Mario is back and with a huge new lift into space as The Super Mario Galaxy Movie brings the franchise to new heights. It was no secret after the success of 2023’s Super Mario Bro’s movie that a sequel would arrive. In the new film we see many of the familiar faces and voices return but also some fresh ones. We all know that Nintendo has a roster that can take this franchise further and further and it shows itself with this sequel. The Super Mario Galaxy Movie is here to showcase just where we are and where we’re going in this exciting venture.

We are brought to a much bigger world than the already immersive one that was presented in the first film. Mario and Luigi are out helping wherever they can and doing their job as protectors. Peach is still ruling over the Magic Kingdom but soon gets a message of distress from the stars. This will send the team and their new recruit Yoshi into space.

Illumination is always going to deliver on the visuals and with many blockbuster hits under their belt there couldn’t be anyone better. The world of Nintendo is such a lush and rich one with many creatures and lands in the Mario universe alone. I was so fascinated and loving every moment of what they managed to bring to life. We are transported not only to new and exciting lands but also many that will bring the nostalgia. The Super Mario Galaxy Movie leans heavily here on nostalgia but not too much that it feels heavy handed. It’s just enough for seasoned fans but also won’t make casual goers feel lost. I found myself smiling a lot from those little moments which added more to my enjoyment of the film.

In Galaxy we see the events of the previous film just happened and immediately pick up in the aftermath of Bowser’s capture. Bowser Jr is out to avenge his father and will stop at nothing. This is what throws the new princess Rosalina into the mix. These two new characters played by Benny Safdie and Brie Larson add to the already electric cast of the first film. Donald Glover also voicing newcomer Yoshi was a welcome addition making the film stand out a bit more. A lot of what makes the film work is the funny banter between the characters that the actors contribute to. Of course, our MVP was Bowser who is played by Jack Black in the first film as well as here. I keep thinking about certain scenes and deliveries that he had throughout; Jack Black and video game movies will always go together it seems.

I will say that the film has its weakness and it can be a glaring one. The story really isn’t there and characters just feel like chess pieces being moved throughout. It’s something I feel could have been avoided with a bit more run time to really let the characters flourish. There were moments I thought are we finally going to let them breathe and have their time to shine but we don’t. The film wants to just speed through on to the next easter egg and call out, which can be fine but how much longer is that manageable? I was even shocked when the film just ended at a point as it felt so abrupt and incomplete. As we get deeper into this franchise I hope they are able to escape the nostalgia overload and start fleshing out these characters a bit more.

Overall, The Super Mario Galaxy Movie is worth seeing on the biggest possible screen. The animation from Illumination is dazzling and engrossing enough to warrant the ticket price. Nintendo made sure to jam pack it enough with easter eggs and callbacks to leave any gamer with a smile. I will say the voice acting feels improved from the first and there’s some interesting character development sparking. A bit more thin in story when compared to the first one but the highs are high enough for it to shine. Definitely one to catch on the big screen especially if you’re a huge Nintendo fan.