Historically, there has always been a formula when it comes to sequels: go big.
Whether you’re looking at the jump from the first Matrix to Reloaded, the scale of Judgment Day, the frantic energy of The Mummy Returns, or the expansion of Despicable Me 2, "more" becomes an absolute mandate once a film performs well.
The first Super Mario movie turned a mere $100 million budget into more than a $1 billion windfall, so a sequel was a mathematical certainty. During the Easter weekend, we finally got that sequel, and as expected, they went big.
But this animated feature serves as definitive proof that splashing a million colours on a wall doesn’t automatically give you a beautiful mural. Don’t get me wrong, this is a gorgeous film, but even for a person like me who is pro-visuals, I must admit it is an overwhelming experience that sidelines good storytelling in favour of pure nostalgia and spectacle.
The Super Mario Galaxy Movie is a 2026 animated adventure comedy based on Nintendo’s flagship franchise. Serving as the direct successor to the 2023 hit, it sees Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic returning to the director's chairs with Matthew Fogel on script duties.
The core leads Chris Pratt, Anya Taylor-Joy, Charlie Day, Jack Black, and Keegan-Michael Key all reprise their roles, with the production adding other big names like Benny Safdie, Donald Glover, Glen Powell, and Brie Larson to the mix.
This time, Mario, Luigi, and the gang venture into the vastness of outer space, where they encounter Princess Rosalina and face off against the combined threat of Bowser and his son, Bowser Jr.
Positives
On a big screen, the visuals are incredible, especially for a person who grew up on Game Boy or any other Nintendo console.
Whenever the characters are navigating the world, the audience is embraced by spectacle and colour; the movie nails a specific sense of wonder that you see in most modern animations but at a faster pace.
It might not quite capture the lonely, atmospheric stillness of the galaxy, but as a piece of eye candy, it’s top-tier. The animation is slick, especially during the high-octane action sequences.
Watching Mario bounce between iconic enemies and chain together power-ups is genuinely fun, and the film knows exactly how to make those kinetic moments pop on a big screen.
The real MVP of this production, however, is the music. They leaned heavily into the original Super Mario or Nintendo-themed orchestral score, and it fits the cinematic medium perfectly. The soundtrack is sweeping, epic, and easily the strongest element of the entire film. If you grew up with Nintendo consoles, you will walk out of the theatre humming those themes.
Gripes
Now, here’s where the wheels fall off. Fan service: the movie is packed with ideas, characters, and references, but almost none of them are granted the time they need to actually matter. It feels as though the filmmakers started with a giant checklist of “stuff fans will recognise” and decided to cram it all in, regardless of whether it served the narrative.
Characters pop in and out of the frame like they’re auditioning rather than being baked into the story. Some fan favourites show up only to be relegated to the background, while others are introduced with a massive flourish only to vanish without consequence five minutes later.
The pacing, for me, is perhaps the most glaring problem. Scenes rush by at such a breakneck speed that nothing is allowed to be processed. Conflicts are introduced and then abandoned before the audience can even register the stakes.
Emotional arcs are teased in a way that suggests depth, only for the movie to shrug and move on to the next set piece. It’s like watching someone meticulously set up a complex arrangement of dominoes and then simply walk away before knocking them down. You see the potential for a great moment, but the film is too impatient to let it happen.
And yes, there is plenty of Nintendo universe Easter eggs. Some are genuinely clever nods, while others are frankly eye-roll-inducing. After a while, it starts to feel like the movie is more interested in showing off than it is in telling a coherent story.
Even the cameos from outside the immediate Mario universe, while neat in concept, don’t actually serve the plot. Instead, they feel like potential sequel set-ups or fan service designed to distract you from a poorly thought-out story.
That’s my frustration here. Children’s movies don’t need to be complex or philosophical, but they do need stakes, structure, and a distinct point of view. The first film may have been straightforward, but it worked because it stayed on track. By contrast, this film feels like it’s constantly abandoning its own setup in favour of the next shiny object.
So, what are we left with? We have a film that looks great, sounds even better, and manages to entertain in short, frantic bursts, but it eventually collapses under the massive weight of its own excess. Children and families will probably love it; it’s colourful, it’s fast, and it’s full of faces they recognise from the games.
It’s not unwatchable; I wouldn't even consider it to be a bad film by any means. If you walk into the theatre with very average expectations, you’ll have a decent enough time with the visuals and that incredible score. But it’s hard to shake the nagging feeling that the filmmakers didn’t actually care about making a meaningful movie, or they just did what is expected of a sequel: go big.
