Action, comedy, homage. Those are the first three words that come to mind after watching the Super Mario Bros. Movie. After it was announced that Nintendo will give Mario and Luigi another shot on the big screen 30 years after the live-action adaptation starring Bob Hoskins and John Leguizamo, curious fans pondered about how it would be pulled off. Will it be another commercial flop that brings the end of a great era for video game adaptations? Or will it blow the minds of those familiar with the franchise?
Just like other console-to-screen translations, The Super Mario Bros. Movie does more than just take a video game and slap it into the screen. It further expands the world of the Mushroom Kingdom, and what we know about the beloved characters. It also adds some nice little references for fans to catch on to, from unedited music straight from past games to in-game dialogue that made its way to the film. Not to mention, the great emphasis on Mario and Luigi’s bond as brothers.
One may look at this film and think that it’s an Isekai — a Japanese storytelling genre of ordinary people being sent to another world. Except, instead of the traditional bus or truck crashing into them, a warp pipe sucks both brothers into this brand new place, and it kinda makes sense if you simply summarize the plot of the film.
Mario and Luigi have almost everyone they know looking down at them, including their family, and it seems like everyone’s against them, but all that changes when a large warp pipe accidentally sucks and separates the two in the Mushroom Kingdom. Both characters have to overcome their flaws and let go of their doubts if they want to save the world. If that doesn’t scream “Isekai,” then nothing will.
Now, for the large warp pipe in the room — Chris Pratt’s Mario performance. In all honesty, Pratt using his normal voice is fine. It’s not bad, and it’s better than listening to someone do a stereotypical Italian accent throughout. Hearing Pratt’s voice come out in Mario’s body isn’t off-putting, and he even calls out about the situation by showing concern if the iconic brogue was “too much.”
The Super Mario Bros. Movie also acknowledges the importance of franchise icon Charles Martinet. The original voice actor received a handful of roles that you may or may not recognize onsscreen until you watch the credits, which might be the film’s way of showcasing more of his talent without pigeonholing him as “just Mario.”
Despite how great the Easter Eggs are – and how developed the characters prove to be – there are some areas where The Super Mario Bros. Movie is lacking.
First, if you’re very familiar with the games, some aspects of the story may feel very predictable. You know that certain events will happen because it’s a Mario movie. Fortunately, Nintendo was aware of this and played along with the predictability. This adds to the comedy, and in turn, helps The Super Mario Bros. Movie tell a more contemporary story for a modern audience.
Speaking of familiarity, it’s quite upsetting how The Super Mario Bros. Movie feels “cramped.” This is unfortunate since it’s the first time we get to see the Mushroom Kingdom come to life, and the only thing we get is how Toads live, and a glimpse into Bowser’s domain, while other landscapes barely receive the spotlight.
Lastly, Luigi’s development isn’t executed very well. His story is about trying to overcome cowardice, and that he shouldn’t rely on his brother too much to save his life. However, since he’s now the film’s damsel in distress instead of Princess Peach, we hardly see him grow his personality. There needs to be a buildup before the moment the two brothers reunite and become the heroes of the story. Unfortunately, there’s only so much you can do when somebody’s trapped and dangling above a pit of lava.
Strangely, The Super Mario Bros. Movie isn’t completely different from the 1993 live-action adaptation. There were some moments that look very similar, and one may argue that both films share the same plot. Fortunately, the results of The Super Mario Bros. Movie are a huge improvement when compared to the infamous cult classic, especially since Nintendo became more hands-on during the production and made sure that whatever comes out in the 2023 version is held to the highest of standards.
The Super Mario Bros. Movie manages to take something we love from a well-known franchise and place it all on the big screen. This is a fun comedy-adventure film for the whole family that will leave a lot of questions for audiences wanting to know more about our beloved favorites.
Is The Super Mario Bros. Movie a masterpiece? Probably not. Will it be in the mix for prestigious animation awards? Maybe, but it depends entirely on the competition. The movie just needs to improve and deal with its current flaws if Nintendo wants to make a Super Mario Bros./Super Smash Brawl cinematic universe come to fruition. For now, it’s funny and action-packed, and that’s more than enough.
