the super mario bros. movie reviews

The Super Mario Bros. Movie

I can vividly remember playing the first Nintendo version of "Super Mario Bros." when I was just a boy in the ‘80s. It was at a friend's house, my first buddy to get an NES, and I went home and had a dream about the game. The goofy, jumping plumber has been a part of my entertainment life ever since. I've passed my love for the franchise down to my boys, who have all played the stunning "Super Mario Odyssey" to completion more than once. Mario has come a long way since the notoriously awful 1993 version of his adventure starring Bob Hoskins and John Leguizamo , but the new "The Super Mario Bros. Movie" doesn't reflect the franchise's creativity in the slightest. The latest animated blockbuster from Illumination is their most soulless to date, a film that feels like ChatGPT produced it after data and imagery from the games were fed into a computer. It is "The Chris Farley Show" of family entertainment, mistaking making references to something that was "awesome" for actually making a movie. And it is one of the most drenched-in-desperation animated films I've ever seen. "Remember this?!? Remember how much you liked it?!? Please like it again!" I so desperately wanted to see something that sparked the imagination of the kid in me, like that first game, or spoke to the fun I've had playing installments across multiple Nintendo platforms. Instead, I got a movie that's as hollow as a trailer, something that willfully avoids anything creative or ambitious. Mario and Luigi deserve so much better.

"The Super Mario Bros. Movie" opens in Brooklyn with the plumbers Mario ( Chris Pratt ) and his brother Luigi ( Charlie Day ) trying to get their new business off the ground. Some Nintendo easter eggs in the background of these initial scenes should produce a small smile from people of my generation, and there's a bit of inspiration structurally, like a clever early shot in which Mario and Luigi race through the city in a side-scrolling manner that mimics the earlier games. There's also a nod to The Odyssey on a bookshelf in Mario's room, implying that we're about to watch a hero's journey and a reference to the incredible Switch game. What follows doesn't live up to either inspiration.

In a way that makes little sense, Mario and Luigi find a massive chamber of pipes under Brooklyn, get sucked into one, and end up in the Mushroom Kingdom, which is being threatened by the villainous Bowser ( Jack Black ). The notorious bad guy has found the Super Star he needs to make his final assault on Princess Peach ( Anya Taylor-Joy ) and the residents of her kingdom, including Toad (Keegan-Michael Key). Bowser doesn't just want power; he wants to make the Princess his bride, singing some truly uninspired songs about his love for her. How on Earth a film like this gets a rock talent like half of Tenacious D and doesn't let him unleash a few clever Bowser tunes is one of this film's many mysteries.

Although Luigi lands in the pipeline that drops him immediately in the dark lands and makes him Bowser's prisoner—a dumb decision that sidelines him for an hour—Mario meets Princess Peach, who introduces him to power-ups. And so all the question-mark cubes get a chance to shine as Mario grows, shrinks, and even turns into a raccoon. They eventually recruit Donkey Kong ( Seth Rogen ), race down Rainbow Road, and save the day. That's not a spoiler if you've ever seen a movie.

Fans of this movie will shout from the rooftops that the scripting for something called "The Super Mario Bros. Movie" doesn't need to be a strength. And, to be fair, there are a few strong settings in terms of design. I enjoyed the choices made by the team in the structure of Donkey Kong Country, and the Rainbow Road "Super Mario Kart" sequence is well-directed. But I would ask why fans of a franchise that has inspired so much love for generations must be satisfied with the absolute minimum regarding storytelling.

There are so few actual decisions made in the construction of this film. It's just a collection of visual and character references cobbled together to form a 92-minute movie. Take a risk. Just do something . Anything. It got me thinking about the fun spin-offs that could exist, like a " Mad Max: Fury Road " version of the "Mario Kart" sequence that gets energy out of non-stop motion. Or a version that unpacks like "The LEGO Movie" that's more sharply aware of its references and world-building—something that even incorporates the player like that movie does in the end. I swear that almost everyone who has played a game like "Odyssey" could come up with something more inventive. Heck, almost any ten minutes of that game is more creative.

