Nintendo, with the help of Illumination, hit another home run with the follow-up to the mega-successful The Super Mario Bros. Movie. Super Mario Galaxy sees the return of director Aaron Horvath, and key cast like Jack Black, Anya Taylor-Joy, Chris Pratt, and Charlie Day. Few studios have successfully adapted video games into films, but Nintendo and Illumination have proven to be the perfect pairing.
SMG is an IP fantasy with a strong focus on Mario-related elements, with features and Easter Eggs from other franchises under the Nintendo umbrella. There are frogs and chimps, thwomps and thwimps, and all the nostalgia to fill your 10-year-old heart (along with newer games as well).
Princess Rosalina (Brie Larson), guardian of the Cosmos and mother of the Lumas, has her nightly bedtime story interrupted by an intruding Bowser Jr. (Benny Safdie), who’s on the hunt to find his father. On another planet, Mario (Chris Pratt) and Luigi (Charlie Day) are solving problems outside the realms of plumbing. When they realize Peach’s birthday is approaching, Mario intends on giving the perfect gift. But when trouble finds them on their journey, they’ll have to travel the galaxy to save the day and their friends.
Excitement has been building around the film ever since the first trailer. Running to social media to post the inclusion of Star Fox (Glenn Powell) drew ire from fans, accusing the franchise and the studio of leaking spoilers. After seeing the movie, the way the writing of the story panned out, there was space to include him. So while it wasn’t necessary, it did make sense.
The movie was phenomenal. There was a delicate balance of film elements and video game lore that fit well into a nicely written story. As new characters are introduced (no spoilers, just Yoshi and Star Fox), there’s always a fear that they’ll be overused. Thankfully, both Yoshi (Donald Glover) and Star Fox have their time, but don’t dominate the screen in any way.
Bowser’s character, from paper to screen, reflected that of someone being rehabilitated. While Mario didn’t trust him, Luigi was much softer with him, taking note of his paintings and commenting on his growth. Taking place where the first film left off, Bowser is still affected by the tiny mushroom, which shrank him to his miniature standing. Within his doll-sized castle, he spends his time painting, decorating, and engaging in activities that bring him peace. With the ultimate goal of being large again, he catches himself losing his temper when conversing with Mario, often spouting, “I’m a work in progress.”
Universal and Nintendo did right by Bowser Jr., Bowser’s one and only son. Judging by his looks, you’d mistake this pint-sized koopa as just that. In the same way a young delinquent dons a sheisty before a heinous act, Bowser Jr. dons a mask, as if officially announcing an alter ego. Armed with super intelligence and gadgets galore, he’s a bona fide threat to the Mushroom Kingdom and every other planet in the galaxy. His battle scenes elevate the excitement of the film, and because he’s so different from the rest, he earned a more unique animation style.
The film is a mega-success in all areas. The story, voice acting, and animation fire on all cylinders. There are two end-credit scenes to incentivize audiences to stay seated (but honestly, only one of them is worth it), with a special surprise in store. The writers could’ve gone a different direction in a few areas, but in general, they got the film right. There’s an endless list of Easter Eggs I’ll leave for you, the viewer, to sort, but I echo this again: this is one emphatic win for both studio and audience.
Super Mario Galaxy gets a 9.5 out of 10. There’s animated violence, but nothing too gruesome for young children. It’s playful, fun, and a hilariously good time for all ages.
Super Mario Galaxy is now in theaters.
-Jon Jones
Genre: Animation
Rating: PG
Runtime: 1 hr 38 minutes
Trailer: Watch
U.S. Release Date: April 1, 2026