When I wrote the review of The Super Mario Bros. Movie exactly three years ago, I praised what I thought was a brilliant big-screen adaptation of that peculiar fantasy that is the Mushroom Kingdom of Shigeru Miyamoto, Takashi Tezuka, and Koji Kondo. But I criticised one thing above all: that it didn't leave much room to relax and felt somewhat hollow. As soon as it left Brooklyn, it bombarded you with one action sequence after another, losing its way and banking entirely on nostalgic references. But, hey, it was so beautiful and some of the characters were so well-rounded that it was worth recommending even to those unfamiliar with the video games, if there's anyone left out there.
The Super Mario Galaxy Movie pays no heed to that oft-repeated criticism and, indeed, repeats the dopamine-bombing formula tailored for the ADD generation with even more frenzy, if that's possible. The problem is that this time it does so with almost no foundation laid.
It would be hypocritical to expect this animated film to have the credibility and character depth of The Godfather, but to identify them or even distinguish them, and for their umpteenth joke to land more effectively, the cast needed a bit more care and on-screen dialogue. Or something like the elegance and restraint of the dog sequence. I say this because Rosalina is completely side-lined after a promising introduction, because Yoshi goes from an exciting discovery to a background extra, because, although the character and his sequences have turned out really cool, it feels odd that Fox McCloud steals the limelight for a stretch. If you strip the sequel of Donkey Kong's personality and his family, if the Lumas turn out to be yet another childish version of the Toads, and if the most unique highlights of the first film disappear, this becomes a succession of gags propped up by visually spectacular scenes.
And then, there's another defining factor I was hoping they'd exploit: the play on gravity from the Super Mario Galaxy titles. There are one or two nods to this, particularly in the Casino section, but where is the sense of weightlessness from the video games? The upside-down world, the three-body problem, or the shifting gravity... On the Wii and even for those who've played recently on the Switch/2, these were and remain fantastic gut-twisting sensations that the film fails to capitalise on. Yes, you see asteroids and larger planets that are inspired by or directly copied from the games, and of course there's plenty of space travel and jumping, but the very essence, the sheer ingenuity of those games, is diluted.
Instead you'll see much more from Super Mario Odyssey, but as quick cuts (Cascade, Sand) and often-times even out of place (a certain song when it didn't fit). The medley also draws on Mario Sunshine and Wonder, but often without properly establishing the reference. For this reason, visually the best elements still come from the older games, and the truth is that in the much better final scenes it makes very good use of the pixel art from Super Mario Bros. and Super Mario World. Finally something surprising, almost at the end.
And that is perhaps what The Super Mario Galaxy Movie lacks most: surprise and mystery, whether on a narrative or artistic level. It's incredibly flat compared to the fabulous source material, and manages to blur the lines for several characters, including Mario himself, the supposed protagonist. Granted, there are a couple of tentative hints of romance, Princess Peach's origins are revealed as expected, and Bowser and his story arc, once again, steal the show: though they don't quite measure up to the first time, they evolve hilariously and in keeping with the games.
Having said all that, it is, of course, an essential film for fans. If you want to see the best renditions of the Mario worlds, it's a feast for the eyes. Although it takes too much for granted, there are always little details to latch onto when boredom sets in (even if the Easter eggs aren't as numerous or as good this time around). And Brian Tyler once again pays the best possible tribute to Koji Kondo and Mahito Yokota, and for the soundtrack alone, it would be worth watching the Mario Galaxy film even with your eyes closed. But I suspect this repetitive formula to make up for the nonsense won't work as well as it did the first time around, and that, sadly, means this film is less suitable for all audiences. They'll need to learn from this for DK's now-predictable return to the big screen.