It doesn't help that the voice work is uniformly mediocre too. Chris Pratt can be charismatic with the right material, but it sounds like he pounded this out in three hours in a voice studio. Charlie Day has such an expressive voice, but the movie barely uses him. Seth Rogen is always a welcome presence, and he at least seems to be having some fun. I wish I was too.

With the nostalgia craze merging with the power of Nintendo and Illumination, "The Super Mario Bros. Movie" feels too big to fail. That means we'll get a sequel, and I expect another cycle of the debate of "critics vs. fans." I am both. And I want a world where the people who made films for a fan base as devoted as this one don't take that fandom for granted. This is far from over. I suspect we will get a ton of films from the NES universe, including "Donkey Kong Country" and "The Legend of Zelda" (and let's not forget "Kid Icarus"). But we need creators who don't just see these games as products to be referenced but as foundations on which new ideas can be built. That ‘80s kid who dreamed of Mario deserves it.

In theaters today .

Brian Tallerico

Brian Tallerico is the Managing Editor of RogerEbert.com, and also covers television, film, Blu-ray, and video games. He is also a writer for Vulture, The Playlist, The New York Times, and GQ, and the President of the Chicago Film Critics Association.

Chris Pratt as Mario (voice)
Anya Taylor-Joy as Princess Peach (voice)
Charlie Day as Luigi (voice)
Jack Black as Bowser (voice)
Keegan Michael Key as Toad (voice)
Seth Rogen as Donkey Kong (voice)
Fred Armisen as Cranky Kong (voice)
Kevin Michael Richardson as Kamek (voice)
Sebastian Maniscalco as Spike (voice)
Charles Martinet as Giuseppe (voice)
Khary Payton as Penguin King (voice)
Eric Bauza as General Toad (voice)
Aaron Horvath
Michael Jelenic
Brian Tyler
Eric Osmond

Composer (original Nintendo themes by)

Matthew Fogel

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The Super Mario Bros. Movie Reviews

Without overplaying its hand, it hits all the major notes within the wild, inventive universe of block-breaking and Goomba-stomping.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Sep 18, 2024

The iconic plumber’s big screen re-do is a proud celebration of the character’s appeal.

Full Review | Original Score: 4/5 | Aug 22, 2024

All movies exist to sell, but this exists to sell everything but the movie. It’s not a love letter – it’s soulless capitalism. The Super Mario Bros Movie is an imagination-free wasteland where cinematic storytelling goes to die.

Full Review | Original Score: 1/5 | Jul 17, 2024

A specific sequence set across the streets of Brooklyn is a gorgeous nod to the 2D platformer aesthetic. It might be my favorite adaptation of the gamified visual look to the big screen since “Tron: Legacy.”

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Jul 9, 2024

The Super Mario Bros. Movie, on the other hand, is so cynical and dated right out of the gate that it makes something as inherently positive as Mario feel just a tad distasteful.

Full Review | Original Score: 1/5 | Jul 3, 2024

The Marvel Cinematic Universe playbook of wry comments instead of real humor has become the dominant form of “comedy” in present day Hollywood.

Full Review | Jun 6, 2024

Boasts terrific animation and eventually feels as exciting as watching someone else play a video game.

Full Review | Original Score: C+ | May 27, 2024

Is The Super Mario Bros. Movie a great film? No. Is it worth going to see? Yes. Younger gamers will embrace it but older gamers maybe looking for a little more of a plot.

Full Review | Original Score: 2.5/5 | Dec 22, 2023

Scientifically designed in a lab for the broadest possible appeal and the least offense that could possibly be made.

Full Review | Dec 19, 2023

I would have liked a story, but loosely connected action set-pieces within Nintendo's sprawling Mario-adjacent universe is still fun. This is an advertisement for new generations to board the bandwagon.

Full Review | Original Score: 6/10 | Dec 8, 2023

The Super Mario Bros. Movie is a homage to the most relevant Nintendo saga... [Full review in Spanish]

Full Review | Original Score: 3.5/5 | Sep 29, 2023

The Super Mario Bros. Movie is a DREAM COME TRUE for lifelong Nintendo fans and PERFECT DOWN TO THE LAST PIXEL. With gorgeous animation and unforgettable music, Nintendo and Illumination have made a delightful family film filled with heart.

