Mario Fans Will Really Go “Wahoo!” For “Super Mario Galaxy”
- Matt Palmer
- 2 days ago
- 4 min read
Quick side note: Yes I had to use a Mario catchphrase for the review headline!
A few years ago, Nintendo partnered up with Illumination to finally get a version of Mario that everyone wanted to see in the animated smash hit “The Super Mario Bros. Movie.” After seeing how great the first movie was, I couldn't wait to see how the sequel would turn out. And, despite what the initial critic reviews are saying, if you loved the first movie, then I am absolutely certain you’ll have a blast with the sequel!
Having thwarted Bowser’s previous plot to marry Princess Peach, Mario and Luigi now face a fresh threat in Bowser Jr., who is determined to liberate his father from captivity and restore the family legacy.
Alongside companions new and old, the brothers travel across the stars to stop the young heir’s crusade.
Well, it’s definitely safe to say that “The Super Mario Galaxy Movie” is a joyful, fun crowd-pleaser. Let me just say that at the end of the showing I attended, several Mario fans applauded and cheered at the end - which is also great to see!
Now, even though the plot can be a little thin at times, this animated “Mario” sequel is loads of fun for everyone. Very similar to the 2023 movie, this installment delivers vibrant animation, numerous nostalgic Easter eggs and a high-energy soundtrack.
The new movie features incredibly colorful animation that gives us imaginative designs for new worlds and cosmic landscapes. There are also a few brief moments that have quite a few creative sequences in retro 8-bit and 2D anime styles which are simply amazing to see.
“Super Mario Galaxy” successfully expands upon the Mushroom Kingdom, introducing various imaginative cosmic/space locations. A couple of standout examples of the Mario universe expansion includes a casino that defies gravity and the popular Honeyhive Galaxy (a popular location from the video game), which is a constellation of floating islands populated by bees. There’s also the animated re-imagining of the Gateway Galaxy that looks really amazing!
The Bowser/Bowser Jr. storyline that’s featured in the movie actually adds some emotional depth and a heartwarming father-son dynamic. In fact, some of their moments together ended up being a surprising, heartfelt highlight. Benny Safdie’s vocal performance as Bowser Jr. also captures the mischievous energy expected from a younger version of Jack Black’s Bowser.
“The Super Mario Galaxy Movie” also delivers some very awesome moments that fans of the game will really enjoy, including the appearance of Fox McCloud (which is something they should’ve hidden from the marketing). While a lot of the battles are really fun to watch, Yoshi absolutely steals the show, especially with his small backstory flashback. Also, make sure to stay during the credits for a few more surprises!
“The Super Mario Galaxy Movie” is a visually stunning, fast-paced and reference-heavy sequel that can sometimes prioritize episodic action over coherent storytelling, resulting in a “critic proof” success that will delight children and Mario fans alike.
Cast: Chris Pratt (Mario); Anya Taylor-Joy (Peach); Charlie Day (Luigi); Jack Black (Bowser); Keegan-Michael Key (Toad); Benny Safdie (Bowser Jr.); Donald Glover (Yoshi); Glen Powell (Fox McCloud); Brie Larson (Rosalina); Luis Guzman (Wart); Issa Rae (Honey Queen)
Writer/directors: Matthew Fogel (writer) (Super Mario Bros. Movie; Minions: The Rise of Gru; The Lego Movie 2); Aaron Horvath (director) (The Super Mario Bros. Movie; Teen Titans GO! To the Movies); Michael Jelenic (co-director) (The Super Mario Bros. Movie)
MPA: Rated PG for action, mild violence and rude humor (runtime 98 minutes)
Make sure to keep on checking my Wyoming County Press Examiner reviews page on Facebook to see what else I will be checking out for the Examiner, including what I have picked out to review for the upcoming Spring Film Festival!!
The butterfly seen in the first teaser that briefly sits upon Mario's hat can be seen as a callback to the ending scene of Super Mario Galaxy (2007).
Rosalina and Bowser Jr. make their first non-video game appearance in this film, in addition to this being the first time that Bowser Jr. has a male voice actor. Rosalina debuted in Super Mario Galaxy (2007) while Bowser Jr. was in Super Mario Sunshine (2002).
Prior to getting the part of Rosalina, Brie Larson had been a long time fan of the Mario franchise herself for some time, even as far as being featured at few Nintendo related events.
Glen Powell asked Illumination to voice Fox McCloud from the Star Fox series for his love of the character, as he was already planned to be introduced for the storyline in The Super Mario Galaxy Movie (2026).
The first official trailer for the film was released on November 12, 2025, the 18th anniversary of Super Mario Galaxy (2007)'s North American release.
This film was first publicly announced on September 12, 2025 on the Nintendo Direct that was released on YouTube to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Super Mario Bros. (1985). The Mario Galaxy duology coming to the Nintendo Switch was announced that same direct.
When Mario and Luigi are left in charge of the Mushroom Kingdom, they battle threats within that get checked off a map with a Mario flag. The music, power ups, and threats themselves represent different worlds from Super Mario Bros. 3 (1988) including Water Land, Big Land, Sky Land, Ive Land, and Pipe Land.
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