I didn’t grow up with Mario, Luigi or any of the kingdoms they’ve been leaping through since the 1980s. I’m from the Radio Shack era — the age of soldering kits, TRS-80s, and blinking green cursors — not the Nintendo generation that spent childhood chasing stars and stomping cartoon turtles. So I walked into “The Super Mario Galaxy Movie” without nostalgia doing any of the heavy lifting. And from that vantage point, the movie was … OK. Not bad, not great — just OK.

This sequel to 2023’s billion-dollar hit “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” brings back the same creative team and most of the core cast. Mario (Chris Pratt), Luigi (Charlie Day), Princess Peach (Anya Taylor-Joy), Bowser (Jack Black) and Toad (Keegan-Michael Key) all return. New additions include Rosalina (Brie Larson), Bowser Jr. (Benny Safdie) and Yoshi (Donald Glover). It’s an impressive lineup, but the film rarely slows down long enough for any of them to make a lasting impression.

The story kicks off when Bowser Jr., determined to free his father from the tiny prison he was left in after the first film, launches a space-faring rescue mission. His plan involves kidnapping Rosalina, a cosmic princess who seems important even if the movie doesn’t give her much to do. Peach and Toad rocket into space to stop him, leaving Mario and Luigi behind to babysit a miniature Bowser who’s supposedly on a “healing journey” to manage his anger. Naturally, the brothers don’t stay grounded for long and soon everyone is zipping across the galaxy to save the universe.

If that sounds like a lot, it is — but not in a way that builds tension or momentum. The movie hops from one planet to the next with the attention span of a kid running loose in a toy aisle. Each new world is bright, colorful, and impressively animated, but the film barely lets you take in the scenery before it’s on to the next set piece. As someone without the built-in thrill of recognizing game references, I often felt like I was watching a highlight reel instead of a story.

The characters don’t fare much better. Mario and Luigi remain likable enough, though Pratt still sounds like he’s searching for the right voice, and Day’s nervous charm is underused. Peach gets a strong opening before being pushed to the sidelines. Rosalina, introduced with cosmic flair, disappears for long stretches. Bowser, who was the comedic engine of the first movie, spends much of this one in “tiny mode,” his voice digitally altered to the point where Jack Black’s trademark energy gets lost. Even Toad, voiced with enthusiasm by Keegan-Michael Key, is mostly relegated to quick gags and reaction shots.

The humor is hit-and-miss. Kids will enjoy the slapstick, the baby-voiced star creatures and the occasional visual gag. Adults may find themselves chuckling here and there, but the script leans heavily on references that mean little if you didn’t grow up with Nintendo. A shrink ray that turns Mario and Luigi into toddlers, a spaceship dashboard that mimics old side-scrolling games and other nods clearly aim to make gamers point and grin. For the rest of us, they’re just things that happen.

That said, the movie isn’t without charm. The animation is undeniably gorgeous, with Illumination Studios delivering some of their most detailed work yet. The space setting allows for imaginative landscapes, from crystalline asteroid belts to neon-lit star stations. Brian Tyler’s score adds a sense of scale and energy, even when the story doesn’t. And while the plot is thin, the pacing ensures you’re never bored — just occasionally overwhelmed.

What ultimately holds “The Super Mario Galaxy Movie” back is its reluctance to take risks. Everything feels engineered to be safe, recognizable, and instantly digestible. There’s no emotional arc to latch onto, no standout sequence that lingers after the credits. The movie seems content to be a pleasant distraction — something parents can put on for their kids without worrying about complicated themes or scary moments. In that sense, it succeeds. But for viewers hoping for a story with depth or characters who grow, it comes up short.

As someone who grew up in the Radio Shack era, I didn’t need the movie to reinvent the franchise or deliver a masterclass in storytelling. I just wanted something that felt complete — a film that trusted its audience enough to slow down, explore its world and let its characters matter. Instead, “The Super Mario Galaxy Movie” races through its own potential, offering flashes of wonder without ever committing to them.

In the end, it’s an OK movie. Kids will enjoy it. Fans of the games will enjoy spotting references. And the rest of us? We’ll walk out thinking, “Well, that was fine,” and move on with our day.

Rating: PG

Runtime: 98 minutes

Grade: C+

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Greg Williams is a reporter and Weekend Editor for The Sentinel. A Mifflin County native, he has been writing for The Sentinel since 1991.