The following review for The Super Mario Bros Movie contains minor spoilers. The Super Mario Bros Movie is now out in theaters worldwide.
As video games have grown and evolved over the past few decades, there has been a plethora of fantastic characters that have left an impact on our culture. But none have ever been quite as iconic as Mario. The beloved platforming plumber acts not just as the mascot for Nintendo, but as the de facto mascot for the very concept of video games at large— carving out a place among other massive characters in western pop culture, such as Mickey Mouse and Spider-Man.
However, unlike those characters, Mario’s previous attempt at Hollywood stardom was… well… less than stellar. Perhaps today will mark the beginning of a new era— one where Mario can put behind the mistakes of his live action film from 1993, and find his footing in the modern realm of 3D computer generated animation. So… is The Super Mario Bros. Movie super, or a blooper? That’s what I’m here to tell you! Let’s-a-go!
Down the Warp Pipe
Mario and Luigi are plumbers living in Brooklyn, trying to make a name for themselves with their new business, Super Mario Bros. Plumbing. In their attempt to make their big break, they wind up stumbling upon a warp pipe that transports them to a vibrant new land— however, they unfortunately get split up along the way. The rest of the movie sees Mario meeting new friends to join him in his quest to save his brother, and to defeat the evil Bowser.
Aside from a few of the 3D platformers, ‘Super Mario’ games typically aren’t the most story heavy. The usual plot of them are variations of “Bowser kidnaps Princess Peach, Mario has to rescue her”. Which is decent enough setup for an experience that’s more about moment to moment fun. The Super Mario Bros. Movie cleverly takes that same idea, and tweaks it a little bit— making Luigi the damsel in distress, while Mario gains the assistance of Princess Peach, who packs a punch. It’s the perfect idea to power-up the ‘Super Mario’ premise, without creating too complex of a plot.
While there is a bit of emotional development in the movie, between one brother saving the other, and Peach’s willingness to protect the Toads, it’s depth is never that big of a focus— which is the one major area I’d say it’s lacking in. There was seldom a slow, heartfelt moment, but the film wasn’t completely void of it. That being said, I felt that if any movie could get away with that, it’s The Super Mario Bros. Movie. Why? Just like the games, the focus is on the moment to moment fun… and there’s a LOT of it. The superbly calculated pacing ensures there’s never a dull moment, and each scene is connected perfectly with the next— never *too* emotionally shallow for you to lose interest.
A Whole Galaxy of Possibility
While the story in The Super Mario Bros. Movie may be simple, it’s the perfect canvas for adapting the amusing facets of Mario’s game career to the big screen effectively. Do you like the original side-scrolling platformers? There’s scenes you’ll appreciate. Maybe you like a more modern game, such as ‘Super Mario Odyssey’? You’ll love what they bring to the table. Or maybe you enjoy ‘Mario Kart’? The movie has you covered there too! But is the amalgamation of fun flashbacks to our favorite gaming memories too much?
One of my biggest worries about this film, was that as an adaptation of an existing, content-rich IP, it would be a gaudy cameo fest, with every possible conceived reference, character, and joke thrown at the wall. But I have to hand it to writer Matthew Fogel, and directors Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic… they didn’t mine the franchise for all it’s worth and spew pop culture bile on the big screen. They instead handled the franchise with respect and care, delivering a tasteful amount of bits and references that appeal to fans old and new, while leaving space for some characters and ideas to be explored in potential future movies. There’s no need to cram everything into one movie, because bigger doesn’t always equal better— and The Super Mario Bros Movie seems to understand that better than almost any other IP-born film in recent memory.
We’re Not in NES Anymore
In a post-Into the Spider-Verse era, where more animated movies continue to experiment with their visual style, The Super Mario Bros. Movie sticks to what’s been done before. Rather than try something new, it uses Illumination’s typical art style. That being said, they’re at the very top of their game here. Yeah, the cartoonish characters and worlds mostly look similar to their video game source material— but if you look closer, the texturing is incredible. From pipes with chipped paint and rust, to fields of lush grass and flowers— the detail is astonishing. Even the water is on another level! Illumination may not have a groundbreaking new art style, but they’re definitely pushing boundaries a bit.
‘Super Mario’ games have had a crazy amount of memorable tracks— more than I can count off the top of my head. They’re put to wonderful use here, with a symphony of strings delivering familiar melodies to our ears, with passion and delight. It seems like every few minutes I was met with a motif I recognized. On top of that, the film includes some classic pop song needle drops, but I won’t spoil them for you here.
No Sleep Till Brooklyn Accent
It’s time to address what is probably the main reason you’re reading this review… The million-coin question: How is Chris Pratt as Mario? When we first heard the casting announcement, many laughed, and many were simply left in fear of what would become of our beloved plumber hero’s voice. Then, when the trailer dropped, some accepted the idea, but others still couldn’t get on board. Personally, I remained hopeful, yet worried. Well, after finally seeing the film, I can say… he’s good! I expected he could maybe pull through and at least get the job done, but I believe he exceeded that. The light Brooklyn accent he puts on might not be perfect, but his charisma as a voice actor well makes up for that. We even get a few different nods to the faux-Italian accent we’re used to hearing in the games too!
The rest of roles are cast almost perfectly in The Super Mario Bros. Movie, with Anya Taylor-Joy brightly and boldly delivering her lines as Princess Peach, a pitched up Keegan-Michael Key playing an enthusiastic Toad, Charlie Day voicing the fearful Luigi, and Seth Rogen going bananas with Donkey Kong. But king over all… is Jack Black as Bowser. He serves up a towering, gloriously villainous performance, but also isn’t afraid to also bring out his personal brand of musical Jack Black-ness.
All in all, a well-rounded cast that has no misses!
Final Thoughts
The Super Mario Bros Movie is a super example of a video game being adapted into a film while maintaining the fun factor that brought it acclaim to begin with. Although it lacks emotional depth, there is rarely a moment you’re not entertained, thanks to the tasteful references to the games, and the star-studded cast which delivers stellar performances. This movie is well worth your coins, and is sure to have fans young and old jumping with their fist in the air, exclaiming “WAHOO!”
The Super Mario Bros. Movie is now out in theatres. Check out the trailer below
