The animated film «Super Mario: Galactic Cinema» started with 45% on Rotten Tomatoes based on 83 reviews and received 37 points on Metacritic after 35 reviews. This is lower than the result of «The Super Mario Bros. Movie», which has 59% on Rotten Tomatoes and 46 points on Metacritic.
Critics generally agree in their assessments: the sequel has become larger in scale, but not deeper. The main complaints concern the structure and script. Reviews note that the story does not have a clear center, and the characters, including Mario and Luigi, are lost against the background of what is happening. The picture is called visually overloaded, but at the same time empty and devoid of an emotional core, despite the transfer of action to space.
At the same time, the reaction cannot be called completely negative. Some publications note the spectacle, dynamics and abundance of fan service.
For the franchise, this reaction does not look critical. The first part also received restrained press reviews, but grossed more than $1.36 billion worldwide and received 95% from viewers on Rotten Tomatoes and 8.1 on Metacritic. Therefore, early estimates are unlikely to seriously affect the commercial prospects of the sequel.
The film has already been released in foreign distribution, in Russia «Super Mario: Galactic Cinema» will appear on April 11.