Full Review | Sep 20, 2023

Its action, color, and silliness will appeal to kids while adult fans of the franchise will enjoy all the nostalgic connotations. It manages to tell a coherent, albeit forgettable, story with ample charm, thrills, and humor.

Full Review | Aug 23, 2023

Simple but effective for anyone who grew up with Mario in their lives.

Full Review | Aug 16, 2023

It is obvious that in an effort to appeal to a wide demographic, the movie fails on all counts because of a weak script, an over dependence on elements lifted directly from the video game and several voice casting mistakes.

Full Review | Original Score: C- | Aug 8, 2023

Packed with fantastic references that will warm the hearts of those who lived and still live with Nintendo and Mario up close. Along with energetic action, dazzling animation and world-building, and iconic music.

Full Review | Original Score: A- | Jul 25, 2023

If folks grew up playing the games (or still do), and already treasure everything Mario, this is a must-see movie. For everyone else, the mileage in their kart will vary.

Full Review | Jul 25, 2023

PHENOMENAL ANIMATION! Short & Simple (too short if I’m honest) Chris Pratt is honestly PERFECT as MARIO (yes I’m as shocked as you) Jack Black might steal the show as BOWSER. But Brian Tyler’s SCORE is so GOOD

Full Review | Original Score: B | Jul 22, 2023

A rather forgettable affair.

Full Review | Original Score: 6/10 | Jul 11, 2023

This fun, visually gorgeous adaptation does the world's most famous plumber justice.

Full Review | Original Score: 4/5 | Jul 8, 2023

Trending on RT

The Super Mario Bros. Movie First Reviews: Packed with Nostalgia and Easter Eggs, but Mostly Aimed at Kids

Critics say the movie has lots of fun details for observant fans of the franchise, but the thinly plotted story may leave some viewers wanting more..

TAGGED AS: Animation , First Reviews , movies , Video Games

Here’s what critics are saying about The Super Mario Bros. Movie :

Does it live up to expectations?

Purposefully focusing on a simple and beautiful adventure, The Super Mario Bros. Movie is a solid success. – Brandon Zachary, CBR

For better and worse, The Super Mario Bros. Movie is exactly what you’d expect from a Mario movie made by Illumination Entertainment. – Reuben Baron, Looper.com

For some people, perhaps, it will be a point in the win column that “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” is exactly what it looks like, and nothing more. – Josh Spiegel, Slashfilm

Does it honor the games?

The fast-paced action effectively approximates the gaming experience. – Frank Scheck, Hollywood Reporter

If you’ve ever wondered what it would feel like to be inside a Super Mario Bros. level, this film gets deliciously close. – Lex Briscuso, The Wrap

The movie doesn’t so much duplicate the logistics of a Mario game as conjure the spirit of the game. – Owen Gleiberman, Variety

It’s the ultimate in comforting familiarity. – Jake Wilson, The Sydney Morning Herald

The only difference from the Nintendo games is that viewers don’t have to replay a section 45 times because they keep getting nicked by a rogue Koopa shell. – Matthew Huff, AV Club

It leaves one feeling like they’re standing to the side and watching someone else play a video game. – Zaki Hasan, San Francisco Chronicle

Chris Pratt as Mario in The Super Mario Bros. Movie (2023)

(Photo by ©Universal Pictures)

Is it packed with Easter eggs?

Perhaps the film’s greatest asset is its clever reliance on the treasure trove of IP that Nintendo has to offer. – Matthew Huff, AV Club

This movie has a lot of fan service… This is not a bad thing; in fact, it is quite the opposite. Whenever it was possible to sneak something in, they did it. – Tessa Smith, Mama’s Geeky

The quantity of in-jokes and Easter eggs is high enough that fans of the games will likely enjoy themselves while watching it… The fan service really works. – Reuben Baron, Looper.com

There is some super fun stuff thrown into the background, even if it adds literally zero to the story itself. – Germain Lussier, io9.com

I found myself craving A LOT more video game humor than I was given (there were SO many missed opportunities for Nintendo jokes). – Christie Cronan, Raising Whasians

Far too often, The Super Mario Bros. Movie feels like it’s simply content to check off to-do notes and scratch the viewer’s nostalgia itch. That is, the film is a series of Easter eggs in search of a story. – Paul Attard, Slant Magazine

Does it help to be a fan of the games?

