When the reviews for The Super Mario Galaxy Movie came out, I assumed the movie had insulted someone’s mother. With a Rotten Tomatoes score of 41% from critics, you’d think this was an unwatchable movie. On the contrary, it feels exactly what a Super Mario Bros. movie should feel like.
Mario (Chris Pratt) and Luigi (Charlie Day) are living in the Mushroom Kingdom, ruled by Princess Peach (Anya Taylor-Joy). But when her long lost sister, Rosalina (Brie Larson) is captured by Bowser Jr. (Benny Safdie), Peach and Toad (Keegan-Michael Key) embark on a rescue mission. The problem is that Mario, Luigi, Yoshi (Donald Glover), and Bowser (Jack Black) are also on the quest to find Peach because Bowser Jr. tried to take Princess Peach’s castle. From there, the fight is on.
The plot of The Super Mario Galaxy Movie is relatively simple: Princess is captured, everyone has to save her. And that is basically what the Super Mario games have always been. And the added twist to this new movie is that there is lore from the larger Nintendo world included in it. Like Glen Powell’s take on Star Fox, aka Fox McCloud.
As an avid player of Mario Party in my big adult years (and a former N64 and Super Smash Bros. player as a kid), there were a lot of aspects of this movie that were fun. And at the end of the day, this is the kind of kids movie where I know the kids in my family are going to love it and maybe adults won’t want to rewatch it for the 100th time. That doesn’t dismiss it though.
It is okay that kids will like this movie
There is a lot to enjoy about The Super Mario Galaxy Movie. I love that they really got Donald Glover a paycheck for saying “Yoshi” repeatedly. And I loved all the little nods to Nintendo games I’ve been playing for most of my life. While I understand having a critical response to a movie, I do think that some of the anger that a movie about two Italian plumbers who fight a giant evil turtle doesn’t fit their standards is a bit extreme.
Some complaints acted as if the film didn’t make any sense but there’s a pretty clear storyline: Rosalina is captured, Peach and company must free her, Bowser and Bowser Jr. have to mend their relationship, they try to save Rosalina and stop the Bowsers from destroying the universe. That’s pretty simple!
I don’t think these movies necessarily reinvent this type of animation or anything but I do think they’re fun to watch. Again, it isn’t one I will rewatch repeatedly. In fact, I don’t think I’ll put it on if its on a plane and I’m trying to sleep. I think it was a worthwhile and fun time at the cinema that I will only think about when the next movie comes out.
But acting as if The Super Mario Galaxy Movie is an affront to cinema is disingenuous. This movie is fun and fine and at least the kids in your family won’t be singing “Peaches” for months after this one.
(featured image: Universal Studios)
Have a tip we should know? [email protected]
