REVIEW | Super Mario Bros Movie Jumps Above Expectations
Promotional release poster for the Super Mario Bros. Movie
When we stepped out of the theatre after watching the Mario Movie, we cried, for cinema would never be the same. “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” is a 2023 film by Illumination and Nintendo. Starring Christopher Micheal Pratt as Mario, with Jack Black pulling off a stellar performance as Bowser, and Anya Taylor-Joy as Princess Peach, the movie in no way lacks starpower.
Let us first start out with an acknowledgement: this movie isn’t for everyone. The movie is not so much meant as an independent installment in the franchise as it is an accompaniment to the games. One may ask what this movie means for the lore of the Nintendo universe, and for that, we have no clear answer. Our best guess is that all Nintendo shows, such as the ever-influential Donkey Kong and Zelda shows, are all canon, including the part where shaving Donkey Kong’s head removes his power.
One critique of the film so far has been that it lacks a “solid plot” and “real stakes”, and to that we must respectfully disagree. Mario’s character alone undergoes a massive transformation. He transitions from a confident plumber to a confident plumber who can also jump really high. This especially comes in handy during the final fight against Bowser, when Mario jumps very high.
Despite heavy skepticism, Chris Pratt successfully voiced Mario and didn’t detract from the story at all. By the end of the movie, we could not even differentiate between the two, as they fused into one sole person. Toad, played by Keegan-Micheal Key, was also a standout acting performance. Key masterfully brings Toad’s character to life, avoiding becoming the annoying “pet character” through sheer force of charisma.
Unfortunately, Luigi, despite being voiced by Charlie Day, was not given the time of day by Nintendo. Luigi has always been the most underrepresented character in the series, and we were quite disappointed to see that Nintendo did nothing to change this. It’s the little things that stuck with us, and unfortunately, this was not a good little thing.
Just like a greasy Hot Topic store, this movie was packed with things no one expected. Not only are there references to Punch-Out!!, but also to Funky Kong, Chunky Kong, Diddy Kong, and Cranky Kong. Sadly, there was an absence of Lanky Kong, as well as Dixie Kong. This colossal letdown almost took down our rating to a 0; however, we persevered. This was partially due to the surprising inclusions of forgotten masterpiece F-Zero, as well as a little-known indie game called Super Smash Bros.
The true legacy of“The Super Mario Bros. Movie” will only be seen in the coming years, as we see its effect on cinema. After pondering the inner depths of the movie for many hours, we have come to an unconventional conclusion. The Mario Movie is the first ever 11/10, and perhaps the only. Do yourself a favour, and waste one and a half hours.