You don’t have to be a Mario fan to respond to it, but the film is going to remind the millions who are why they call it a joystick. – Owen Gleiberman, Variety

While the references are sure to charm Nintendo lovers, and the standard Illumination-style cartoon humor will please youngsters, the film otherwise doesn’t have a ton to offer. – Matthew Huff, AV Club

Even Super Mario superfans might prefer the game. – Peter Bradshaw, Guardian

Is it mostly for kids?

From its very first scenes, it’s clear The Super Mario Bros. Movie is made for children. – Germain Lussier, io9.com

For certain demographics (i.e. families lamenting the fact that it’s been months since a major kids movie hit theaters), this is going to be an absolute godsend. – Christian Zilko, IndieWire

The Super Mario Bros Movie is very much a kids’ movie that adults will have fun with. – Tessa Smith, Mama’s Geeky

It’s one of the best kids’ films in recent years. – Ross Bonaime, Collider

If you’re a parent, you’re probably already going to see The Super Mario Bros. Movie regardless of what critics say, and you’ll probably have enough fun with it not to feel disappointed. – Reuben Baron, Looper.com

Kids will have a blast, especially with its nods to popular games, such as Luigi’s Mansion and Mario Kart . However, its childish sense of humor and lacking narrative fall short. – Jeff Nelson, Showbiz Cheat Sheet

But is it still entertaining?

The film features one jam-packed sequence after another, one highlight being Mario’s titanic battle with Donkey Kong. – Frank Scheck, Hollywood Reporter

It’s is a serious blast, with a spark of enchantment — that je ne sais quoi fusion of speed and trickery, magic and sophistication, and sheer play that… well, you feel it when you see it. – Owen Gleiberman, Variety

Even if it’s not your thing, everyone should find a way to coexist with this franchise very quickly. – Christian Zilko, IndieWire

How does it look?

This is a gorgeous movie. The 3D animation works extremely well. It is bright, vibrant, and colorful. – Tessa Smith, Mama’s Geeky

The film looks gorgeous… The attention to the world-building is perhaps the film’s best achievement, constructing an entire universe that feels colorful and unique compared to anything else in recent film. – Brandon Zachary, CBR

I was pleasantly surprised how the bright colors and crisp visuals expanded the Super Mario universe to the big screen in a fresh, exciting way. – Christie Cronan, Raising Whasians

The different worlds of the film—the Mushroom Kingdom, the Jungle Kingdom, Bowser’s Kingdom, and more—are all so rich and full of life. – Lex Briscuso, The Wrap

Stunningly beautiful… The movie might work even better if you could mute it, pause, and zoom around its designs. – Germain Lussier, io9.com

While the animation is crisp, it’s not enough to overcome the film’s many deficiencies in every other aspect of its composition. – Sean Mulvihill, Mulviews

It’s visually bland in ways that reminded me of European knockoff animations. – Peter Bradshaw, Guardian

What about the script?

Parents shouldn’t expect a Pixar-level experience, but Matthew Fogel’s script has as at least as much narrative heft as the best Mario games. – Christian Zilko, IndieWire

Fogel is asked to juggle an insane amount of elements here, and yet, he’s able to make all these parts come together in a satisfying way. – Ross Bonaime, Collider

The plot is as basic as can be, and character development is clearly not a priority. – Frank Scheck, Hollywood Reporter

It might not have the depth of something like Turning Red , Wolfwalkers , or Guillermo Del Toro’s Pinocchio but it’s not trying to. – Brandon Zachary, CBR

When it comes to molding all that gimcrackery into, you know, a story, they lose the electronic pulse that made the game addictive. – Owen Gleiberman, Variety

It is very formulaic and was clearly made so that even the youngest fan can understand and enjoy it. – Tessa Smith, Mama’s Geeky

A lot of the film’s jokes don’t land, at least for an adult audience, which will certainly make up a vast group for this picture. – Lex Briscuso, The Wrap

The Super Mario Bros. Movie feels as if Fogel was handed a list of iconic video game elements and was told to reverse engineer them into a barebones story. – Sean Mulvihill, Mulviews

Do any of the voice performances stand out?

