The 2023 animated film “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” did tremendously well at the box office, becoming one of the most successful films of that year. Earlier this month, its sequel, “The Super Mario Galaxy Movie,” made its way into theaters. The film maintains the charm and watchability of its predecessor but is lacking the same energy. However, the movie is good entertainment for kids due to its consistently engaging nature.
The film’s plot contains the same lovable characters as before with Mario, Luigi, Princess Peach, Toad, and Bowser. However, this film adds new characters to the mix including Bowser, Jr., Rosalina, and Yoshi. The narrative follows the brothers and Princess Peach as they go on an adventure to save their friends when Bowser Jr. kidnaps Rosalina.
Despite the short runtime, the film doesn’t feel concise. Certain scenes feel unnecessary or way too long. Since it is a kids’ movie, where a strategy for success is keeping things relevant to keep engagement, the film would’ve benefitted from trimming certain scenes.
The voice acting is not necessarily noteworthy. The film’s title characters are voiced by Chris Pratt (Mario) and Charlie Day (Luigi). Though the accents are fine and the characters’ voices make sense, they seem to lack charm. Despite being the focus of the movie, these characters are one of the least captivating parts of it. The real excitement of the film comes from Bowser, voiced by Jack Black. An excellent villain, his voice is unrecognizable and completely transforms into a personification that seems to fit the villain well.
Other famous faces contribute their voices to the movie, with Anya Taylor-Joy as Princess Peach, Brie Larson as Rosalina, Donald Glover as Yoshi, Benny Safdie as Bowser Jr., and Glen Powell as Fox McCloud. All these actors do well to create a cohesive and well-working ensemble.
The animation and character design are one of the film’s saving graces. This is also what makes the film perfect for kids, as every character is incredibly cute. Additionally, the film has a certain vibrancy with bright colors and dynamic visuals that keeps attention span up, even when certain scenes seem to drag.
It is easy to appreciate how well the movie ties in the nostalgia of the Super Mario Bros. in the film. The games’ iconic soundtrack manifests itself in the film’s score, with alterations being made to match the rhythm or intensity of the scene. The character relationships and dynamics also match the games well. This is an essential piece to making the film such a watchable adventure, as it keeps the iconography of the game throughout and ties it in cleverly with the movie itself.
“The Super Mario Galaxy Movie,” however, does not leave any lasting impressions. Though colorful, adorable, and fun to watch, the film does not categorize itself as anything other than a good movie for kids.
“The Super Mario Galaxy Film” is now playing in theaters.