The iconic adventure of Mario, the plumber-turned-hero from the Mushroom Kingdom, has finally arrived in theaters! Mario must use all of his wits to battle his way through the dangerous lands of Bowser. Is the cinematic adventure worth seeing? Let’s take a look at The Super Mario Bros: Film
A brief history of Super Mario
What are Super Mario games? Players assume the role of Mario, a plumber-turned-hero, as they travel through various levels in order to complete their mission. As the player progresses through the game, they will gain special power-ups. Those include fire flowers and mushrooms, which help them fight their way through tough levels. The first installment of the series was made in 1985 with the introduction of a side-scrolling 2D game for Nintendo. Mario did make his appearance earlier in the Donkey Kong game. He is also a character we meet in The Super Mario Bros: Film.
With a basic plot and extremely fun gameplay, Super Mario became Nintendo’s flagship title and one of the most popular video games of all time. This franchise evolved over the years, with the introduction of 3D games and other characters. Many series have come out since then, including various spin-off titles like Mario Kart, Mario Party, Super Smash Bros., and many more. The pretty straightforward platformer grew into a huge universe featuring different genres, including tools to create your own levels. The entire franchise sold about 380 million copies, an impressive number that continues to grow each year.
What’s the movie about
One of the most popular and iconic games ever made, Super Mario, received a subsequent movie adaptation. Since the premiere of the first adaptation, Nintendo hasn’t been too eager to let any other company create a movie based on their video game franchises. Let’s be frank: Super Mario Bros. from 1993 wasn’t the best movie ever made. Yet, the time has come for an animated Super Mario movie to come out!
The Super Mario Bros. Movie is an American animated film produced by Illumination, Universal Pictures, and, of course, Nintendo. The cast features well-known and recognizable actors:
- Christ Pratt (Mario)
- Charlie Day (Luigi)
- Anya Taylor-Joy (Princess Peach)
- Jack Black (Bowser)
- Keegan-Michael Key (Toad)
- Seth Rogen (Donkey Kong)
The movie premiered in the United States on April 5, 2023, and quickly became the highest-grossing film based on a video game ever. It’s not a surprise considering how popular Super Mario is: especially since it’s recognizable not only by the older but also by the younger audience. Moreover, the presence of such stars as Jack Black also contributed to the warm reception of the movie. His performance as Bowser is definitely worth watching!
Plot overview
Since we don’t want to spoil too much, let’s take a brief look at the Super Mario Movie’s story. Mario and Luigi are Italian-American brothers who have just started their plumbing business in Brooklyn. The two brothers eventually end up inspecting a manhole leak that teleports the unsuspecting plumbers into an unknown realm. Unfortunately, they get separated on the way and end up in two different areas: the Mushroom Kingdom, ruled by Princess Peach, and the Dark Lands, overseen by Bowser. The latter wants to marry Peach and threatens to destroy the kingdom if she refuses to accept his wicked proposal. Mario teams up with Peach and other memorable characters not only to save Luigi but also the entire realm from Bowser’s evil plans.
While the movie features dozens of characters and elements we know from the games, the plot will feature some changes that might interest you. Contrary to the original game, Mario is not going to rescue Princess Peach. In the movie, Peach is a strong leader instead of a damsel in distress: a typical trope that has haunted popular culture for years.
The plot follows Mario and his attempts to save his brother Luigi from the claws of Bowser himself. That will mean meeting many recognizable characters and participating in challenges known from the entire franchise, such as racing on Rainbow Road on karts or using Cat Suit to defeat Donkey Kong in a challenge. Yes, we’ll also see the iconic power-ups or even the Tanooki Suit.
Reviews are in!
Surprisingly (or not!) the movie received mixed reviews from critics, contrary to the audience, which seems to enjoy the film. The Super Mario Bros: Film received 58% on the Tomatometer and a 96% audience score: which represents this difference pretty clearly. The movie is praised for the presence of dozens of references to the games that will bring a smile to every fan of the classic platformer. The Super Mario Bros: Film offers lighthearted fun for all audiences.
Don’t expect an extremely deep plot- this movie is not supposed to be groundbreaking. Nevertheless, it’s a great adaptation of a game, and as we know, many similar adaptations have failed to achieve success.
Perhaps this trend is changing, and producers are taking more time to pay tribute to the source material. The critically acclaimed The Last of Us series also managed to capture the attention of both veteran gamers and people new to this medium. The series was praised for its strong storytelling and for its ability to bring the original game’s dark themes to life in a way that is both faithful and engaging. The Super Mario Bros. movie, despite its plot changes, brings this beloved game into a new era, hopefully introducing more people to one of the most iconic games ever produced.
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