Mar 31, 2026 12:01pm PT

‘The Super Mario Galaxy Movie’ Review: Frenetic and Disappointing Sequel is a Threadbare Adventure That’s All Video-Game Easter Eggs

Owen Gleiberman

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Owen Gleiberman

Chief Film Critic

@OwenGleiberman

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Nintendo

In “The Super Mario Galaxy Movie,” we meet Yoshi, a cuddly green dinosaur in pink boots who looks like a rubber bath toy (he’s voiced in a babyish coo by Donald Glover). We also meet an army of Lumas, the icky-adorable iridescent stars in designer colors who are the cousins of Lumalee from “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” — but Lumalee had a funny Debbie Downer vibe, whereas the new ones are just generic glowstick mascots saying “Mama!” The mama they’re referring to is Princess Rosalina (Brie Larson), the adoptive mother of the Lumas (how did that happen? Why ask why?), who happens to be the sister of Princess Peach (Anya Taylor-Joy). In the opening scene, Rosalina is kidnapped by a giant shape-shifting droid that whisks her to outer space, where the entire movie takes place — and I mean that it really is set in space, since it never settles on a planet, or anywhere else, long enough to give you a satisfying sense of locale.

'The Super Mario Galaxy Movie' Review: Frenetic and Disappointing Sequel is a Threadbare Adventure That's All Video-Game Easter Eggs