The Year’s Most Hyped Movie Is A Visually Stunning Borefest You Must See

I’m having trouble assessing The Super Mario Galaxy Movie because I’m not the primary audience for a movie like this. It’s not that I’m allergic to fun (I am) or only like psychological thrillers (also true). While it’s true that I don’t actively seek out kids’ movies, I do have kids, and they loved 2023’s The Super Mario Bros. Movie. We saw the first one on opening night at the drive-in, and we did the same for this new one.

I never had a Nintendo in the house growing up, so I appreciate how the franchise has drip-fed its lore in a way that casual viewers can follow, using characters that are universally recognizable. We all know who Mario is, and I don’t know a single person who hasn’t played Super Smash Bros. at a friend’s house at some point in their life. That’s the extent of my expertise.

What really bugged me about The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, though, is how much effort went into the visuals while the plot and dialogue took a back seat to the spectacle. The 2023 movie struck a nice balance. It looked great, and it had plenty of zingers. This one gives off Avatar vibes, or at least it feels like I’m supposed to be so entranced by the worldbuilding that the storytelling doesn’t really matter. If there’s no real story to tell, then I don’t want to be there.

I felt like a kid being brainwashed into submission for 98 minutes, and for that reason I felt robbed. Then I remembered that this is exactly why we took the kids to see it, so I got what I paid for and probably shouldn’t be complaining. Growing up isn’t easy anywhere, I guess.

Bigger, Bolder, And Sneaking In Another IP

I don’t want to bog you down with exposition for The Super Mario Galaxy Movie because there isn’t a whole lot going on to begin with. Rosalina (Brie Larson) gets kidnapped by Bowser Jr. (Benny Safdie). Mario (Chris Pratt) and Luigi (Charlie Day) recruit help from Yoshi (Donald Glover), and of course Toad (Keegan-Michael Key) and his gang of anthropomorphic mushroom pals run interference when things get dicey.

Bowser Jr. kidnapped Rosalina for revenge because his father, Bowser (Jack Black), was imprisoned and shrunk by Mario, Princess Peach (Anya Taylor-Joy), and the rest of the crew. That’s the long and short of The Super Mario Galaxy Movie. There is, however, one surprise I didn’t see coming, which is the appearance of Fox McCloud from the Star Fox video game series. Fittingly, Glen Powell shows up in the role, continuing his streak as Hollywood’s unofficial sequel MVP. He sells it, too, thanks to all that convincing fake flying he logged in the 2022 Top Gun reboot.

Plenty Of Reasons To Watch This Movie

There are plenty of explosions, Koopas running amok, and all sorts of majestic establishing shots in The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, and it’s enough to make you want to throw down your hard-earned cash and see it in theaters. I say “see” because this is a very visual movie. Every frame of computer-generated animation feels deliberate, down to the smallest detail. I caught myself drooling from both sides of my mouth more than once, and it wasn’t because the straw for my Diet Coke was broken. I was definitely enthralled by what I was seeing. But without a story that pulls you in, the whole thing starts to feel a little flat.

If I had to compare The Super Mario Galaxy Movie to anything, it would be the first Avatar. I’d absolutely take my kids again, who were jumping and yelling so enthusiastically from start to finish that I’m surprised we weren’t told to tone it down. They were raucous by drive-in standards, which is saying a lot, but so was every other kid. I can’t blame them either. This movie is a blast to look at, and no expense was spared in making every single sequence as dense as possible. I’d be lying, however, if I said I was excited to watch this one at home. This is a big screen movie, preferably in a setting where your kids can throw popcorn and cheer for their favorite characters without anyone giving you the side-eye.

Like Avatar, which I saw multiple times in theaters back in 2009, I tapped out halfway through my first home viewing because most living room setups just can’t replicate the experience.

I also used the sprawling worldbuilding moments to my advantage while watching The Super Mario Galaxy Movie at the drive-in. We always treat the kids to ice cream pops midway through, and I didn’t feel like I was missing anything during the 20 minutes I stood in line. The dialogue is sparse, and I could still see the massive screen while people-watching and stretching my legs. Overall, it was a four-star experience for what I’d call a two-star movie, which averages out to my final score.

The Super Mario Galaxy Movie is currently playing in theaters and drive-ins. Your kids will love it. You’ll enjoy looking at it. You’ll enjoy that your kids enjoyed it, which is the most important part. But you’ll probably still walk away feeling like something is missing, especially compared to its predecessor.