Super Mario Galaxy Movie Lacks Star Power

Even if Super Mario and his brother Luigi are your go-to plumbers in a fantastical realm of mushrooms and turtles, it's apparent that star-studded tales and nuanced personalities have never been fundamental to the franchise. More iconic figures and quirky antagonists? Sure. But don't keep your hopes high for an emotional odyssey.

The 2023 Super Mario Bros. Movie, led by Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic, and penned by Matthew Fogel tried to craft a story out of this skeletal narrative. Despite amounting to a mere compendium of game references, the blockbuster bagged a win for constructing an origin story for Mario and Luigi - from Brooklyn to the Mushroom Kingdom.

Flash forward to its sequel, The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, and it's apparent that the well of creativity is running alarmingly dry. Yes, there's a plot. Yes, a couple of new characters bob up. But the film crawls with limited artistic energy, merely bouncing the protagonists around for easter egg and game reference check-ins. Moving beyond Jack Black's Bowser, Anya Taylor-Joy's Peach, and Benny Safdie's Bowser Jr., the character development is non-existent.

The sequel, unfolding after the first film's events, sews chaos with the introduction of Bowser Jr.'s dual pursuits: rescuing his shrunken and imprisoned father and conducting a royal kidnapping – that of Princess Rosalina (Brie Larson). Princess Peach and Toad (Keegan-Michael Key) dart after him, luring Mario (Chris Pratt), Luigi (Charlie Day), and the newly found Yoshi (Donald Glover) into the fray.

I know what you're thinking: "Cut them some slack! It's just a kids' movie!". But comparisons with recent acclaimed animations such as Pixar's Hoppers and Walt Disney Animation's Zootopia 2 might make you pull back on that sentiment. Super Mario doesn't need to drill into themes of gentrification or oligarchical power, but some storytelling effort to stimulate more than just the simplistic demographics is not asking too much.

Take, for instance, how Yoshi is introduced. An enormous pat on the back to Donald Glover for landing a decent paycheck for a dozen "Yoshi" yells into a mic. Yoshi is discovered, we see how he got there and then…he's just part of the team, gobbling things up with his froggy tongue and laying out eggs. No backstory, no motivation. Just a convenient character tossed in for additional toy/game sales perhaps?

The character neglect, however, barely holds a candle to the deep-seated issue with the film: Mario and Luigi are lifeless. The Super Mario Galaxy Movie appears clueless about what to do with the protagonist brothers, beyond battling Peach and figuring out Bowser Jr.'s scheme. Mario is suspicious of Bowser's redemption, while Luigi encourages his brother to ask the princess out, but that's where the emotional turmoil dries up. The plot simply revolves around the adventure; nothing more, nothing less.

The Super Mario Galaxy Movie chiefly strings together scenes seemingly designed for pause-and-spot-the-character interactions. The standalone exception is the noteworthy entry of Star Fox, voiced by Glen Powell. The charismatic fox, with his cool attitude and groovy space ship, steals the show. Unfortunately, his on-screen presence makes one wish they were in a Star Fox movie instead of enduring this lackluster Super Mario sequel.

There are a few notworthy action sequences, like Peach orchestrating a multi-directional gravity casino battle. Another intriguing homage to the classic 80s' game remains a well-kept secret to avoid spoilers. However, these occasional highlights fail to compensate for the drag that comprises most of the film.

A big-budget movie raking in billions at the box office doesn't ensure a quality sequel, and The Super Mario Galaxy Movie is no exception. Sadly, the film ticks all boxes for being drearily ordinary, overlooking its audience's desire for something more engaging.