‘The Super Mario Galaxy Movie’ is Nintendo Nostalgia at its Finest
I was a Nintendo kid growing up. I remember vividly when my two older sisters dusted off the NES for the first time and booted it up. I was small enough that I hadn’t realized that I wasn’t actually playing, as there wasn’t a plug-in for that third controller, but I didn’t care. For a moment, I was one of the big kids, getting to make Mario and Luigi run through level after level, smashing one Koopa after another. As I continued through adolescence, our parents would routinely switch out the outdated system for the next latest one from Nintendo, going from Super Nintendo to the Gamecube, and eventually to the Wii Switch, but each new system promised the same thing. Family fun with our two favorite plumbers and the wild world they inhabited. So there’s a level of childlike excitement and wonder that took over as I settled into Illumination’s sequel to The Super Mario Bros. Movie, The Super Mario Galaxy Movie.
I won’t lie, I had a bit of trepidation as well, as it felt like the story was taking a monstrous leap forward, forgoing some of the stories between that original NES game and this one. Where was our moment in the sun with Super Mario Sunshine? Have we spent enough time with the Mushroom Kingdom already, or should we have adapted Mario 64? It felt like there was some serious Mario lore being lost by jumping so far ahead.
However, within moments of seeing the title card flash across the silver screen, I knew Illumination had made the right call, as The Super Mario Galaxy Movie wasn’t just a fantastic sequel to what came before, but it perfectly set up the larger world of what’s to come.
[Warning: Spoilers from The Super Mario Galaxy Movie are below!]
Another princess, another Bowser in this Illumination film
They say that we become our parents as we grow older, and Boswer Jr. (Benny Safdie) is no exception. Being raised by a megalomaniac such as Boswer (Jack Black) wasn’t easy, and it clearly left some emotional scars on the young Prince of the Koopas. There’s a void left in his father’s absence, and Jr. plans to fill it, carrying on the Bowser legacy. If only there were a princess around to capture….
Bowser Jr.’s diabolical plan leads him to the palace of Princess Rosalina (Bree Larson); however, she might be more than he bargained for. Rosalina’s a formidable opponent, especially when protecting her star children. Giving Bowser Jr. a real whomping, the princess only stops when her adoptive children are in danger, giving herself up to save them. As she’s carried off, her children decide to enact a plan of their own, one of which requires a certain plumber and his friends.
Arriving in the Mushroom Kingdom, the Lumas beg Princess Peach (Anya Taylor-Joy) for help, and she’s beyond happy to oblige. Feeling lost in her own life, Peach feels a strong need to set out in the world and see what’s out there. More importantly, to see if she can find out more about herself and where she comes from. And so begins an adventure of galactic proportions that takes Mario (Chris Pratt), Luigi (Charlie Day), and their new friend Yoshi (Donald Glover) to the end of the universe in search of the two princesses and perhaps some answers of their own.
Can these brothers and their pet dinosaur save the world? Can they survive the journey with the pint-size Bowser? And most importantly, will Mario finally share his feelings with Princess Peach and get the girl?
A bigger universe is just beginning in The Super Mario Galaxy Movie
The Illumination sequel always had the impossible balancing act placed upon its shoulders. When The Super Mario Bros. Movie first arrived in theaters, it was cinema magic. It was unlike any other iteration of this popular IP. But when you set the bar so high, what could possibly come next? This is a common problem we see in franchises, where the second film just never quite matches the energy or quality of the first outing, with some exceptions such as Toy Story and Shrek, which, in my opinion, the sequels far outshine their predecessor.
However, again in my opinion, The Super Mario Galaxy Movie is up there as one of the best examples of how to continue a series. This film is exciting to watch, with visuals that shine like a thousand stars, and the story is engaging, with comedy on par with what came before. It felt like one of the many Mario games I grew up playing coming to life in front of my eyes (although Chris Pratt’s voice coming out of the red-clad plumber still throws me off), which is all I could ask from a movie such as this one.
That being said, there is a deeper message in the film, if you listen closely to what is being said, and also what isn’t. This is a story that explores what it means to find ourselves in many different ways, through many different lenses. The most obvious is Peach, who feels lost in her life and in her role as Princess of the Mushroom Kingdom. She’s unsure of where she comes from, which makes her feel she’s missing a piece of herself, ultimately pushing her into action and a journey across the galaxy.
Her journey of self-discovery is foiled by Bowser Jr.’s narrative, which is also about his own self-discovery. However, where Peach seeks the truth about who she is, Jr. seeks to become a son his father will love. He’s just as lost as the princess, but is looking for answers through force and negativity. He’s also looking for family, albeit in a much more physical form, as his father has been lost to him thanks to Mario and Luigi.
I’ve seen quite a few people note that this film lacks a central message, and yet I couldn’t help but see it built into every minute of the story. However, what I think people sometimes forget is that when a movie is aimed at younger children, the message isn’t always delivered in ways that we might expect. As both a psychologist and someone who was adopted at a young age, the message of knowing who one is and the importance that comes from finding ourselves is one that will always speak to my soul.
So, being a good sequel? Check. But it’s the other aspect of The Super Mario Galaxy Movie that excites me even more: the world-building. While the first film was rather self-contained, this Illumination film has thrown the doors wide open to the larger Nintendo world, with a clear endgame in mind. The Super Mario Galaxy Movie is laying out the red carpet for what’s to be perhaps the biggest crossover since Marvel Studios’ Avengers: Endgame, with an eventual Super Smash Bros. film.
The groundwork is there, with characters such as Starfox, voiced by Glenn Powell, and other cameos, which I won’t point out in this review. The seeds of the more expansive world of characters are sown, and it doesn’t seem like they are going to stop anytime soon. Which I think is just another part of the brilliance of this film, that fans who have waited years, if not decades, for a solid cinematic iteration of the Mario’s world is not only getting that, but have hope for a film that sees the crossover of all their favorite video game franchises, in a clash that will most definitely break the box office.
The downside for some is definitely the heavy worldbuilding in The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, which many seem to think is a bad thing. Sure, it does mean that at times, due to explanations or needed background, the plot slows down a bit; however, with a film that clocks in around 90 minutes, that doesn’t seem to be a problem here. Instead, those at Universal who worked on this film have made excellent use of the time they had, with hints of the past to establish characters and a look towards the future.
The Super Mario Galaxy Movie is out of this world
Overall, The Super Mario Galaxy Movie is a win in my book. This is the kind of animated children’s movie that I want to watch. Visually, it’s absolutely stunning, and it’s genuinely fun to watch. Is it the best animated film I’ve ever seen? No, but it doesn’t need to be. What this film does is allow a moment of escapism for those who just need it. Whether you’re watching this with your family, or even going to the cinema by yourself, you’re going to have a fun time seeing these characters you love blast off into an adventure that’s out of this world.
The Super Mario Galaxy Movie is currently in theaters! Have you seen it yet? What did you think of the film? Share your thoughts on social media and tag @bsb.insider to continue the conversation!
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