A pair of dumpy Italian plumbers racked up more than $1 billion with their latest big-screen animated adventure, which now visually dazzles in the 4K home theater disc format as “The Super Mario Galaxy Movie: Collector’s Edition” (Universal Studios Home Entertainment, rated PG, 2.39:1 aspect ratio, 98 minutes, $29.95).
Picking up after the 2023 film, Mario and Luigi (Chris Pratt and Charlie Day, respectively) are happily living in the Mushroom Kingdom after helping Princess Peach (Anya Taylor-Joy) save her lands from Bowser (Jack Black), who has been shrunk to action-figure size and can no longer threaten the heroes.
Meanwhile, at the Comet Observatory, Princess Rosalina (Brie Larson), adoptive mother of the Lumas and estranged sister of Peach, is kidnapped by the villain’s son, Bowser Jr. (Benny Safdie), who has a nefarious plan to restore his father to greatness and conquer the galaxy.
The brothers, joined by Peach, Toad (Keegan-Michael Key) and, making his debut, the cute little dinosaur icon Yoshi (Donald Glover), literally travel across wild planets such as Planet Bowser, complete with a lava roller coaster, and the gravity-defying Minus World.
Along the way, they encounter cosmic entities such as the amphibian gangster Wart and his sidekick, Mouser, before confronting the reunited and rejuvenated Bowsers to save Rosalina and once again protect the universe from destruction.
Children and veteran fans of the video games will be mesmerized by the nonstop parade of familiar characters and gaming tropes incorporated into the action.
Examples include Peach being propelled by Lumas and Launch Stars into the Gateway Galaxy; Mario punching brick walkways, bouncing off toadstools and jumping from illuminated cubes; and the use of power-ups such as Luigi transforming into a superpowered frog and Yoshi gobbling Blimp Fruit.
There are also rewards such as gold coins and appearances by vintage real-world gaming peripherals, including the Super Nintendo Entertainment System’s Super Scope and the Robotic Operating Buddy, better known as ROB.
Characters from across the Nintendo universe appear in what feels like a star-studded reunion. They include the pint-sized Pikmin sprouts from the 2001 game; Donkey Kong hanging out in the Big Apple; the skeletal Dry Bowser, first seen in “New Super Mario Bros.,” joining a key battle; a realistic Tyrannosaurus rex previously encountered in the 2017 game “Super Mario Odyssey”; and the Honey Queen from “Super Mario Galaxy.”
Most welcome, and guaranteed to produce gasps from the devoted, is the debut of Fox McCloud, first seen in the 1993 game “Star Fox.” Voiced by Glen Powell, the character is even introduced through a vintage-style 1980s cartoon, no less.
The milquetoast plot pounds viewers over the head with themes of family, specifically the relationship between father and son as well as the reunion of two sisters, so parents should be pleased.
What is a bit eerie about the whole affair, or perhaps simply brilliant marketing, is that the entire three-dimensional animated universe looks very much like what visitors might encounter in real life at Super Nintendo World, located within Universal Orlando’s Epic Universe.
Mom and Dad, start saving money now.
4K in action: An overwhelming dive into a candy-colored universe greets viewers, quickly leaving them intently focused on the visual acrobatics and forgetting about the paper-thin plot.
Characters resemble living plastic action figures, complete with lifelike hair, bright primary colors and neon-hued effects, as they explore lush patches of terrain and fly through the cosmos.
Insane detail can be seen in the stitching on the brothers’ gloves and hats; the viscous purple goop enveloping Rosalina from Bowser Jr.’s magical paintbrush, which looks as if it is dripping off the screen; and items such as pink crepe-paper flower petals and textured sock puppets.
Big-ticket visual moments guaranteed to cause rampant jaw-dropping include an opening fireworks display above Peach’s castle, with sparks raining down upon the terrain, and Mario’s battle with a purple dragon.
One mistake was not allowing the movie to fill the entire screen and truly showcase the meticulous work of the digital animators.
Best extras: A disappointing collection of roughly an hour’s worth of featurettes is dripping with promotion and does not live up to the Collector’s Edition billing.
Throughout the extras, viewers hear from select members of the cast and crew, including directors Aaron Horvath, Michael Jelenic, Fabien Polack and Pierre Leduc; writer Matthew Fogel; composer Koji Kondo; Mr. Pratt; Ms. Taylor-Joy; Ms. Larson; and even the man who launched the Nintendo video game universe, designer Shigeru Miyamoto.
All enthusiastically discuss how much fans and families will love this animated epic.
Topics covered include the locations, themes, Easter eggs, musical score and power-ups.
Children should also enjoy the segments, totaling 22 minutes, that introduce the main characters and explain their motivations. The pairings include Mario and Luigi, Peach and Rosalina, Bowser and Bowser Jr., and Toad and Yoshi, as presented by the voice actors and crew members, including Nintendo illustrator Shigehisa Nakaue.
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