“The Super Mario Galaxy Movie” Rotten Tomatoes Score Divides Critics Even More Than Its Predecessor

As “The Super Mario Galaxy Movie” hits theaters, the first wave of critical reviews has been released. As of press time, the film holds a 44% Tomatometer score based on 77 reviews collected on Rotten Tomatoes, a drop from the 59% score of 2023’s “The Super Mario Bros. Movie,” though still significantly higher than the 27% score of the 1993 live-action adaptation. Despite the sequel boasting a grander scale and more stunning visuals, critics are more divided than ever.

Visual Splendor Can’t Mask Narrative Shortcomings

Multiple outlets have noted that the film’s greatest strength lies in its visual presentation. Jordan Williams of ScreenRant wrote in a 5-star review, “The visually stunning animation continues to be a highlight”—a sentiment echoed across most reviews. However, the sequel also inherits the core issue of its predecessor: an overstuffed narrative lacking depth, a criticism that runs throughout the majority of reviews.

Rodrigo Perez of The Playlist stated that the film is “empty of anything resembling an actual story,” while Matt Singer of ScreenCrush quipped, “Maybe there’s just no time for things like ‘cohesive character development’ or ‘a compelling story’ when you’ve got to service as much Nintendo IP as humanly possible in barely 90 minutes.”

Overcrowded Cast, Mario Reduced to Supporting Role

Another major criticism is the excessive number of characters and their underdevelopment. The sequel retains all the characters from the first film while adding new ones such as Yoshi, Rosalina, Bowser Jr., and even Fox McCloud. However, most critics agree the film fails to properly handle such a large cast. Perhaps most unexpectedly, Mario—the franchise’s core character—has seen his screen time significantly diminished.

Germain Lussier of io9 noted, “The biggest problem might be that Mario and Luigi become supporting characters in their own movie, achieving little and learning less.” Owen Gleiberman of Variety also remarked that the iconic brothers “often feel like an afterthought.”

Humor Falls Flat, Over-Reliance on Easter Eggs

While animated films often rely on humor to appeal to younger audiences, the reception to this sequel’s comedic moments has been mixed. Clarisse Loughrey of The Independent noted that “there is… one real, solid joke in this film,” but pointed out that the same gag was used in “Zootopia.” Kaitlyn Booth of Bleeding Cool stated, “A movie with this many jokes should illicit a giggle, but they were few and far between.”

Meanwhile, the film is packed with Nintendo Easter eggs and references, drawing polarized reactions. Some compared the experience to “the Leonardo DiCaprio pointing meme for 100 minutes,” while io9 criticized these Easter eggs as “meaningless.” ScreenCrush questioned, “Shouldn’t a movie, even The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, be a little more than that?”

Box Office Prospects Remain Strong

Despite the mixed critical reception, the film’s box office performance appears unlikely to suffer. Current early projections indicate that “The Super Mario Galaxy Movie” could gross $180 million or more domestically in its first five days. While this is slightly below the $204 million opening of its predecessor, it is still expected to be the strongest opening of the year so far.

Just as the first film—which held a 59% Tomatometer score but a 95% audience score—ultimately grossed $1.36 billion worldwide, expectations are high that this sequel will similarly resonate with gaming fans and family audiences.

Cast and Release Information

The film is directed by Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic, who return from the first installment, with Matthew Fogel once again penning the screenplay. The voice cast features returning stars Chris Pratt, Anya Taylor-Joy, Charlie Day, and Jack Black, alongside new additions including Brie Larson, Glen Powell, Benny Safdie, and Donald Glover.

“The Super Mario Galaxy Movie” was scheduled for release in North America on April 2.