One of the film’s biggest MVPs is Keegan Michael-Key’s Toad, who is responsible for half of the movie’s most comedic moments. – Lex Briscuso, The Wrap

Jack Black, who voices this horny demon [Bowser], gives a stupendous performance. – Owen Gleiberman, Variety

The real standout here is Jack Black as Bowser. His penchant for the grandiose makes him the perfect choice for the character. – Ross Bonaime, Collider

Jack Black as Bowser is one of his best performances ever. My favorite character hands down. – Christie Cronan, Raising Whasians

So it has a good villain?

Having a villain who’s a vulnerable ogre you’re at once appalled, amused, and fascinated by makes this a very different sort of kinetic kiddie fantasia. – Owen Gleiberman, Variety

He’s the full package: menacing and vicious with a soft and insecure side that bubbles over at the perfect comedic moment. – Lex Briscuso, The Wrap

Black’s performance makes Bowser more than just a villain to be toppled. – Ross Bonaime, Collider

What about Chris Pratt’s work as Mario?

What Pratt does works. I promise you that. It makes sense and even if it bothers you at the beginning, you are going to quickly forget it as the movie continues. – Tessa Smith, Mama’s Geeky

Sorry to disappoint, but Pratt is a good choice for Mario, finding just the right amount of inflection for the character and without sounding like little more than a collection of the character’s famous lines. – Ross Bonaime, Collider

Pratt nails a modernized, slightly subdued version of a stereotypical Brooklyn accent that comes off natural and inoffensive, a logical portrayal of the Mario character. – Lex Briscuso, The Wrap

He’s not doing a terrible job so much as I’m not sure anyone really knows what the job is. – Reuben Baron, Looper.com

How is the length of the movie?

The brisk 92-minute running time is another plus, especially for younger attention spans. – Frank Scheck, Hollywood Reporter

With a runtime of only 92 minutes, it doesn’t overstay its welcome. – Matthew Huff, AV Club

It’s a shame that the svelte 92-minute runtime means we don’t get much time to linger in this vibrant setting. – Fay Watson, Total Film

Will we want more Super Mario Bros. movies?

There are multiple hints at what could be coming next for the franchise. I just have my fingers crossed for more Luigi. – Tessa Smith, Mama’s Geeky

As far as I’m concerned, it’s Game Over. – Sean Mulvihill, Mulviews

The Super Mario Bros. Movie opens in theaters everywhere on April 5, 2023.

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‘the super mario bros. movie’ review: zippy animated version breathes new life into beloved video game.

Chris Pratt, Anya Taylor-Joy, Charlie Day, Jack Black, Keegan-Michael Key and Seth Rogen are among stars providing the voices for this new screen adaptation of the iconic Nintendo franchise.

By Frank Scheck

Frank Scheck

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Mario Chris Pratt, Princess Peach Anya Taylor-Joy, and Toad (Keegan-Michael Key) in Nintendo and Illumination’s The Super Mario Bros. Movie

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The Super Mario Bros. Movie review: This faithful adaptation often feels like a cutscene

The new animated film — featuring the voices of Chris Pratt, Charlie Day, Anya Taylor-Joy, Jack Black, and more — faithfully recreates the look and feel of Nintendo's games.

Christian Holub is a writer covering comics and other geeky pop culture. He's still mad about 'Firefly' getting canceled.

Movies and video games have changed a lot since the last time Mario and Luigi were on the big screen. When Bob Hoskins and John Leguizamo played the titular roles in 1993's Super Mario Bros ., the concept of adaptation was very loose: The idea wasn't to replicate the experience of playing a Mario video game but rather to build an original story for a different medium with some of the same names and characters. Decades later, viewers have come to expect much more faithful translations. And so we have a new Super Mario Bros. Movie , which looks and feels much closer to Nintendo's iconic games — but, as a result, often feels like an extended cutscene.

The new animated movie from directors Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic ( Teen Titans Go! To The Movies ) opens with twin brothers Mario ( Chris Pratt ) and Luigi ( Charlie Day ) working together as plumbers in a Brooklyn somewhat like our own. They suddenly get transported to another realm, where the warlord Bowser ( Jack Black ) is on the warpath against the Mushroom Kingdom ruled by Princess Peach ( Anya Taylor-Joy ). While Luigi ends up captured by Bowser's soldiers, Mario finds himself embedded with Peach and her Toads as they try to build a resistance movement.

