The Super Mario Galaxy Movie (English) Review {3.0/5} & Review Rating
Star Cast: Chris Pratt, Charlie Day, Jack Black, Benny Safdie, Brie Larson
Director: Aaron Horvath, Michael Jelenic
The Super Mario Galaxy Movie Review Synopsis:
THE SUPER MARIO GALAXY MOVIE is the story of two brothers on a new mission. Princess Rosalina (Brie Larson) resides in the Comet Observatory and has raised the star-like species, Lumas, as their mother. Suddenly, she gets kidnapped despite putting up a tough fight. The kidnapper is none other than Bowser's (Jack Black) son, Bowser Jr (Benny Safdie). Meanwhile, in the Mushroom Kingdom, brothers Mario (Chris Pratt) and Luigi (Charlie Day) are living their best lives. One day, they bump into an adorable dinosaur, Yoshi (Donald Glover), and the trio become thick friends. Mario is also wondering how he should propose to Princess Peach (Anya Taylor-Joy). Before he can do so, a Luma approaches them and asks for their help in rescuing Rosalina. Peach leaves with Toad (Keegan-Michael Key) for the Gateway Galaxy, hoping to find Rosalina’s whereabouts. Mario and Luigi, meanwhile, are entrusted with the responsibility of protecting the Mushroom Kingdom. To their horror, Bowser Jr’s UFO descends upon the kingdom and lifts Peach’s castle into space. In the mayhem, Bowser, who had been shrunk and imprisoned in the castle, manages to escape. In no time, he regains his original size and claims that he has decided to mend his ways. While Luigi believes him, Mario remains doubtful. What happens next forms the rest of the film.
The Super Mario Galaxy Movie Story Review:
Matthew Fogel’s story organically advances the journey of the principal characters while also introducing new ones. Matthew Fogel's screenplay is fast-paced and peppered with exciting and entertaining moments. At the same time, the writing leaves a lot to be desired. The dialogues are fine and some one-liners raise laughs.
Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic’s direction is efficient. The duo retains the approach they adopted in THE SUPER MARIO BROS MOVIE [2023] – incorporating elements from the video game to tap into fans’ nostalgia, while also ensuring that kids enjoy the characters and the goings-on. The character of Yoshi is very cute and mischievous and will have a separate fan base after this film. The changing equation between the brothers and Bowser also makes for an interesting watch in the first half. Another interesting moment in the film is the casino sequence. It’s quite fascinating.
On the flipside, the writing is not up to the mark. The Rosalina-Peach bond remains underdeveloped and also gives a déjà vu of FROZEN. One will be reminded of several other animated films as well while watching the film. A very popular character from the first film is sadly missing. A character like Fox McCloud (Glen Powell) is cool, but he could have been better utilized. Another issue is that the father-son bond of Bowser and Bowser Jr will leave viewers bewildered.
The Super Mario Galaxy Movie Review Performances:
Chris Pratt and Charlie Day continue their fine voice work as Mario and Luigi, respectively. Jack Black and Benny Safdie, however, take the cake and add immense entertainment value with their voice performances. Brie Larson does well and is a bit unrecognizable. Anya Taylor-Joy is decent, while Glen Powell is aptly cast. Donald Glover, too, leaves a mark with his cute voiceover.
The Super Mario Galaxy Movie music and other technical aspects:
Brian Tyler's music is praiseworthy and the usage of the Mario game theme is exhilarating. The animation matches global standards while the 3D is appealing; it’s not done for the heck of it. Eric Osmond's editing is fast-paced.
The Super Mario Galaxy Movie Review Conclusion:
On the whole, THE SUPER MARIO GALAXY MOVIE is another entertaining flick from this franchise and a must-see for fans. Despite the competition, it has the potential to find an audience in India.
