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,
The Super Mario Galaxy Movie is a black hole of entertainment, sucking the joy and excitement out of the beloved Nintendo franchise. As the film unfolds, it becomes painfully clear that something is deeply wrong. By the 30-minute mark, the audienceтАФcomprising around 15 people, including familiesтАФremains eerily silent. Even a dedicated Nintendo fan, dressed in Mario gear, is so bored that he falls asleep. This is not just a critique of a children's film; it's a damning indictment of a movie that fails to deliver on any level, even for die-hard fans of the series.
To be fair, the film attempts to present a plot. Koopa Jr. and Peach are on a quest to reconnect with a sense of family, each in their own way. However, the movie careens from scene to scene without any cohesive storytelling or character development. It feels glued together by the hollow nostalgia of corporate branding, lacking the heart and soul that made the original games so memorable. In fact, it's even less of a movie than the previous installment starring Chris Pratt.
One of the most glaring issues lies in the treatment of the characters. Take, for example, the introduction of Yoshi, which happens early in the film. Mario and Luigi stumble upon him in a cave, and he instantly becomes a part of 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 is purely functional, devoid of any desires or depth. Donald Glover's voice work, usually versatile, is disappointingly one-dimensional in this case.
The first Mario film was criticized for being too safe, but at least it had a few standout momentsтАФlike an early side-scrolling sequence and Jack Black's endearing portrayal of Koopa. In contrast, the only truly inventive sequence in this movie involves Star Fox's Fox McCloud, voiced with just the right attitude by the current Hollywood "it guy," Glen Powell. Fox briefly recounts his story in an anime-style segment, complete with a daring barrel roll.
Bowser Jr. and Bowser, meanwhile, are reduced to caricatures, lacking the menacing presence that made them iconic in the games. The film's creators, Nintendo and Illumination, have failed to capture the magic that made the Super Mario Galaxy series so beloved. Instead, they've delivered a lifeless, forgettable experience that leaves audiences feeling drained, like they've fallen into a black hole of entertainment.
