‘Are We Having Fun Yet?’
The first Super Mario movie wasn’t great, but it had a simple charm and some fun moments with Mario (Chris Pratt), Luigi (Charlie Day), and a memorable performance by Jack Black as Bowser. The sequel, however, throws so much at the audience – characters, plot points, and themes – that it doesn’t allow anything to breathe. Despite this, the directors, Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic, seem to be aiming for emotional resonance, with the story focusing on broken and rebuilt families – something I didn’t expect. The villain, Bowser Jr. (voiced by Benny Safdie), tries to rescue his father, Bowser, who’s been weakened and imprisoned. His plan involves kidnapping Princess Rosalina (Brie Larson) from her observatory, where she raises star-like children called Lumas. Rosalina often tells her children stories about Princess Peach (Anya Taylor-Joy), her sister and the ruler of the Mushroom Kingdom, who Mario is trying to win over. While these attempts to add depth to the film’s chaotic energy could have been interesting, they ultimately fall flat, and the themes of family are simply stated rather than explored.
