MPAA Rating: PG/Genre: Computer-Animated Adventure/Voices of: Chris Pratt, Anya Taylor-Joy, Charlie Day, Jack Black, Keegan-Michael Key, Seth Rogen, Fred Armisen, Sebastian Maniscalco, Charles Martinet, Kevin Michael Richardson, Khary Payton, Eric Bauza, Rino Romano, John DiMaggio, Scott Menville, Juliet Jelenic/Runtime: 92 minutes
I think it is safe to say that if you wanted to know the first video game character who was able to find themselves awarded with a permanent spot in the echelons of pop culture then an argument could easily be made for that iconic moustache-rockin’, plumber extraordinaire Mario (sorry Luigi). Indeed since his initial debut, known as Jumpman at the time, in the original Donkey Kong game from 1981, Mario has not only appeared in countless video game properties, but he has also (among other achievements) become a mascot for parent company Nintendo, gotten to have at least three TV shows, shown up on everything from t-shirts to coffee mugs, and even got the ultimate honor: to be part of the Nintendo Cereal System (or Nintendo Breakfast Cereal if you prefer informality). Yet with all of these incredible accomplishments to his name, there is still one arena that Mario hasn’t quite been able to conquer. That being the arena of the motion picture. Of course, that doesn’t mean Hollywood hasn’t tried because believe me they certainly did in the long-ago (for some) year of 1993 with the release of a live-action motion picture known as Super Mario Bros. A movie that, among its cast, boasted such names as John Leguizamo, Bob Hoskins, Samantha Mathis, Fisher Stevens, and Dennis freaking Hopper. To say that the movie was a mixed bag….might just be paying the idea of a mixed bag a compliment. Instead, this slice of cinema was so jaw-droppingly bad that it not only ignited the whole video game movie curse, but it also made Nintendo especially weary about letting the studios try to make cinematic adaptations out of their iconic characters. Since the (surprising) success of the Sonic the Hedgehog movies however, I guess Nintendo has decided to give Hollywood a second chance at handling Mario though with one distinct caveat. That being that, whereas the Sonic movies were permitted to be in live action, this time Mario’s movie is to be animated. With that in mind, I am fully aware that I am not part of the primary target audience for the long-awaited second stab at this iconic character in the form of the slice of cinema I am reviewing for you today, 2023’s The Super Mario Bros. Movie. To be sure, I am an avid Mario video game nut (right down to even playing Super Mario Tennis more than once on my old Game Boy Color back in the day), but more than any other audience this slice of cinema is one that is intentionally aimed at drawing in as many younger adults (or kids as I hear they are called) as possible. A group, incidentally, that might not get all the Easter Eggs in this, bemoan any cheesy jokes, or wonder how this whole thing is only 92 minutes (including credits) among other things because oooh look at all the pretty colors! Yet despite not being the right audience for this I am someone who, by job description alone, must be willing to give this my honest opinion. In that regard, I’ll just say that this movie is perfectly alright. No it’s not a game-changer in any sense of the word, but this is one film that shows if you can bring to the screen a fair bit of what makes a character like Mario so charming and fun in the first place then you might just be able to make a fairly fun movie out of it.
The plot is as follows: The Super Mario Bros. Movie gets its narrative underway by taking us to Brooklyn, New York and introducing us to our main character, a guy by the name of (get this) Mario and his younger brother Luigi as they are at a bit of a crossroads in their lives. This is because they have recently decided to take leave of their jobs in order to start up a plumbing company. A decision that has seen more than its fair share of ribbing and disappointed head-shaking from the rest of their family. As a result, we see that our dynamic duo is driven by this ridicule and disappointment cocktail to do everything in their power to prove them wrong. We soon see that Lady Fate, unbeknownst to our brothers, agrees with this choice and has a plan in mind that will give them the chance to do just that. A plan which starts to become apparent when, whilst looking into a manhole leak, our duo inadvertently stumbles upon a weird giant green pipe that proceeds to separately transport them to an incredible and magical world known as the Mushroom Kingdom. We soon see that Mario is able to make his way to a lively and happy-go-lucky town filled with living mushroom-like organisms whilst Luigi is tragically stuck in the ominous-sounding Dark Lands. A lava-brewin’ and smoke-spewin’ desolate landscape ruled over by a nefarious, fire-breathing, and reptilian behemoth named Bowser who proceeds to take him prisoner. Mario meanwhile finds himself crossing paths with an affable and loyal being known as Toad who takes him to see the Mushroom Kingdom’s benevolent and noble leader, a Princess Preach, who desperately requires Mario’s aid. It seems that the aforementioned Bowser has designs on taking over the entire Mushroom Kingdom and Peach needs every bit of aid she can in repelling him back. Suffice it to say that, upon learning his dear younger brother has been taken captive by this menace, Mario is completely on board with aiding Peach in her quest. Thus we see that this duo, with Toad along for the ride, find themselves embarking on an incredible odyssey through this truly fantastic land in order to locate other beings, like a sentient monkey by the name of Donkey Kong, to help them take the fight to Bowser, free Luigi, and put a stop to his evil machinations once and for all…
