The Super Mario Galaxy Movie

★★⯪☆

The Super Mario Galaxy Movie (2026)

Runtime: 98 minutes

MPAA: Rated PG for action, mild violence and rude humour.

Ok, hear me out on this one. I was actively fighting against the first half of The Super Mario Galaxy Movie. Somehow, the second half almost won me over, reaching a point where I was alright with forgetting any problems I had with it, slowly working its way to a borderline recommendation. And then it fumbles the bag.

Again, I'm not thoroughly familiar with the lore, so this might the movie expanding to include more people in, but The Super Mario Galaxy Movie somewhat pivots from its predecessor where Mario (Chris Pratt) and Luigi (Charlie Day) are peacefully co-existing with Princess Peach (Anya Taylor-Joy) in Mushroom Kingdom. A shrunken Bowser (Jack Black) lives in a miniature castle and picks up many hobbies, including painting and even book-reading with Luigi. I did mention how Bowser is unstable and in need of anger management therapy, and the absurdity of his mental state is a joke the filmmakers lean harder on. There are more visually dazzling sights in this giddily overloaded fest, better direction with some camera shots, twirls and rotations that are quite clever, and the adventure element seems to be stronger this time around.

Since the frenetic pacing is now a given, I guess I'm used to it as a feature and not a bug. Still, a similar problem involves the script compressing multiple movies into one, meaning that endless subplots spawn and drag excessively. Mario and Luigi get sidelined in an adventure that dives into themes of brotherhood, sisterhood, Peach's origins, and Bowser's conflicted internal state as he tries reconnecting with his son. The breakneck pace feels secondary to the fragmented and episodic nature, but it also tries for more things and almost lands them. There are times where the density, chaos and spectacle overwhelms all the senses, and I'll admit that it kept my overthinking at bay as I prepared myself to succumb to the thrill ride. Which is such a shame that the film abandons its elements, wraps everything up in minutes and ends abruptly.

What brings them across the universe this time? Princess Rosalina (Brie Larson) is the adoptive mother of the Lumas living in the Comet Observatory. She's abducted by Bowser Jr. (Benny Safdie), who intends to use her powers to fuel a universe-destroying cannon in honour of his father, following his defeat earlier on. A new sidekick Yoshi (Donald Glover) joins Mario and the gang, and more characters join the adventure, including a charismatic pilot Fox McCloud, who's voiced by, expectedly, Glen Powell. Even more so than the previous outing, the voice cast does seem to be having fun, something I had too when enough issues subsided.

The Super Mario Galaxy Movie does feel like a second speedrun, but there are times where it doesn't feel as relentlessly fast as one would expect. It's also seasoned with more humour, something I rarely felt in The Super Mario Bros. Movie, and I know that the title of this installment is GALAXY and not BROS., but the relationship between the brothers barely progresses forward. Still, they deliver in the galaxy aspect, even as the machinery around it gets increasingly convoluted. Peach finally gets insight into her origins and relation to Rosalina, something that hints towards meaningful sisterhood, so it's a surprise that the film never sits them down with us. Now that they're together, what has each one missed and experienced? How will connection finally resolve emotional voids and answer their nature and purpose?

Likewise, Bowser starts to bond with his son, happy that his role of a father has finally been fulfilled. Yet, Bowser Jr. is hellbent on destruction and killing, something that Bowser starts internally wrestling himself over. After spending some time with Mario and his company, maybe the answer to problems aren't with violence but with understanding and peace. All the stories of unrequited love, evil, true calling and moral conflict aren't novel, but it builds to potentially substantial things that could finally deliver satisfaction. So why desert his journey and write itself into a smash-em-up finale that overcomplicates things? Animated movies are designed to be short so that the shorter attention of younger audiences can be sustained, but this is one of the movies where I wished it was longer, examining the separate stories and confronting them to produce insightful revelations.

Look, I'm not setting a high bar here, as these themes and dilemmas are introduced by the story. There's more fun in this iteration, with more places, events, people and sights which made me more willing to forgive some of its shortcomings. Yet, I came out of the experience almost satisfied, as all the adventure, fun and story beats are effectively undone with a non-ending of an ending that forcefully ratchets everything to a standstill. The Super Mario Galaxy Movie is slightly better than what I expected, and opening this in the middle of the day while being considerably exhausted, the best thing I can say about it is that I was engaged with the screen for most of it. In my previous review, I was left "hoping that they'll get it right next time". Therefore, it becomes genuinely depressing that the film becomes this close to getting there.