Review: ‘Super Mario Galaxy’ is a fun return trip, but doesn’t reach the same heights as the first film

There’s something special about walking into a movie with your kids and knowing you’re all excited for the same thing.

That was the case for me with “The Super Mario Galaxy Movie.”

The first Mario movie — “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” — was a bit of a surprise, not because we didn’t expect it to be fun, but because it managed to capture something that felt a little bigger than just a video game adaptation.

The 2023 animated film was colorful, energetic, genuinely funny at times and — most importantly — it had a sense of discovery. We were watching Mario and Luigi go from regular guys to heroes, and that journey gave the whole thing a little more weight than expected.

So, heading into “The Super Mario Galaxy Movie,” I was hoping for more of that same magic.

What I got instead was a movie that’s still fun, still entertaining, still very much worth a family movie night, but one that never quite reaches the same level as the first.

Still fun, just not as fresh

Let me start with this: I had a good time.

This isn’t a bad movie by any means. It’s colorful, fast-paced, and packed with enough jokes, action and familiar characters to keep things moving. My kids were locked in from start to finish — and honestly, that counts for a lot.

But there’s a difference between something being fun and something being special.

The first movie had that “we’re building something here” energy. Everything felt new: the world, the characters, the story — it all had a sense of discovery that carried it forward.

That’s naturally harder to recreate in a sequel.

Here, we already know who Mario and Luigi are. We’ve seen them become heroes. We understand the world they live in. While “Galaxy” tries to expand that world, it never quite captures that same sense of wonder.

Instead, it feels more like we’re revisiting a place we’ve already been, which is enjoyable, just not quite as exciting.

Jack Black continues to steal the show

If there’s one thing this movie absolutely gets right, it’s Bowser.

Jack Black once again brings a ton of energy to the role. Every time Bowser is on screen, the movie gets a little more fun. Black leans into the character in a way that’s big, loud and just self-aware enough to work.

There were multiple moments where I found myself laughing, not necessarily because the movie is packed with nonstop jokes, but because Black just knows how to land a moment.

And to be clear: This movie is funny … just not hilarious.

There’s a difference between chuckling, smiling and laughing out loud, and “Galaxy” mostly lives in that first category. It has some good moments, but not enough of them to feel like a full-on comedy.

Still, when Bowser shows up, things tend to work.

Expanding the story — with mixed results

One of the big shifts in this movie is where the focus lands.

In the first film, we got the origin story, with Mario and Luigi stepping into a new world and figuring out who they would become. That arc gave the movie a clear emotional backbone.

This time around, that piece is missing.

Instead, the story leans more into Princess Peach and Bowser, giving us a bit more of their background and motivations. It’s not a bad direction, but for me it just wasn’t as compelling.

There’s something inherently engaging about watching characters grow into something bigger than themselves. We already saw that with Mario and Luigi. Now, the story has to find new ways to keep us invested.

Unfortunately, it didn’t quite get there.

The plot is still perfectly serviceable. It moves. It gives us set pieces. It gives us reasons to bounce from one colorful world to the next. However, I never felt as locked in as I did the first time around.

It’s one of those situations where nothing is necessarily wrong; it just doesn’t hit the same.

A visual and action-heavy ride

Where “Galaxy” absolutely delivers is in its visuals and energy.

This is a bright, colorful, constantly moving world, and it feels like the filmmakers leaned all the way into that. The action sequences are fun, creative and easy to follow, which is something animated movies don’t always get enough credit for.

There’s a rhythm to it that works, especially for kids. And that’s probably the biggest thing to keep in mind here. Because while I may have had a few reservations, my kids? They loved it.

The kids’ review (which might matter more than mine)

After the movie, I asked my kids what they thought. Without hesitation, they said they liked this one better than the first.

Better.

Kids don’t care about sequel fatigue, narrative structure or whether something recaptures the magic of the original. They just want a movie that’s fun, exciting and keeps their attention.

“The Super Mario Galaxy Movie” absolutely does that.

So, while I might sit here and say it lacks some of the charm and freshness of the first movie, the target audience may very well disagree with me — and they wouldn’t be wrong.

Final thoughts

“The Super Mario Galaxy Movie” is fun but not quite the follow-up I was hoping for. Still, it’s a fun, energetic, family-friendly ride that delivers enough to justify a trip to the theater.

The movie doesn’t have the same magic as its predecessor; its storyline isn’t as engaging, its humor is not as sharp, and the sense of discovery is mostly gone. But somehow it still works.

This is the kind of movie where you sit down with your kids, grab some popcorn and enjoy the ride, even if you’re not thinking about it much once it’s over.

Just don’t be surprised if your kids walk out saying it was the best one yet.