Now right off the bat I will say that, in terms of the work done behind the camera, this animated slice of cinema looks absolutely stunning complete with a smorgasbord of Easter Eggs, winks, and nods in both the Mushroom Kingdom and Brooklyn that are sure to make long-term fans of the character smiling with glee, but which also thankfully don’t overrun everything else in the movie. Along with that, I guess it should be said now that the meticulous focus this movie has on constructing its distinct world is maybe the best element that this slice of cinema has going for it since the universe that has been built for our viewing pleasure both looks and feels like the closest we as an audience have come to seeing this iconic locale presented to us in a movie to date. With all of that in mind, it should be said that there are a fair bit of flaws to be found behind the camera as well. For starters, it might sound a bit weird from someone who usually doesn’t watch a lot of kids’ movies, but I actually did find myself wishing that this movie was a lot longer than what it is. Indeed, including a conclusion that has thankfully not been ruined by the sheer overkill on the part of this movie’s marketing department, there are only a quartet of significant set pieces in this film. Yes they are all fun and lively in their own ways, but they are also void of something. That being the feeling of discovery that has made the Mario games so larger than life. Indeed it’s quite odd that as basic as the narratives in games featuring this character can be, the cinematic adaptation that is trying to flesh them out winds up being smaller. Along with that, I would also have enjoyed this slice of cinema even more if the non-Easter Egg linked comedy was actually fresh instead of material that I have seen before and which makes me sigh plus roll my eyes every time I see it. Instead though, we get to see that the majority of it is either run of the mill comedy that deals primarily in stating the obvious (a character blurting out drama in a moment that is a bit on the dramatic side for example) or more mature bits that play out exactly the way you expect them to instead of in unexpected yet no less delightful ways. Finally, I guess I should point out that whilst there are some songs among the ones that have been chosen for this slice of cinema’s soundtrack that had me jamming out a fair deal (I Need a Hero), the problem is that each and every one of these song choices are perhaps the most obvious choices for these moments. As such, the soundtrack feels less like a creative mixtape and more like someone’s repeatedly utilized YouTube playlist. Suffice it to say that the work done behind the camera is good, but given the property involved it should have been better.
Of course, the other big element that can either work to the benefit or detriment of a slice of cinema like this would be the cast of players lending their vocal talents to the collection of characters in front of the camera and that is definitely the case here. Perhaps the best performance out of everyone is none other than an extremely enthusiastic and lively Jack Black in the role of Bowser. Indeed Black has always been one of my favorite performers and here he does a great job at playing the menace to say nothing of ruthlessness that is typical of the character, but then proceeds to also bring a vulnerability and, dare I say, a sensitivity to him that I felt was best showcased through, I kid you not, ballads he sings that feel like a combination of Meat Loaf and Axl Rose. Suffice it to say that ever since the cast was first announced, I was most excited for Black’s take on this character and I am delighted to say that he definitely did not disappoint. On the other hand, Seth Rogen in the role of Donkey King isn’t terrible, but truth be told I definitely feel that Rogen might not have been the best choice for the role (especially when you hear his trademark laugh at least once and having to hear that from a character I have loved since I was a kid did prove to be a bit on the jarring side). Now I did enjoy Charlie Day’s take on Luigi in this, but I definitely think you should know that his role in this is definitely not as big as it should be given the character’s prominence to this franchise. Having said that though, I can say that Day still manages to make the most of his limited screentime and if they were to make a Luigi’s Mansion animated movie, I would definitely be on board with Day reprising the role. With all of this in mind though, that brings us to the casting elephant in the room which takes the shape and form of Chris Pratt as the titular character and honestly I know I might get some grief for this, but I really didn’t have a serious problem with him here. To be sure, he definitely would not have been on the list of the 10 performers I would have cast and no it’s not a total revelatory performance by any means like what people felt his turn in the first Guardians of the Galaxy was. Having said that though, it’s still an alright vocal performance all things considered so you can definitely put those pitch forks down now. Suffice it to say that when you also factor in fine vocal turns here from Anya Taylor-Joy whose take on Princess Peach is a delightful mix of nobility, fierce warrior, kind, and benevolent ruler, Keegan Michael-Key who is definitely inspired casting in the role of Toad and Fred Armisen who wasn’t too bad as Donkey Kong’s dad Cranky among others it’s clear that this slice of cinema’s cast of players aren’t all bad, but it’s a shame that the rest of the movie couldn’t match their efforts.
All in all and at the end of the day, I must be honest with you dear reader: it really doesn’t matter what I think of The Super Mario Bros. Movie. The reason I say that is because if you are either an avid gamer (yours truly), a mercilessly pestered by your children to them to see this in theaters parent (not me thankfully), or both you have already decided that you must go to either satisfy your own inner curiosity….or to get your kids to stop annoying the heck out of you about taking them to it. With that in mind however, I guess it should be noted that whilst there are a significant number of flaws attached to this particular slice of cinema it also is by no means a fiasco on the level of its live action predecessor from the 90s either. Thus, if you go into this with the mindset that you are going to see something that is truly dazzling to look at, contains a smorgasbord of Easter Eggs for those of us who grew up with this iconic character to keep an eye or ear peeled for, has a few voice performances amongst its most assuredly talented cast of players that are worth writing home about, but in nearly every other way is content with just being good yet not even close to great right down to a, in my opinion at least, way too brief runtime then I think it can be said that you won’t walk away disappointed. If on the other hand you were hoping that this animated take on this iconic character would finally be the property to completely and fully do him justice from a cinematic standpoint then you might not be as onboard with this as you were hoping it to be. Suffice it to say therefore dear reader that whilst The Super Mario Bros. Movie is a good effort, trust me when I say that not only should it have been a lot better than what we ultimately get here, but it wouldn’t be the worst idea in the world to go check out the new Dungeons and Dragons movie instead if you are really in the mood for a cinematic adaptation about an iconic game done right. Mamma Mia indeed! On a scale of 1-5 I give The Super Mario Bros. Movie a solid 3 out of 5.
