The Super Mario Bros. Movie [Review]

By: Mithrandiel

After years of cautious optimism and general trepidation from gamers, The Super Mario Bros. movie has arrived!

No no no… not that one!

There we go.

Those of you that appreciate brevity, here’s the gist: Illumination and Nintendo’s animated adventure is a wonderfully fun love letter to one of the most iconic and recognizable figures in gaming. With a stellar soundtrack, a surprising amount of heart, and easter eggs aplenty, Mario fans young and old will find reasons to cheer and grin from beginning to end (and I do mean very end…stick around through those credits!)

Interested in diving in a bit more?

Lets-a-go!

The Super Mario Bros. Movie puts our favorite plumbers front and center, but rather than throwing them into the nearest warp pipe and wishing them the best, we get an introduction to their “regular” lives: a boisterous family dinner early on helps to build endearment for not only the duo, but reveals the source of Mario’s personal motivations. Tired of being pushed around, he encourages his brother Luigi (or “Lou”, as he’s sometimes called) to stand up for himself and be brave.

Luigi, meanwhile, is the biggest fan of his brother. He admires his ability to persevere, and while he may not get the same level of screentime as Mario, the movie makes sure to give him enough development that he isn’t completely forgotten…

Princess Peach also has a fair share of screen-time, and is a commanding presence to boot. What I particularly appreciated with her depiction in the movie is while there is room for romance with a certain mustached plumber (the one with the red hat, mind you), there’s much more focus on her role as Princess of the Mushroom kingdom, and the commitment she has to her subjects. Indeed, Mario isn’t rushing to save Princess Peach from Bowser’s castle - but working alongside her to protect her subjects. An important distinction to be sure.

Anyone who’s mained her in Smash Bros. will tell you that Peach is no surface-level girlboss, and it’s a blast to watch when she throws down in the movie.

Rounding out the core protagonists, Toad plays a great wingman and sidekick - brought to life by Keegan-Michael Key of Key & Peele, he makes a great guide for Mario, and for the audience as well. Eager to go on an adventure of his own, we find that Toad’s bravery is much more than a facade.

Standing opposed to this strong lineup is none other than the King of the Koopas - Bowser. Jack Black is superb as the antagonistic turtle: dealing out trivial humor and fearsome power in equal amounts. His magical advisor, Kamek, also has a surprising number of lines and is a great complement to his villainous plans.

The voice acting was a real treat, and honestly, a pleasant surprise. A lot of people have meme’d Chris Pratt nearly to death over his casting as Mario, but honestly? He does a great job. The characters don’t lean heavily into the Italian accent (as explained in the early part of the movie), and the result is a more natural interpretation of an Italian from Brooklyn without venturing into the realm of caricature.

When it comes to the visuals: the world of the Mushroom Kingdom is vibrant and beautiful in The Super Mario Bros. Movie. From the opening scene, which depicts globs of lava sizzling through layers of ice, and the deployment of a large Koopa army, through the splendid reveal of the Mushroom Kingdom and high-octane racing along a particular road made of rainbows, the visuals leave little to be desired.

Bowser was especially eye-catching, with the hulking antagonist’s scaled form being brought to life with particular detail.

Then, of course, there’s the music.

If you were to play the opening notes of the Super Mario Bros. theme to strangers around the world, I’d wager it’s one of the closest things we have to a universal translator. The music is a large part of what makes the franchise iconic, and this movie does not shy away from that in the least.

Every scene is a new opportunity to hear a remix or re-imagining of some of our favorite songs. Whether it’s traversing a dungeon, jumping on koopas or picking up particular power ups, longtime Mario fans will appreciate the breadth and depth of the music throughout the film.

Final Thoughts

With solid pacing and great heart, The Super Mario Bros. Movie is a memorable and fun movie, and probably one of the strongest family films that have graced the theater in quite some time.

Fresh off the heels of Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves, I couldn’t help but reflect on the fact that it’s a great time to be a geek. The terrific video game adaptations we’ve seen in recent years (Castlevania, Arcane, Last of Us) have seemingly broken the long-standing curse that previously plagued the industry. The Super Mario Bros. Movie is another resplendent Star to join the ranks…and perhaps float ever so slightly above the rest.