The Super Mario Bros. Movie Review
Credit to: Nintendo and IlluminationLet’s-a Go!
Welcome back, y’all! This time around, we’re taking a look at the brand new film, The Super Mario Bros. Movie! Let me just say, this movie made me so happy. I’m a super-fan of the series, due to the existence of Luigi, the greatest, I said greatest Nintendo character of all time, so to have this film be animated by Illumination, it just made for a wonderful watch. Before I get this started, let me warn you all that there are in fact potential spoilers ahead. Alright, we got that out of the way, so I don’t want to read any comments complaining about spoilers. Now, without any further ado, let’s just jump right into it.
Pros
This is gonna be a looong section. Let’s start with the story. This film is pretty short, but we do still manage to get a quality plot. We visit a couple of well-known kingdoms outside of the Mushroom Kingdom, all within good pace, as each area does matter to the plot for when they do pop up. The characters in these environments are treated with respect when it comes to the way they’re written into the story, and they just fit well in these different areas. Not only that, but we get some really great nostalgia and references that not only act as easter eggs, but they also add on to the story, furthering the plot. Something that I love is that every single character fuels the story in their own way. Of course we have the Mario Bros (Chris Pratt as the voice of Mario and Charlie Day as the voice of Luigi), who are always going to push the plot forward while treating us to a very well-written backstory for both brothers, but we have a character like Toad (voiced by Keegan-Michael Key), who helps Mario from beginning to end, bringing him to Princess Peach (voiced by Anya Taylor-Joy), who has her own unique backstory and know-how of the brand new environment that Mario and Luigi have found themselves in. It’s her knowledge of this world that introduces Mario to the big bad, while Luigi is forced to find out by coming face to face with him, him, the King Koopa himself, Bowser (voiced by Jack Black). Bowser of course is the main villain, but he’s heavily supported by characters like Kamek (voiced by Kevin Michael Richardson) and his army, comprised of classic enemies like Goombas, Koopas, Spinies, Shy Guys, Piranha Plants, Chain Chomps, Bob-ombs, Bullet Bills and more. Speaking of support, we get characters like Donkey Kong (very clearly voiced by Seth Rogen) and the Kong people, including their king, Cranky Kong (voiced by Fred Armisen). It’s the Mario Bros. backed by the Mushroom Kingdom and the Kongs against Bowser and his army. Sick.
The characters. Man, oh MAN the characters. I loved every single one. The main cast is truly a delight, but we even get some cameo characters and supporting characters that require a true Nintendo fan to do some research. Classic characters and nearly forgotten ones combined, including one character who gives out an occasional, “Wa-hoo!” each time they’re on screen, voiced by a legend, the one and only, Charles Martinet, who even voices another character important to the back story of the two brothers. Nintendo is smart, though. They haven’t given us every character in the Super Mario universe, but I’m sure that’s bound to happen in the sequel, maybe even a third if they do one (they totally will). You don’t have to be a super fan of the universe or even Nintendo to catch every character reference, so don’t worry. But, speaking of references, there’s a whole BUNCH of references to so many different video games in the Super Mario universe and its spin-off titles. We get references of Wrecking Crew in the character of Foreman Spike (voiced by Sebastian Maniscalco) and his construction crew. So many parts of this movie reference games like the main Super Mario titles, but also games like Mario Kart, Super Mario Odyssey, Super Mario Maker, and at the end, the Mario Bros. perform a very familiar move done at the end of Super Mario 64. There’s even nice little references and easter eggs from series like Donkey Kong, specifically from games like Donkey Kong Country and the original Donkey Kong, but we even get references to game series from other Nintendo projects, including Kid Icarus, Punch-Out!!, The Legend of Zelda, F-Zero, Duck Hunt, Star Fox, and more that I’m sure I missed in my first viewing. There’s even little references in the sound design of this film, sounds that bring waves of nostalgia from the many games we’ve all played and loved from the world of the Mario Bros. Beyond the game references, I’m pretty sure that the handshake Luigi and Mario do is a reference to the 90’s film Super Mario Bros. I love that. Even the commercial that these two have for their up and coming plumbing company is a huge reference to The Super Mario Bros. Super Show! That right there? Amazing. Even the sounds reference certain things including the Gamecube jingle. Come on. That’s dope. But one thing that spoke to me, no, graced my eyes and ears, were the little hints at the series, Luigi’s Mansion. That right there won my heart. I should give this a 5 out of 5 for not only having Luigi, clearly the more beloved brother, but for having references to that absolute classic. But I won’t. Wouldn’t be fair. Anyway, I adored this movie.
Cons
I actually have only one issue with this movie. Not a big issue, but something that I think a lot of people would’ve appreciated. The fact that Daisy wasn’t here. That was a joke, but seriously, Nintendo? Stop leaving the homegirl out. Anyway, the real con is the fact that I feel like the main cast should’ve had a little more runtime to really give us more of these characters. I respect the short runtime, as it does get the point across with some really great pacing, but with the inclusion of so many characters, I do find myself wanting a little bit more. An extra 15 minutes at least would’ve given us a nice, extra bit of time with these characters. I still love everything we got with this film, but it could’ve used a little more time to let us enjoy each character for a bit longer. Other than that, I had a really great time.
Final Thoughts
What a good movie, man. So many good characters, so many amazing references that are commonly known or deep dives, such great sound design, beautiful animation and character design, and just everything in general was so good. I’m ready to watch this a second time just to catch more easter eggs that I missed. I was really worried for this movie due to the controversies and, well, it’s a video game adaptation, but alas, this movie was amazing. If you’re a Mario fan, watch this movie. If you’re a Nintendo fan, watch this movie. Heck, if you just want to have a good time, watch this movie. Even if you know nothing about this game series, or even nothing about Nintendo in general, I think this might open you up to it. But what did you all think? Let us know over on our Instagram, and make sure you’re following us there to stay up to date with the latest and greatest entertainment news and reviews. But that’s all from me, this has been The Wolf Den!