Despite the storied iconography of these characters, The Super Mario Bros. Movie infuses them all with distinctly modern characterizations. Instead of being a helpless damsel, Peach is an incredibly skilled and capable warrior-ruler who runs circles around the male characters. A female protagonist for the Rey generation, this princess hardly needs rescuing; her goal is to protect her mushroom-headed subjects from Bowser's wrath, while Mario just wants to save his brother. Donkey Kong ( Seth Rogen ) has the muscles to impress a colosseum crowd but remains desperate for the approval of his kingly father — he comes off like Succession 's Kendall Roy in a red tie.

Bowser, meanwhile, is portrayed as a lovesick playground bully who only knows how to express his unrequited affection for the princess by invading her kingdom. Black's performance is the standout of this voice cast (which makes sense given his years of experience in the Kung Fu Panda franchise), and Bowser's many parody songs expressing his love for Peach make great use of the Tenacious D vocalist's unique skills.

When Peach and Mario are preparing to face off against Bowser, they basically play a classic Super Mario game: running across pipes and girders, grabbing power-up mushrooms, the works. But this movie takes just as much from other Mario-involved games like Super Smash Bros. and Mario Kart . Peach's characterization is clearly influenced by modern archetypes of strong female protagonists, but it also fits perfectly for people who grow up playing her in Smash , where she is more than capable of beating up Bowser or Donkey Kong. The Mario Kart homage is more explicit, and the heroes' race against Bowser's Koopas down Rainbow Road joins the coconut pirates sequence from Moana in the amusing lineage of "kids' movie homages to Mad Max: Fury Road ."

It's all quite fun, with a good sense of humor and a consistent computer-animated aesthetic — plus, at 90 minutes including credits, it's short, sweet, and over before anything can get annoying. But it's hard to escape the feeling, especially during the aforementioned Rainbow Road sequence, that you would probably be having more fun just playing a game together instead. Grade: B-

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From its cheesy nostalgia plays to its breathtaking and imaginative visuals, Universal’s new Mario movie is everything a video game adaptation should be.

By Charles Pulliam-Moore , a reporter focusing on film, TV, and pop culture. Before The Verge, he wrote about comic books, labor, race, and more at io9 and Gizmodo for almost five years.

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A man wearing a full body suit that makes him look like a fuzzy yellow cat and crouching on a steel beam in the middle of a colosseum.

The most delightful part of Nintendo’s entire Mario franchise is how — despite all their decades of conflicts in various video games — Mario, Bowser, Peach, and the rest of their crew have really always been a troupe of actors putting on whimsical stage plays for a captive audience. That idea alone isn’t exactly what defines Universal and Illumination’s new The Super Mario Bros. Movie from co-directors Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic. But much in the same way Super Mario Bros. 3 ’s ending invited players to think about and appreciate it as being more than just a video game, The Super Mario Bros. Movie plays like a magical celebration of how this franchise has evolved.

For years after Nintendo’s first live-action Super Mario Bros. movie debuted in theaters and immediately bombed at the box office, it seemed as if the studio wanted nothing more than to leave the entire endeavor in the past and steer clear of trying to make movies. But one of the more intriguing things about Universal’s new feature — a co-production between Nintendo and Illumination — is how effectively it manages to weave together so many iconic elements from the franchise’s bigger outings, like the ’90s movie, Mario Kart , and the Donkey Kong games, into a story that’s equal parts nostalgic and reflective of the franchise’s future.

In addition to being generally good guys who know a thing or two about pipes, The Super Mario Bros. Movie ’s Mario (Chris Pratt) and Luigi (Charlie Day) are also introduced as Brooklynites and small business owners trying to make a name for themselves in the film’s opening scenes. As adults and the two youngest members of their surprisingly large family, both of the Mario bros. know how crushing it can be to come home every day to nothing but incessant criticism. But at the heart of Mario and Luigi’s bond is also the mutual understanding that, so long as the two of them stick together, there’s little they can’t accomplish.

