Cut to the chase: Loosely based on the 2007 Nintendo Wii video game and its 2010 sequel, “The Super Mario Galaxy Movie” is a frenzied film with a patchwork plotline that blasts through scenes like a runaway roller coaster. It’s bright and shiny on the outside, but hollow throughout, resurrecting beloved characters from the property (and elsewhere) to appease Nintendo disciples. And though its messy, convoluted journey may be enough for those who worship, for the rest of us, there are only two words that come to mind: “Mama mia!”
(Image courtesy Nintendo and Illumination)
A Super Silly Synopsis
The whole gang is back: Mario (Chris Pratt), Luigi (Charlie Day), Princess Peach (Anya Taylor-Joy), and Toad (Keegan-Michael Key). The plumber brothers, who saved Peach from the grips of evil Bowser (Jack Black) in the last film, have yet another princess to save. Princess Rosalina (Brie Larson) has been kidnapped by Bowser Jr. (Benny Safdie), the King Koopa’s long-ignored son. Junior decides the best way to free and vindicate his father is to drain Rosalina of her power in order to fuel a machine that destroys universes, a plot point that gets muddled by the rest of the film’s hair-brained events.
Yoshi (Donald Glover) joins the crew this time around, as does Fox McCloud (Glenn Powell), an anthropomorphic fox and a crossover character from Nintendo’s “Star Fox” series. Traveling from world to world in the Galaxy often feels like a fruitless endeavor, or at least one that is more interested in the mayhem than in a compelling throughline. Peach and Toad chase a monkey thief to a casino, which, with its bright lights and mesmerizing games, is, believe it or not, less pandemonium than some other frantic sequences in the film.
Mario and Luigi attempt to rehabilitate the villain out of Bowser, but his conniving offspring eventually extricate and guilt him back to the dark side. Finally, Mario and Luigi use power-ups to defeat the Bowsers, and long-lost sisters Rosalina and Peach reunite, using their abilities to turn the Bowsers’ lava-world into something beautiful once more.
(Image courtesy Nintendo and Illumination)
Let’s-a (Not) Go (See This One)
If that heavily pared-down synopsis reads like a rainbow-fueled acid trip, then you’ll be fully prepared walking into “The Super Mario Galaxy Movie,” a film that is lean on plot and heavy on its phantasmagoria nonsense. As an adult who is very familiar with story set-ups and the structure of film, it was difficult to follow the inane action and its attempt at a cohesive plotline that this film only vaguely succeeds at emulating.
The animation is superficially beautiful, filling the screen with wondrously colorful imagery and sequences. The film isn’t completely devoid of a message; Mario and friends certainly encourage teamwork, bravery, and loyalty in their dogged quest for peace in the galaxy. Princesses Peach and Rosalina serve as protective figures, looking out for their subjects’ best interests and not merely their own safety. Even Bowser serves as a reminder that no villain is too evil to exclude them from redemption, and his struggle to appease his new crew, the “good guys,” and his power-hungry son shows the dichotomy in everyone.
But these well-intentioned characters can’t camouflage the film’s weaknesses. Overall, I’d say kids who enjoyed its 2023 predecessor will have enough youthful goodwill to ignore some of this film’s glaringly abhorrent inadequacies in the name of having a good time with their beloved characters. Parents will be frustrated that, given an entire galaxy to play with, the film can’t find a coherent storyline and instead flings viewers around like expendable NPCs.
(Image courtesy Nintendo and Illumination)
Notes for Parents
As this is based on a video game that frequently requires the avatar to punch, kick, and jump-punch-kick, there is quite a bit of violence that tends to stay in the mild-to-mid range, present in almost every scene. Rarely is a character shown as mortally injured. Even when Bowser is thrown into the lava, his return as a skeleton does not contain the emotional weight that death would often bear onto the viewer.
There are some “scary” creatures, like a T. rex and a giant robot. There is a scene in a dark cave, with a red eye glowing around the mysterious room, that may be unsettling for some audiences. Princess Rosalina comes close to dying, and her scenes, losing weakness in a cage, and the power being drained from her, offer the most tension throughout the film.
There are bombs that attack the good guys. Purple goo from the end of Bowser Jr.’s magic paint pen serves as a multi-morphing monster. Peach’s castle is lifted from the earth, causing its inhabitants to seek safety. The Lumas, childlike stars who have attached themselves to Rosalina as their mother figure, are ripped away from her in the film’s best attempt at earnest emotional resonance.
The Details
- MPAA Rating: PG for action, mild violence and rude humor
- Where to Watch: In theaters now
- Recommended Age: 7+
- Runtime: 98 minutes
More Parent Reviews and Family Movie Picks
Still deciding what to watch next? Check out more Seattle’s Child movie guides and parent reviews:
- Parent Review: “The Pout-Pout Fish” movie doesn’t match the book | See why this adaptation may disappoint families who loved the original story.
- Parent Review: “GOAT” movie age rating and parent guide | What families should know about themes, content, and age-appropriateness before watching.
- Movies That Teach Kids Empathy | Looking for something more meaningful? These family films help spark kindness, compassion, and emotional growth.
