The Super Mario Galaxy Movie is a black hole of entertainment
I realized something was genuinely wrong with The Super Mario Galaxy Movie about 30 minutes in: I hadn't laughed even once. My audience of around 15 people, including a few families, was dead silent as well. The guy sitting behind me, a Nintendo fan decked out in Mario gear, was so bored he fell asleep. Sure, this is made for kids, but as a Nintendo devotee myself, and someone who has to watch a ton of children's films on repeat, even the Despicable Me films are more entertaining. To be fair, there's the pretense of a plot: Koopa Jr. and Peach are on parallel tracks to reconnect with a sense of family, in their own ways. But the movie leaps from scene to scene joylessly, with no sense of storytelling or characterization, glued together by the "oh I remember that guy"-ness of empty corporate nostalgia. It's even less of a movie than the previous Pratt-led popcorn flick. Luigi, Yoshi, Mario and Toad in The Super Mario Galaxy Movie Nintendo and Illumination Take the discovery of Yoshi, which takes place early in the film. Mario and Luigi just find him in a cave and he immediately becomes part of the crew, no questions asked. There's a brief creative sequence where Yoshi wreaks havoc in the real world, but it's far too short. Yoshi's got plot duties to fulfill, after all! HeтАЩs the perfect sidekick, with no desires of his own and the bare minimum of characterization (thanks to Donald GloverтАЩs voice, oddly enough. Dude's got range !) I argued that the first Mario film felt a bit too safe, but at least it had a few moments to shine: Like an early side-scrolling sequence, and Jack Black's endearingly musical take on Koopa. The only truly inventive sequence in this movie involves Star Fox's Fox McCloud, voiced with just the right dose of attitude by current Hollywood "it guy" Glen Powell. He briefly recounts his story in anime form, and yes, he does a barrel roll or two. Bowser Jr. and Bowser in The Super Mario Galaxy Movie. Nintendo and Illumination Now it doesn't make much sense why Fox is actually in the film, but a few half-hearted fight sequences throughout makes it seem like Nintendo is setting up an eventual Avengers -style Smash Bros. movie. What better way to cram in even more characters and references! Isn't that what franchise filmmaking is all about? I'd like to think Nintendo and its collaborators can do better. This is a company known for the thoughtfulness of its game designs, for delivering quirky and inventive player experiences and for not always following the competition. None of that applies to The Super Mario Galaxy Movie . ThereтАЩs little in the way of creativity. It barely respects the audienceтАЩs time. And it is, in every sense, just following the More, Louder, Busier playbook for unfocused franchise sequels. The Super Mario Galaxy Movie is so soulless, it makes me worried about the upcoming Legend of Zelda film (which at least has a far more respectable creative team). Sure, itтАЩs hard to expect genuine cinema from a Mario film. But we live in an era of great kids movies тАУ PixarтАЩs Hoppers was an absolute hoot wrapped in an environmentalist message; The Lego Movie (and its sequel and side stories) manage to deliver both laughs and heart. Kids deserve better than an empty sequel moneygrab. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/tv-movies/the-super-mario-galaxy-movie-is-a-black-hole-of-entertainment-154406362.html?src=rss
The Super Mario Galaxy Movie is a black hole of entertainment
As I sat through the first 30 minutes of The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, I realized something was deeply wrong. My audience of around 15 people, including a few families, was eerily silent. The man behind me, a devoted Nintendo fan wearing Mario merchandise, was so bored that he fell asleep. I couldn't help but compare this to my usual viewing experiences with children's films, many of which I watch repeatedly. Even the Despicable Me series, often criticized for its reliance on humor aimed at adults, felt more entertaining.
To be fair, the movie does attempt to present a plot. Koopa Jr. and Peach are on parallel journeys to reconnect with a sense of family, each in their own way. However, the film hops from scene to scene without any real sense of storytelling or character development. It feels glued together by the "oh, I remember that guy" nostalgia of corporate empty promises. In fact, it's even less of a movie than the previous installment starring Chris Pratt.
The introduction of Yoshi, which happens early in the film, is a prime example of the movie's lack of creativity. Mario and Luigi simply find him in a cave, and he immediately joins their crew without any questions asked. There's a brief, creative sequence where Yoshi wreaks havoc in the real world, but it's far too short. Yoshi's role in the film is purely functional; he's the perfect sidekick with no desires of his own and the bare minimum of characterization. Donald Glover's voice work is oddly underwhelming, given his range as an actor.
I had argued that the first Mario film felt a bit too safe, but at least it had a few standout moments. For instance, there was an early side-scrolling sequence and Jack Black's endearing portrayal of Koopa. In contrast, the only truly inventive sequence in The Super Mario Galaxy Movie involves Star Fox's Fox McCloud, voiced with just the right attitude by the current Hollywood "it boy," Glen Powell. Fox briefly recounts his story in an anime-style sequence, complete with a barrel roll or two.
It's unclear why Fox is even in the film, but a few half-hearted fight scenes hint at Nintendo setting up an eventual Avengers-style Smash Bros. movie. After all, what better way to cram in even more characters and references than to follow the More, Louder, Busier playbook for unfocused franchise sequels?
Nintendo is a company known for the thoughtfulness of its game designs, for delivering quirky and inventive player experiences, and for not always following the competition. None of that is evident in The Super Mario Galaxy Movie. The film lacks creativity and barely respects the audience's time. It's a prime example of following the formula for unfocused franchise sequels.
The movie's soullessness has left me worried about the upcoming Legend of Zelda film, which at least has a more respectable creative team. While it's understandable that a Mario film might not be expected to be genuine cinema, we live in an era of great children's movies. Pixar's Inside Out was an absolute hoot wrapped in an environmentalist message, and The Lego Movie (along with its sequel and spin-offs) managed to deliver both laughs and heart. Children deserve better than an empty sequel moneygrab.
In conclusion, The Super Mario Galaxy Movie is a black hole of entertainment, sucking the life out of the beloved characters and leaving viewers longing for something more meaningful and engaging. It's a missed opportunity for Nintendo and its collaborators to create a film that honors the spirit of its iconic franchises. Instead, we're left with a hollow experience that feels more like a corporate exercise in nostalgia than a heartfelt tribute to the characters that millions of fans have grown to love.
