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Published on 4/11/2026
Written by: Braylon Mitchell
Directed by: Aaron Horvath, Michael Jelenic
Cast: Chris Pratt, Jack Black, Charlie Day, Anya Taylor Joy, Donald Glover, Benny Safdie, etc.
Plot: Mario ventures into space, exploring cosmic worlds and tackling galactic challenges far from the familiar Mushroom Kingdom.
REVIEW
I didn't love 2023's "The Super Mario Bros. Movie" but I didn't hate it either, I thought it could best be described as servicable and that sentiment has followed me over to this sequel as I'd use that same word to describe this one. Sure, I grew up loving the Mario Kart and Mario Party games but I can't particularly call myself a member of the large Nintendo/Mario fandom that I know is excited about this film- admittedly they can be critical of elements, but all in all excited about seeing this huge video game franchise translated over into large scale studio animated films. Lest we forget back in 2023 how after the mixed reviews "The Super Mario Bros. Movie" received from professional critics, a pop culture storm errupted online as folks were in a fury over the age old "critics vs. audiences" issue. That whole online ka-bang was so eye rolling to me as well as the countless statements over "critics vs. audiences", I'm not just saying this because I consider myself a critic (isn't everyone a bit of a film critic nowadays though?) but that whole argument feels very much based in defensiveness and one sided aggression. Anyways, my point is that Mario fans sure love the world of Mario and most audiences definitely enjoy these films- and so do I, even if I don't think they're their great films. With this film it does a good job at doing what most good sequels 'ought to do- expand the universe and introduce new characters. It's a new adventure in the galaxy of Mario, that's about it. Nothing much more to it, nothing less. If you love these characters and want some easy entertainment, this film works well. If you want something more, something without break-neck fast pacing, something that isn't as focused on refrences and fan service- then there are other family films or animated films I'd recommend, some even still in theaters now. I liked this film, it serves its purpose and is enjoyable- not much more to say besides that.
THREE BEST ELEMENTS
The voice acting. Good voice performances from the whole cast, with Jack Black continuing to be a standout in the role of Bowser and for the new additions, Donald Glover stealing the show this time around as Yoshi. I would have NEVER guessed that Donald Glover was making those Yoshi noises if it wasn't already announced- which is surely the sign of a great voice performance.
The animation. Vibrant, enegertic animation. I love the designs of each of the film's settings, very detailed and feels alive. There's some fun usage of 8-bit animation, as well as a cool sequence in the second act that looked hand drawn.
The score. The Mario franchise consits of some of the best video game music of all time, which is adapted excellently into a very cinematic score. Also, I'm glad the filmmakers listened to the complaints about the overuse of pop-music needle drops that many had about the first film and instead focused on prioritizing the score.
WORST ELEMENT
Its fast pacing. Rapid pacing, I'd say. Rushes from plot point to plot point way too fast.
RATING
5/10
It's a nice kids film and if you're a fan of Super Mario you should watch it, buddy!
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