The Super Mario Galaxy Movie Review: The Mario Bros. Sequel Gives Fans Everything They Want (But With a Catch)

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Nintendo’s attempts to make movies aren’t recent – their first, the 1993 Super Mario Bros. film, wasn’t successful at the time, though it later gained a following. However, they hit their stride with 2023’s The Super Mario Bros. Movie, thanks to the impressive animation from Illumination. Now, a new sequel builds on that story in both familiar and unexpected ways, offering a lot of fun.

Following the success of The Super Mario Bros. Movie, The Super Mario Galaxy Movie continues the adventure with Mario, Luigi, Princess Peach, and friends as they work to save the galaxy from Bowser Jr. The film is consistently entertaining thanks to its animation, voice acting, and storyline. However, like many second installments, it still faces the challenge of building on what came before and establishing its own identity.

The Super Mario Galaxy Movie is Ambitious For Better or Worse

One of the things that made the earlier films special was their focus on the Mushroom Kingdom, with only occasional visits to New York City. This allowed the characters to develop beyond their video game origins and become more unique. However, the new movie aims to broaden the entire Nintendo universe, which has both positive and negative consequences.

The Super Mario Galaxy Movie focuses on broadening the Mario universe. While many characters aren’t deeply developed – they were originally created for gameplay, not complex stories – it’s a little odd to see their changes happen mostly through visuals. We only understand that Luigi and Mario have become better fighters by watching them fight, and the film doesn’t explain how they trained in the Mushroom Kingdom. However, the movie does offer some character development; Princess Peach benefits from a clever backstory change that stays true to her original design from Nintendo.

The movie isn’t flawed in its overall structure – Peach, Mario, Rosalina, and Bowser Jr. all have meaningful storylines. However, it feels incredibly rushed. While it’s great to see the Mario universe expand and characters like Bowser develop, the movie tries to fit too much into its short running time. It hits all the necessary story points, but only by moving at a very fast pace, and this speed doesn’t always allow the story to breathe or fully connect with the audience. Even though most people prefer shorter movies, especially for children, this one could have benefited from a bit more time to develop its ideas.

Every Character Shines in The Super Mario Galaxy Movie

One of the best parts of enjoying a long-running series is getting to meet new characters, and The Super Mario Bros. Movie delivers on that front. The film is packed with both familiar favorites and exciting new faces created by Mario’s creator, Shigeru Miyamoto, making it a lot of fun to watch.

Ever since the first movie hinted at Yoshi’s appearance, fans have been excited – and he doesn’t disappoint! Donald Glover perfectly captures the playful spirit of the beloved dinosaur, making him effortlessly cool and charmingly clumsy. Yoshi is easily the most memorable new character. His sudden introduction is cleverly timed with the movie’s quick pace, and it’s funny to see Toad completely uninterested in becoming friends with him.

Rosalina and Bowser Jr. are notable additions from the Mario world, and while they’re enjoyable characters, they’ve also drawn some criticism. Brie Larson and Benny Safdie deliver good voice performances – Safdie even imitates Jack Black in his portrayal of Bowser Jr. However, Bowser Jr. has a well-defined story arc that suits his personality, whereas Rosalina feels underused and simply exists to move the plot forward.

Rosalina is a delightful and strong character, and it’s wonderful to see her care for the Lumas. However, the movie feels very full, and Rosalina doesn’t get as much screen time as fans might hope. While viewers will likely want to see more of her story, the parts we do see are true to her character and a great representation of her from the games.

The Super Mario Galaxy Movie Sets up a Bright Future, But With a Cost

With the appearance of a certain character in The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, fans naturally started speculating about how much bigger the movie’s world could become, and what future stories those expansions might enable. That initial hint created an expectation that this film would be more expansive than the title implied. While it delivers on that expectation in some ways, it doesn’t fully reach that potential in others.

The movie does add to the established story, but it doesn’t seem to be building towards a sequel or larger narrative. Viewers hoping for a film that feels like a Super Smash Bros. game might be let down, but that doesn’t necessarily mean this is where the story ends. More importantly, the film’s brief length and quick pace offer a clear message about what to expect from future installments.

It’s enjoyable to experience this simply as a fan of the character. However, it also clearly sets up future storylines and hints at more adventures and potential sequels.

The Super Mario Bros. Movie is a great example of how to make a successful video game adaptation – it focuses on a genuinely touching story and stays true to the original game. It’s a fun, family-friendly film filled with clever references and unexpected characters that feel naturally integrated into the plot. The voice acting is excellent, and the new characters are a joy to watch, offering a welcome escape. However, because the movie is relatively short, it leaves you wanting more, and the ending feels a bit rushed after building up so much potential.

The Super Mario Galaxy Movie hits theaters on April 1, 2026.

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2026-03-31 22:17