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With 86 reviews counted, The Super Mario Galaxy Movie currently holds a 44% score on Rotten Tomatoes, a figure that places the sequel firmly in “Rotten” territory. Despite the weak critical reception, box office projections place the domestic opening weekend above $160 million, suggesting that audiences remain undeterred by the bad reviews when it comes to Super Mario. It’s worth noting that the lukewarm critical reception of the first movie didn’t prevent it from becoming a box office juggernaut, grossing $1.3 billion worldwide. Plus, the first movie holds a 95% audience approval on Rotten Tomatoes, a feat that the sequel might repeat.
What Are Critics Actually Saying About The Super Mario Galaxy Movie?
The critical divide over The Super Mario Galaxy Movie stems from a very specific set of recurring complaints that strikingly mirror the arguments launched against its predecessor. The dominant criticism across multiple outlets is that the sequel is overloaded with Nintendo references, relentless visual spectacle, and nonstop action sequences, while consistently failing to provide the central cast with meaningful emotional weight or a coherent narrative spine. The character Rosalina (voiced by Brie Larson) is described as underutilized despite serving as the film’s primary driving force, while a developing rivalry between Toad and Yoshi is reportedly abandoned once the action escalates. According to IndieWire‘s Wilson Chapman, the film never stops feeling like the product of someone mashing lifeless action figures together, functioning more as a loud, overstuffed reel of loosely connected comedy and action beats. Owen Gleiberman of Variety offered perhaps the sharpest verdict, writing that the first movie was one of the best animated films in years, while The Super Mario Galaxy Movie is one of the worst.
