I don’t actively visit the cinema much these days. I think the last time before seeing The Super Mario Bros Movie was a Saturday matinee showing of 2022’s DC League of Super Pets. This is due to my cinema visits being mostly family orientated these days, as such with two young children in the family. These days movies rapidly appear on streaming networks too, of which I am a paying subscriber of most, typically within three months. With The Super Mario Bros Movie, the anticipation quickly became a family affair. My eleven-year-old daughter absorbed every trailer, pointed out every reference from the Mario back catalogue (Super Mario 3D World remains a family favourite), even joining the initial concern for the casting of Chris Pratt as everyone’s favourite plumbing hero. My younger brother, probably the biggest Nintendo fan I know, also tagged along with heightened anticipation. And so we sat in a suspiciously quiet cinema on the second evening of release, hopeful that the few reviews I had absorbed the previous day were not a barometer of what to expect.
I kept my own expectations at a mute level. Especially given the video game industry has been given quite the rough ride over the last 30 years, for the most part anyway – I will always love the cheesy yet entertaining 1995 Mortal Kombat movie - but I thought The Super Mario Bros Movie was great fun. It had the right look, a vibrant affair akin to the aforementioned 3D World. The ambience was adequate yet fun, pulling from Koji Kondo’s original tunes in all the right ways without overdoing it. And best of all, it didn’t overdo the nostalgia. There is a lot to like here, adding scripted narrative to a world of characters whilst staying firmly on course with their video game counterparts.
Plenty of critics have labelled The Super Mario Bros Movie as joyless, hollow, even soulless. I agree it is indeed light on plot, but this is merely a representation of the video game franchise. Does the plot, aimed at franchise fans and children, need to be intricate in any way? Who needs a narrative reason to include Mario comically attempting Mushroom Kingdom obstacles for the first time, or a chaotic action Mario Kart chase across Rainbow Road? For every critic who declares their own memories of the franchise through the generations, they also appear to have missed the point.
Furthermore, the implication that such entertainment is for “fans-only” reads as if said fans are simply ‘basic’ to cater for. One went as far as to actually compare it to the horrendous live action adaption flop of 1993, stating the adults would rather see that instead. I’d rather film reviews be constructive, not insulting. It is an animated video game movie based on a beloved Nintendo series, produced by Nintendo. What on earth were they expecting, “Et tu, Luigi?”
Despite such derision, which is unfortunately high profile, there’s a ton of fun to be had with The Super Mario Bros Movie. Falling into a similar demographic with other Illumination productions, there is no wonder my daughter loved it. As Nintendo fans of the 1980’s, there was also plenty on offer for my brother and I, too. Jack Black’s performance as Bowser is absolutely noteworthy, adding a comedic layer to Mario’s nemesis no one knew was needed. It certainly fills some of the movie’s more generic comedic moments (yes I mean you, Luma). This may have been as far as was prepared to be gambled with, but was a delightful surprise.
Chris Pratt pretty much uses his own voice as the Brooklyn plumber, but its fine, and at least it gave him the chance to learn the word ‘ubiquitous’. Charlie Day carries him with a much better performance as Luigi, whereas Seth Rogan’s laboured Donkey-Kong is the worst of the high-profile casting. Anya Taylor-Joy is excellent as Princess Peach, and seeing her as an active hero, even teaching Mario the ropes much again like Super Mario 3D World and Super Mario Bros. 2, was equally entertaining. Not being the typical damsel in distress was definitely the right call here.
The movie’s biggest problem is also its main attraction - It is indeed mostly aimed at Nintendo fans. Fans like me. I’m a fan like me (gold star if you get the reference), and so naturally it was entertaining to me. Given the movie’s current box-office success, namely the highest grossing movie of 2023 so far, the fastest grossing animated movie in theatres AND already the highest grossing movie based on a video game, The Super Mario Bros. Movie has definitely achieved universal appeal way above that of just franchise fans. A video game adaption should not have to be an adult affair like The Last of Us to garner universal appeal. For what it worth, I did not enjoy The Last of Us at all, but I completely understand its appeal. Its just a shame that, in the case of The Super Mario Bros. Movie, many critics did not. Bring on the sequel.
