Illumination brought us talking metropolitan dogs in “The Secret Life of Pets,” yellow henchmen ordered to steal the moon in “Despicable Me” and an animated adaptation of one of the most popular Christmas movies with “The Grinch.”
Now, following months of teasers, the company is taking a second crack at one of the most iconic video game franchises of all time in director Aaron Horvath’s “The Super Mario Galaxy Movie.”
Unlike the film’s prequel, this plot was scrambled. However, fans can still expect to see the franchise’s main characters: Mario, Luigi and Princess Peach.
A diverse cast is introduced alongside new characters not originally seen in the prequel, including Rosalina (Brie Larson), Yoshi (Donald Glover) and even Fox McCloud (Glen Powell), who exists in an alternate Nintendo universe called Star Fox.
In a complex opening, Rosalina is kidnapped by giant droids that transport her to the movie’s primary setting: outer space.
The characters spend the duration of the movie navigating a variety of different planets, galaxies and missions, with the help of Toad and Peach to defeat Bowser Jr. and his father.
The film’s best moments take place when they enter these new environments, as Illumination’s animators showcase the world’s vibrance. Viewers can expect to hear short clips of nostalgic Rainbow Road game music and the occasional insert of 8-bit gameplay.
However, the film’s fault lies in its need to cram too many plot points into two horrifically overstimulating hours. First, Bowser and Bowser Jr.’s character arcs are an emotional rollercoaster, pointing to a lack of storyline rather than a showcase of man’s duality.
The father-son duo can’t seem to decide on villainy or prioritizing world peace, toying with Mario, Luigi and others. While the trailer promised loyalty to the game, this artistic direction discounts Bowser’s infamous malevolence.
In addition, the movie contains more than 70 Easter eggs and references to other Nintendo worlds and characters. At times, it feels as if Mario is placed on certain planets just to reveal countless other character cameos.
In the game’s most bloated frame sequences, Mario and friends are in a cosmic casino lined head to toe with enemy Ninjis. The floors of the casino feature alternative game worlds, displaying overstimulating pinks and blues to compete for viewer attention like a child’s sticker book.
While “The Super Mario Galaxy Movie” resonated closely with some younger audiences, the magic of the Super Mario universe lies in its ability to captivate the viewer in imaginative worlds, original track designs and iconic characters that were not featured in this sequel.
Next time you’re feeling lucky, skip the theaters and revisit the beauty of the original games. Unfortunately, they’re still waiting for a movie to match them.
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