'The Super Mario Galaxy Movie' Review: An Energetic and Entertaining Follow On
- 2 minutes ago
- 4 min read
By Becca Johnson - April 5, 2026
Three years after the first instalment of this likely franchise hit the big screen, our loveable plumbers are back for their next adventure. Having thwarted Bowser’s previous plot to marry Princess Peach, Mario and Luigi now face a fresh threat in Bowser Jr., who is determined to liberate his father from captivity and restore the family legacy. Alongside companions new and old, the brothers travel across the stars to stop the young heir’s crusade. The Super Mario Galaxy Movie might be more interested in cameo’s and references rather than developing story and characters, but that doesn’t prevent it from entertaining audiences.
Fans of the first movie will likely enjoy what the new addition has in store. Following its footsteps in terms of tone, humour and storyline, it adds little newness outside of character additions but provides thorough continuity. The world is just as vibrant as we’ve come to expect, with the galaxy location providing beautiful cinematography as we undertake Mario’s cosmic journey alongside him. The characters leap off the screen with their comedic gestures and cute appearances, each frame is filled with vibrant colour and the film frequently gives us something fresh to feast our eyes upon, whether it’s a world inside the galaxy, an exciting power-up for our characters or even an action-packed fight sequence.
Just like the first movie back in 2023, the run-time moves at a brisk pace with one primary focus - entertainment value. The needle drops have vastly improved, focussing more on original score and much-loved music from the games rather than jarring pop tracks, with the music helping lift the visuals off the screen a lot more successfully. There’s plenty of heart and humour, with jokes that often land and a central story you can get behind. It’s competently made, beautiful to look at and consistently entertaining.
If there’s one demographic likely to glean the most enjoyment out of Mario Galaxy, it’s of course, Nintendo fans. The film is full to the brim with references to characters, locations, phrases, power-ups, costumes and many other elements, not just within the galaxy game but the Super Mario world as a whole. Those less familiar with the gameplay may find the constant cameos and references repetitive and gimmicky, whereas fans are likely to come away extremely satisfied. Joining our familiar team of Mario (Chris Pratt), Luigi (Charlie Day), Princess Peach (Anya Taylor-Joy) and Bowser (Jack Black) are fan favourite dinosaur, Yoshi (Donald Glover), watcher of the Cosmos Rosalina (Brie Larson) and the equally cute and evil Bowser Jr. (Benny Safdie). The newcomers are both fun and enjoyable, bringing something fresh to the flick whilst giving us even more cute characters to root for.
We’re even joined by Fox McCloud, the protagonist from another Nintendo game, Star Fox. Voiced by Glen Powell (Twisters), he’s a Han Solo-esque fox who definitely makes his presence known and leaves the audience wanting more. The voice performances backing this loveable characters are fantastic, matching their energy perfectly across the board. If you’re even a casual fan of Mario, his sidekicks and his multitude of games, there is plenty within this film to leave you giddy.
The Super Mario Galaxy Movie does leave a lot in the dust in order to provide said cameos, characters, references and set pieces - namely the story. Not only is it very similar to that delivered in the first instalment, but it lacks any tangible depth or character development. It briskly moves from one set piece to another, leaving little time to sit with what you’ve just witnessed or what has been revealed. Just like Mario, we’re frequently jumping from block to block, action sequence to new location, world to world. Although this leaves little room for boredom, it leaves a lot of room for memorability or depth. Perhaps the biggest disappointment is the lack of screen-time for Princess Rosalina. Not only were viewers thrilled for long time Mario fan Brie Larson (Captain Marvel) to be lending her vocal chords to the role, but Rosalina is the heart, soul and emotional core of the game this movie is named after. Not having much more to do outside of being a damsel in distress, we get a very minimal glimpse into her characteristics, and nothing at all in terms of backstory. It’s easy to walk away from Mario Galaxy feeling like it’s both over-stuffed and underworked. Full of the wrong things, and lacking the elements that could make it exceed expectations.
If you’re up for some switch your brain off fun, an onslaught of colours and set pieces and an opportunity to point at things you recognise every five minutes, The Super Mario Galaxy Movie is for you. Funny and entertaining with a good voice cast and loveable characters, the dramatic reviews claiming it is ‘worse than AI’ and ‘absolutely terrible’ seem a little harsh. Sure, the story leaves much to be desired and the focus on elements for gamers to recognise becomes a little tiresome. It’s also a shame to have Rosalina left behind, as much of the marketing and initial excitement was based on her inclusion. However, the energy is there, the run-time is snappy and it does a good job building on the original.
'The Super Mario Galaxy Movie' is out now in cinemas.
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