So I finally saw the Super Mario Galaxy Movie for a second time, and yeah, I have some thoughts, obviously spoilers ahead.
I really don’t think this should have been called a Galaxy movie, because it honestly feels way more like a “Super Mario 40th Anniversary Movie” than anything. The Galaxy setting is barely the focus and instead just acts like a sandbox for the characters and a way to cram in a ton of Nintendo references.
I will say though, Star Fox, played by Glenn Powell, was easily the highlight for me, every time he showed up the movie actually felt alive. Where it really struggles is giving you a reason to care, because things kind of just happen for the sake of moving the plot forward, and it makes it hard to get invested in anything.
They try to have emotional moments with Rosalina, who is barely even in this for some reason, Peach, and even Bowser and Bowser Jr., but none of it really lands since the movie never gives you time to actually reconnect with these characters.
There are basically no real character arcs either, aside from Bowser, so everyone else just kind of feels like they’re there to move between set pieces. Overall, I’d say it’s about on the same level as the first movie, but it’s definitely missing a lot of the charm that made that one work.
Lil Treble Clef's Mario Galaxy Movie Review
