Critics’ reviews

The Super Mario Galaxy Movie (2026)

14 reviews from 14 publications. Critics’ score 36: 3 positive, 1 mixed, 7 negative.

Back to our review of The Super Mario Galaxy Movie

36
Positive
3
Mixed
1
Negative
7

Most critics dislike it, and several dislike it intensely. The reviews return again and again to the same complaints: a plot so thin it barely registers, a pace that never lets up, and a screen crowded with cameos and references standing in for story. Many hear a sales pitch in it; The Telegraph calls it one long advert, and The Times gives it nothing at all, finding it lifeless and painful to sit through. Lack of humour is a recurring charge, with Empire and The Guardian both finding it joyless. Where there is praise it lands on Illumination’s animation, which even sceptics concede is bright and busy, and on the voice cast. The spread is wide. A few reviews, led by Deadline, Collider and the Los Angeles Times, find it a fun, playful family sequel with charming casting, though even Collider admits the story is thin and the new characters underserved. Polygon sits in the middle, dazzled by the visuals and bored by the plot.

Los Angeles Times
2 April 2026 · Katie Walsh
70*

The critic finds the film a fun, family-oriented animated sequel that explores sibling dynamics among the Mario brothers and their friends. It singles out the remarkably beautiful animation by Illumination, which stays true to the 8-bit source material while feeling deeply cinematic.

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The Telegraph
4 April 2026
30*

The critic finds the film an improvement over the first but still absolute rubbish, feeling like one long advert full of shameless product placement. They single out the thin plot and corporate nature for complaint.

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Vulture
1 April 2026
30*

The sequel overwhelms with frantic pace, bright colors, and endless subplots in a kaleidoscopic but nerve-wracking experience that fails to land as fun. Attempts at family themes are superficial and corporate, though it will likely succeed commercially with young audiences.

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Empire
31 March 2026 · Helen O’Hara
20*

The film is a humourless, hysterical trudge with very little plot or consequence, offering adults only a few pings of nostalgia amid frenetic but pointless action. The critic singles out the lack of humour and memorable moments for complaint, noting it fails to deliver laughs or engaging storytelling even for fans.

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The Guardian
31 March 2026 · Peter Bradshaw
20*

The critic calls the film an inert, visually dull sequel and an Easter cash grab that feels even more artificial than AI-generated content. They single out the lack of humor and the generic quest plot for criticism.

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The Times
31 March 2026
0

The critic describes the film as supremely vacuous and physically painful to watch, a lifeless digital marketing exercise. They single out the joyless voice performances and meaningless plot for complaint.

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IndieWire
31 March 2026 · Wilson Chapman

Illumination turns the creative 2007 game into a mind-numbing barrage of references, cameos, and franchise expansions with little imagination. The result feels like empty franchise slop rather than a genuine adaptation.

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The AV Club
3 April 2026 · Jacob Oller

The film treats its audience like babies by flooding the screen with sensory overload, baby characters, and shallow Nintendo iconography while ignoring story, logic, or substance. It prioritizes fan-service cameos and visual thrills over any meaningful engagement.

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The Hollywood Reporter
31 March 2026 · Frank Scheck

The sequel is a relentlessly fast-paced, hyperkinetic visual spectacle packed with more action, characters, and Easter eggs than the first film. It delights young fans and nostalgic viewers with its starry voice cast and sugary animation but offers little for adult non-fans.

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Deadline
1 April 2026 · Glenn Garner
75*

The critic finds it a fun sequel full of nostalgic references, all-star voices and epic animation. They single out Donald Glover’s Yoshi and the father-son redemption story for Bowser as highlights.

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Collider
31 March 2026 · 7/10 · Ross Bonaime
70

The review calls the film a charming, often hilarious, and playful testament to the Mario franchise and Nintendo history, with fun references and strong casting that work for both fans and newcomers. It notes that the story is thin and some new characters are underserved in the overstuffed sequel.

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Polygon
31 March 2026 · Michael McWhertor
55*

The critic finds the sequel less focused than the first film, relying on nostalgia, dazzling visuals, and references to carry a paper-thin plot while expanding the universe with new characters who get too little to do. It singles out the charming cameos and action sequences featuring obscure Mario villains as highlights amid the candy-coated chaos.

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/Film
31 March 2026 · 3/10 · Nina Starner
30

The critic finds the film cute and entertaining on the surface for kids but ultimately shallow and lifeless compared to the predecessor, with a simple plot, phoned-in performances, and references that don't add depth. They single out the visual style and some clever moments for minor praise but criticize the lack of soul and substance.

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The Wrap
31 March 2026 · William Bibbiani
20*

The critic calls the film lazy junk with no imagination that barely tells a story and wastes time. They single out its terrified avoidance of any creative deviation or cinematic risk as the main complaint.

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Ordered by the weight we give each publication, then by score. Scores are normalised to 100; * means inferred from an unrated review. Summaries are ours, not quotations; follow the links for the reviews themselves. How we rate