The Super Mario Galaxy Movie Review
By Kevin Hoskinson
Entertainment Editor
When talking about a film like The Super Galaxy Movie, it’s difficult not to get sucked into a nostalgia trap. I don’t remember a world without gaming’s most popular plumber even though I was already 5 years old when he was introduced to the world with his own game, Super Mario Bros. Along with his brother Luigi they took the gaming world by storm and this year they are celebrating 40 years since that game was released. Today, Mario and crew are bigger than ever so it makes sense that we get one of the most fan-pandering animated films in a very long time. I know that certainly sounds like it could be a bad thing but if you are a fan of the franchise and the company’s history, you will find plenty to enjoy.
The plot of the movie is paper thin and that falls inline with most Mario games. It follows Princess Peach, Mario, Luigi, Toad and Yoshi as they traverse the universe to save Princess Rosalina, who has been kidnapped to power a world destroying weapon. Bowser Jr is the mastermind of the operation and teams up with his dad Bowser to take on the Super Mario Brothers and keep Rosalina for himself. It’s pretty easy to follow even if it does jump around unexpectedly at times and feels a bit janky on occasion. Listen, the movie has a lot of flaws and I get the issues people have with it. It does feel like a tribute to all things Nintendo, even introducing us to characters that are only tangentially related to Mario. Like the first film gave us the Kongs, this one makes Starfox one of the main characters. Even though it doesn’t make a lot of sense it still works in this world, especially if you have played any of the Super Smash Bros. games or Mario Kart.
Movies like this are also very difficult to review. I am one of those who firmly believe that family entertainment shouldn’t talk down to its audience; that most kids are smarter than we give them credit for. They understand emotions and that things in life can be hard sometimes. Even playing a Mario game can be difficult at times, but that’s mostly due to level design and characters you encounter along the way. There could be an argument made that the filmmakers could have carried that into the movie, making things a bit harder than they should have been for the characters and adding some depth. I don’t disagree with that but what we got went in a completely different direction. It’s not Pixar or even what Sony has been doing lately, offering introspection and beautiful character moments. The thing is though, that’s ok. We get those kinds of stories from other franchises and we can enjoy something not as impactful sometimes. The Super Mario Galaxy Movie offers a different kind of emotion, one that generations can be impacted by: sharing something we loved growing up with those that we love.
What it really boils down to is how you feel about Nintendo and how they handle their IP. They are notoriously very strict about it and this is the product they feel best represents them on the big screen. It’s simple and something that everyone in the family can enjoy. There isn’t much else that can be said about it other than our family had a blast watching it and so did the others that were sharing the experience with us. It’s a really fun time and a cool way to spend nearly two hours. Seeing Rosalina, Yoshi and Starfox join the cast was wonderful and a dream come true. Say what you will about it but it was hard not to watch the movie without a big nerdy smile across my face. It’s a good time.
Rating: 3 Pastrami Nations out of 5
