Rob Reviews "The Super Mario Galaxy Movie"

Being hot on the heels of cartoon series making the leap to the big screen, the ‘90s were the true origin of the video game movie, to mixed results.  For every Mortal Kombat there is a Double Dragon, and dare I say Super Mario Bros.  While I appreciate the attempts overall (Street Fighter, I’m not really talking to you, but I did dig that cast), those that were in charge of those properties at the time really had no investment in said properties.  Thirty years later, I feel like my generation has made great strides in righting those wrongs, and The Super Mario Galaxy Movie is no exception here.

Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic return to co-direct after the massive success of The Super Mario Bros. Movie three years ago (and deservedly so), as they expand the plumbers’ universe (hence the name) with even more action, adventure, nostalgia, and fun.  This time around, Bowser, Jr. (Benny Sadie) goes on a mission to free his father (Jack Black) from being held captive by our heroes (Chris Pratt, Charlie Day, and Anya Taylor-Joy) by kidnapping Princess Rosalina (Brie Larson) to pick up the quest to rule the universe.

From the opening Illumination Studios graphic until the lights came up, I had an ear-to-ear grin all the way through this film.  The story is paced well, the animation continues to wow, and even the score has something for every level of fan (and even those that are not well-versed in Nintendo’s foundational franchise).  There is a fine line between fan service and entertainment to a mass audience, and The Super Mario Galaxy Movie dances on it with the precision of a Fred Astaire/Ginger Rogers classic.

I have no doubt that there are a TON of Easter Eggs in this film that I missed, but even with that I had an absolute blast with this film.  I would love to go back and watch it with someone who lives and breathes these games to see what came from where, and after watching this one I actually want to go back and watch the first film at home in the same manner.  (Not for nothing, Universal, but a “trivia track” on the home video versions with a “pop-up” type of presentation of what references come from where would be kinda cool.  Just sayin’.)

Note to Hollywood: now that the geeks have truly inherited the earth (at least in the entertainment space), it truly IS helpful to have fans of these properties at a minimum as consultants in these projects.  It has proven to be profitable on every level, and The Super Mario Galaxy Movie is another example proving this theory.  Keep it up!