An image from The Super Mario Bros. Movie

That attitude’s what gets the brothers up every morning and inspires them to go out into the world in search of bill-paying gigs. But it’s also why they’re both so game when they unexpectedly get sucked into the adventure of a lifetime by way of a mysterious green pipe hidden somewhere deep in New York City’s sewer system.

Because it’s so dense with painstakingly crafted details meant to spark joy from the jump, it’s hard to pinpoint exactly when The Super Mario Bros. Movie ’s intangible magic — the general feeling, rather than the movie’s actual magic — first kicks in. But as the Mario bros. jump, flip, and twirl their way across town on foot in an early action sequence styled after the classic Mario side scrollers, you can immediately get a sense of just how serious the movie is about translating the essence of its source material into something that feels familiar but also like its own distinct quantity.

This ends up being the case with most of The Super Mario Bros. Movie ’s complex set pieces, which doesn’t come as a surprise given Illumination’s track record and Nintendo’s reputation for being extremely protective of its brands. What does come as something of a shock, though, is how genuinely inoffensive (which is to say “not off-putting”) Pratt and Day’s takes on Mario and Luigi are — a concern the movie addresses head-on with some solid gags and a textual explanation as to why Mario occasionally sounds like he might have spent some time in Pawnee, Indiana.

As much information about the Mario bros. as the film lays out before they’re isekai-ed across the galaxy, it’s far, far more reserved about others like Bowser (Jack Black) and his sorcerer Kamek (Kevin Michael Richardson), who serve as hammy villain foils to the Mushroom Kingdom’s Princess Peach (Anya Taylor-Joy) and her loyal subject Toad (Keegan-Michael Key.)

If you’ve played through games like Super Mario World or Super Mario Odyssey , then the general shape of The Super Mario Bros. Movie ’s plot will be obvious from the moment you first hear why Bowser’s so hell-bent on getting his hands on a certain star-shaped MacGuffin. The movie works, though, because as it’s building toward its logical and very traditional Mario kind of ending, it uses every possible opportunity it has to make its various fantastical worlds feel like living, breathing, organic places that you’d want to spend hours exploring if they were parts of an open-world video game. It’s cool as hell every single time someone’s outfit transforms after they ingest mushroom power-ups, but it’s things like being able to see each of the individual seeds on a fire flower’s face flicking like a candle that really make you appreciate how hard the movie’s working to get things “right.”

At times, it almost feels like Illumination might have gone overboard in terms of dotting its i’s and crossing its t’s for a movie that moves incredibly fast and consistently has the air of something that’s been crafted with children prone to rewatching the same thing in mind. But it’s just as easy to interpret those things about the film as signs of how much more immersive and engaging Nintendo plans for its Mario theme park and future games to be.

Watching The Super Mario Bros. Movie , it’s impossible not to imagine what it might be like to one day play a game as visually rich running on hardware that puts current-gen Nintendo Switch to shame. That’s probably (part of) the reason the movie exists. But as big-budget commercials for video games and consoles go, The Super Mario Bros. Movie ’s going to be undefeated for quite some time.

The Super Mario Bros. Movie also stars Seth Rogen, Fred Armisen, Sebastian Maniscalco, and Charles Martinet. The movie’s slated to hit theaters on April 5th.

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‘The Super Mario Bros. Movie’ Review: Sheer Animated Fun, and the Rare Video-Game Movie That Gives You a Prankish Video-Game Buzz

The second time's the charm for Mario on film, as Chris Pratt, Anya Taylor-Joy and a delectably villainous Jack Black voice a digital fairy tale that connects.

By Owen Gleiberman

Owen Gleiberman

Chief Film Critic

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Mario just wants to rescue his brother, but then he meets Princess Peach ( Anya Taylor-Joy ), who rules over the Mushroom Kingdom’s denizens, who have spherical mushroom heads and the faces of airbrushed babies; they’re led by Toad (Keegan-Michael Key), a cuddlebug with attitude. Mario then teams up with Princess Peach to save her kingdom from Bowser, a fire-breathing beastie who commands a vast army of Koopas, who are turtles. Bowser is a turtle too, if a rather monstrous one — he’s like a fusion of Lionel Barrymore, the Wayland Flowers puppet Madame, and, a T. Rex plushie made for toddlers.

