In space, no one can hear you… wahoo. That should have been the tagline for Super Mario Galaxy, the latest installment in Illumination’s ongoing mining of Nintendo’s massive catalog by once again sending its most recognizable mascot on another oversized adventure. The only real disappointment is that Nintendo has such a deep bench of characters that I’d rather see Illumination branching out by now. We already met Donkey Kong in the last movie, so where’s Donkey Kong Country? This movie also introduces Star Fox, voiced by Glen Powell, which naturally raises the question of whether that’s setting up a Star Fox movie. If Mario is going to keep serving as the gateway for surprise Nintendo cameos, it’d be nice if those cameos actually led somewhere. There’s enough material here to build a Nintendo cinematic universe that eventually ends with a Super Smash Bros. movie, but random appearances aren’t nearly as exciting if they’re never paid off.
This time around there are no Donkey Kong characters to be found, but Bowser is still hanging around, albeit considerably smaller after the events of the previous film. That allows Bowser Jr., voiced by Benny Safdie, to step into the primary villain role. The story follows Princess Peach, once again voiced by Anya Taylor-Joy, as she begins remembering pieces of her forgotten past and realizes she has family somewhere out among the stars. At the same time, the sister she barely remembers, voiced by Brie Larson, is kidnapped. Naturally Peach heads off on a rescue mission, which means Mario and Luigi aren’t far behind.
Let’s just get this out of the way. This isn’t highbrow cinema. I could sit here asking whether it advances the art form or expands the language of filmmaking, but that’s missing the point entirely. This is a flashy, colorful sequel that exists to entertain and to remind audiences why they’ve loved these characters for decades. It’s nostalgia bait, sure, but Nintendo’s audience now ranges from five-year-olds discovering Mario for the first time to grandparents who played the original Super Mario Bros. back in the ‘80s. That’s an incredibly difficult audience to satisfy.
Illumination has to play to children while simultaneously throwing enough references at longtime fans to keep them engaged. Most younger viewers haven’t played every Mario game, so plenty of the Easter eggs fly right over their heads. Adults catch them immediately. That’s the balancing act these movies attempt, making something energetic enough for kids while sprinkling in just enough fan service to keep longtime Nintendo players buying tickets. It’s corporate entertainment, absolutely, but it’s corporate entertainment that generally understands who it’s selling to.
I wasn’t especially blown away by the first movie, and I’m not suddenly calling this sequel a masterpiece, but one advantage every sequel has is that the groundwork has already been laid. We don’t need another training montage explaining how Mario jumps or who everybody is. Everyone already knows the rules of this universe, including the characters themselves, so the movie gets moving almost immediately. It wastes very little time before launching into the adventure, and that’s one area where it improves on its predecessor.
One of the stranger casting choices is Donald Glover as Yoshi. Like Groot, Yoshi mostly communicates through sounds and repeating his own name, so I have to imagine that recording session was one of the easier paychecks Glover has ever earned. Still, he’s clearly having fun with it, even if the role doesn’t ask much of him.
Chris Pratt also sounds much more comfortable this time around. After taking plenty of criticism for the first film, he’s settled into a version of Mario’s voice that blends the character with his own personality instead of leaning into an exaggerated stereotype. Charlie Day continues to be an excellent Luigi, and thankfully the movie gives him considerably more to do this time. Benny Safdie makes for a solid Bowser Jr., and longtime Nintendo fans will catch a few fun references woven into his character.
If you liked the first Super Mario Bros. Movie, it’s hard to imagine not enjoying Super Mario Galaxy. The first film already established exactly what these movies were going to be, and this sequel simply executes that formula with a little more confidence. It’s stuffed with ideas, references, and characters, but it rarely slows down long enough for you to dwell on any of them.
The best way I can describe it is cinematic junk food. It’s fast, colorful, loaded with sugar, and probably not the healthiest thing you could consume, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t enjoyable. Everybody has a favorite guilty pleasure snack. This is the movie equivalent. I’m not expecting Academy Award nominations, but I’m also not throwing it in the trash if you hand it to me.
Would I watch it again? Honestly, probably. I know exactly what it is, and I think it accomplishes what it sets out to do. It may not reach for the stars artistically, but as a brisk, entertaining Nintendo adventure, it’s hard to complain too much.
Fresh: 6.8/10
