest.

Though this leads to some lighthearted, if irritating humor, much of it is pointless. Mario also displays little confidence when he faces Bowser Jr.

Rather than use power-ups or fighting with conviction, Mario is always on the defensive. Whilst he gets more agency in the film’s final act, it is frustrating to see.

Princess Peach happens to have the most action in the film. Take the scene where she fights waves of minions under the command of Wart (Luis Guzmán).

She encounters little adversity or challenge. As a result, this limits the film’s already hollow story. If the minions presented more of a threat, this would’ve made the scene more watchable.

Fans may also express disappointment in many memorable moments for Jack Black as Bowser. Though his voice acting is still charismatic, he repeats familiar comedic beats.

This is also applicable to Chris Pratt’s Mario and Charlie Day’s Luigi. Chris Pratt is often left stuck between his regular accent and an Italian one.

This leaves his Mario having an off-putting accent at times. Charlie Day’s Luigi is a little more consistent, despite feeling too familiar.

One of the film’s more charismatic voice performers is Glen Powell as Star Fox.

For context, his first appearance was in the Star Fox video game from 1993. Appearing for a few brief scenes, Powell gives a fun performance.

His brief backstory is also conveyed through cel-shaded animation. It makes for a distinct visual, which the film has in abundance.

Its striking animation is full of vibrant colours, leading to many good moments. Take when the stars of the cosmos fly over the Mushroom Kingdom.

An array of blues, oranges, greens, and yellows races across the night sky. It’s the film’s most distinctive visual moment overall.

These visuals also help the film’s fast-paced action to stand out even more. Take Bowser Jr.’s uses of dark magic or Mario and Luigi’s power-ups.

Though the action may be weightless, the vibrancy of colours may help viewers forgive that flaw.

Brian Tyler also brings an energetic score that Mario fans should find entertaining.

He also uses familiar tracks from the Super Mario Galaxy game that those fans will also appreciate. As a whole, it’s a good score that many will enjoy.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, The Super Mario Galaxy Movie prioritises fan service over anything else.

Its introduction of new characters and planets is glossed over without explanation.

Take how Yoshi is introduced and how Bowser Jr. creates his own world and weapons. Neither is explained, which may lead to viewer frustration.

One of the few that gets explained is the backstory between Rosalina and Peach. Despite how brief it is, families with daughters should appreciate the sister bond between the two.

Where the film can also falter is with a lack of agency for Mario and Luigi. They’re left to do a sidequest while Peach goes to save her sister.

Instead, they’re stuck in scenes where their characters are at a standstill. This may frustrate long-time Mario fans who wanted to see him take center stage.

Voice acting is decent across the board, even if characters repeat similar beats. Saying that, it leaves little impression. Saying that, Glen Powell as Star Fox is a good addition.

This film’s visuals and animation are also striking. This leads to many memorable moments.

Some of the action is also fast-paced, despite it being weightless. Brian Tyler’s energetic score also leads to fun moments.

As a whole, this film is too fast-paced for its own good. If it had spent more time developing its characters and worlds, it could’ve been good. Instead, fans are left with a hollow, yet striking adventure across the galaxy.

Sam’s Action Reaction score:

Characters - 5/10

Story - 5/10

Action - 6/10

Visuals and Animation - 8.5/10

Soundtrack - 7/10

Overall score: 6.3 out of 10