The Super Mario Galaxy Movie and its preceding film, The Super Mario Bros Movie, are animated adventure films based on the iconic Nintendo video games of the same name. While the original film followed a plot that took inspiration from multiple Mario games from the 80s to the present (The original Super Mario Bros game released on the Nintendo Entertainment System in 1985! Crazy right?), the story of this sequel mostly did the same thing while loosely following the premise of the Super Mario Galaxy games released on the Wii in the early 2000s. Along with updated HD graphics and 3D platforming, that game expanded the world of Mario as he traveled to kingdoms across multiple planets to save the galaxy from Bowser. As a gamer who grew up with those games on the Wii, I felt right at home with this premise, and the changes made to the original narrative were very much welcome. (Seeing how these changes were incorporated into the story, such as how they utilized Princess Rosalina or made Bowser Jr. the film’s main antagonist, were fun to watch.) The visuals and animation of this film were quite impressive. You can definitely see how much Illumination has evolved since releasing Despicable Me in 2010. The colors in every frame were vibrant and the action set pieces were satisfyingly frenetic. Also, along with Mario, Luigi, Peach, Toad, and Bowser, other characters join our protagonists on their journey, serving as welcome additions. (As mentioned earlier, this includes Princess Rosalina, Bowser Jr., Yoshi, and even some surprise appearances from Nintendo characters that I wasn’t expecting! I would definitely like to see more crossover elements in future Nintendo films.) However, speaking honestly, Mario games aren’t exactly known for their thought provoking narratives. We play Mario games to have a good time, and going into this film with that mindset will definitely increase your enjoyment overall. Of course, as a gamer and enjoyer of all aspects of film, I absolutely loved watching this movie. From the visuals and the action to the Nintendo references throughout, this film is exactly the fun time that I needed after the week I had prior. As a reviewer, though, I can see critics not being fans of the film’s arbitrary story structure or how haphazardly certain plot points are handled. I find myself trapped in between both points of view. However, anyone like me who’s just looking for a fun time at the movies with Mario and the gang will definitely find it here. Score: 6/10