Jack Black , who voices this horny demon, gives a stupendous performance. Bowser is in love with Princess Peach, even as he’s planning to attack her empire, and Black, conjuring something very different from his usual hipster-stoner vibe, makes Bowser a domineering but deeply insecure romantic, like the Phantom of Opera as a neurotic troglodyte. Having a villain who’s a vulnerable ogre you’re at once appalled, amused, and fascinated by makes this a very different sort of kinetic kiddie fantasia. When Bowser is onscreen with his flaming red eyebrows and S&M arm bands, his gap-toothed reptile leer, his Meat Loaf-meets-Axl Rose soft-rock odes to Peach, and his nerd’s megalomania, the audience is in heaven.

There’s a way that mainstream animation, not to mention my own taste in it, has been evolving. So much of it has become rote, with an empty fractious dazzle that doesn’t ultimately sustain interest. And the Pixar brand, much as it saddens me to say it, has in recent years lost some of its humanistic luster. The animated movies I’ve been most drawn to have been off the Pixar grid — movies like “Trolls” and “Ralph Breaks the Internet,” which merge a kind of kinetic virtuosity with an emotional flair that sneaks up on you. I’d put “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” in that camp. It’s going to be a huge, huge hit, but not just because of its beloved gamer pedigree. (That didn’t help “Super Mario Bros.” in 1993.) It’s because the movie, as directed by Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic (from a script by Matthew Fogel), is a serious blast, with a spark of enchantment — that je ne sais quoi fusion of speed and trickery, magic and sophistication, and sheer play that…well, you feel it when you see it.

There have been approximately 50 movies based on video games, and most of them are terrible. I’ve had limited patience even for the ones that “work,” like the coolly depersonalized “Resident Evil” series or that first “Lara Croft” film. It’s not that I’m hostile to video games; it’s that the game and film mediums are so different. Then again, not all video games are the same — the funky nihilist hellscapes of Grand Theft Auto couldn’t be further removed from the interactive innocence of the Mario franchise. Mario presides over a digital playground that lifts the spirit to a place of split-second wonder, and “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” stays true to that. Its ingenuity is infectious. You don’t have to be a Mario fan to respond to it, but the film is going to remind the millions who are why they call it a joystick.

Reviewed at AMC Lincoln Square, April 3, 2023. MPA Rating: PG. Running time: 92 MIN.

Production: A Universal Pictures release of an Illumination, Nintendo, Universal production. Producers: Chris Meledandri, Shigeru Miyamoto.
Crew: Directors: Aaron Horvath, Michael Jelenic. Screenplay: Matthew Fogel. Editor: Eric E. Osmond. Music: Koji Kondo, Brian Tyler.
With: Chris Pratt, Anya Taylor-Joy, Charlie Day, Jack Black, Keegan-Michael Key, Seth Rogen, Fred Armisen, Sebastian Maniscalco, Charles Martinet, Kevin Michael Richardson.

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The Super Mario Bros. Movie
Apr 21, 2023 Full Review John Wilmes Chicago Reader Among the many errors of The Super Mario Bros. Movie, screenwriter Matthew Fogel plops him and his brother Luigi into a milquetoast Brooklyn ...
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Mario and Luigi deserve so much better. "The Super Mario Bros. Movie" opens in Brooklyn with the plumbers Mario (Chris Pratt) and his brother Luigi (Charlie Day) trying to get their new business off the ground. Some Nintendo easter eggs in the background of these initial scenes should produce a small smile from people of my generation, and ...
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Verdict. The Super Mario Bros. Movie is a fireball of animated fantasy. Mario, Luigi, and Peach's adventure delights with its infectious energy and smart implementations of video game callbacks ...
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The Super Mario Bros. Movie brings together the many recognizable characters of the franchise, the musical flourishes, the colorful design, and even some replication of familiar gameplay, into a brisk 90-minute package that is as critic-proof as it is largely uninspiring. Read More. By Josh Spiegel FULL REVIEW. 38.
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The second time's the charm for Mario on film, as Chris Pratt, Anya Taylor-Joy and a delectably villainous Jack Black voice a digital fairy tale that connects. " The Super Mario Bros. Movie ...