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3.5 out of 4 stars

There’s a lot going on in The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, which may feel like plot whiplash to some and pure joy to others — like my 10-year-old son.

The second installment in the Mario film series is undeniably vibrant and entertaining, though some critics have knocked it for lacking a coherent story. My son and 8-year-old daughter disagree. For them, more is simply better.

“I liked the second movie better — it had better characters and more characters,” my son Crosby said. “The plot is better than Bowser trying to aura farm.”

The film reunites the creative team from the first movie, with directors Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic, writer Matthew Fogel, and composer Brian Tyler all returning. But this sequel takes a different approach.

Where the first film leaned on a simple, focused storyline — Bowser’s unrequited love for Peach — this one is more of a whirlwind, introducing a wide array of characters at a rapid pace. It’s chaotic, but still a lot of fun.

New additions include Yoshi (voiced by Donald Glover), Rosalina (Brie Larson), Wart (Luis Guzmán) and Fox McCloud (Glen Powell), along with a standout role for Bowser Jr. (Benny Safdie) — a favorite in our house.

“I liked that Bowser Jr. had a big role,” my son said, noting his collection of Bowser Jr. T-shirts.

Bowser Jr. drives much of the story, carrying out a plan inspired by his father: kidnapping Rosalina to harness her power for a planet-destroying cannon. This sets the stage for much of the action in the Gateway Galaxy, where Peach (Anya Taylor-Joy) and Toad (Keegan-Michael Key) travel at the request of a Luma.

There, they encounter Wart, a casino owner and crime boss who provides one of the film’s funniest sequences.

“My favorite part was the casino,” my son said. “Because they hit the jackpot and the ninjis come out.”

Peach and Toad ultimately learn Rosalina’s location, though not before Wart tips off the Bowsers. The film also introduces Fox McCloud, a spacefaring rogue reminiscent of Han Solo. While fun, his role feels more like setup for future installments than a necessary addition here.

The movie is packed with Easter eggs for longtime Nintendo fans, but it remains accessible and entertaining for casual viewers. Despite its messy plot, it delivers plenty of laughs — the audience at my screening certainly thought so.

One drawback: Mario and Luigi feel like secondary characters amid the crowded cast, though that’s perhaps inevitable given the number of new faces.

The bottom line: the first film grossed more than $1.3 billion worldwide, and despite its flaws, this sequel has the energy and appeal to match — or even surpass — that success.