With a $48 million budget, the 1993 Super Mario Bros. movie only made $38.9 million and received generally negative reviews. Because of this failure, Nintendo became more protective of its IPs and put future films on indefinite hold. In 2015, Nintendo announced a partnership with Universal Parks & Resorts to create Mario-themed attractions, ultimately creating Super Nintendo World. This partnership led to Mario creator Shigeru Miyamoto meeting with Illumination founder/CEO Chris Meledandri, and the two started collaborating. Miyamoto felt that Meledandri would be perfect for heading a Mario movie, with Nintendo making an official announcement in 2018. In 2021, Teen Titans Go! creators Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic were hired to direct, with Matthew Fogel writing. Fans became concerned about Chris Pratt and Seth Rogen voicing Mario and Donkey Kong, respectively, but the studio defended them. The Super Mario Bros. Movie hit the big screen in April 2023.
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Synopsis
Brothers Mario (Chris Pratt) and Luigi (Charlie Day) are Brooklyn plumbers struggling to find work after starting their own business. While trying to fix a sewer leak, the brothers are sucked into a pipe and get separated. Mario lands in the Mushroom Kingdom, while Luigi is in the Dark Lands, ruled over by King Bowser (Jack Black). After meeting Toad (Keegan-Michael Key), Mario is taken to Princess Peach (Anya Taylor-Joy), hoping she’ll help him rescue his brother. She agrees to bring Mario and Toad along as she travels to the Jungle Kingdom to ask for their help. Their leader, Cranky Kong (Fred Armisen), will help if Mario can beat his son, Donkey Kong (Seth Rogen), in combat. Mario wins, so Cranky agrees to lend his army to help Peach fend off Bowser from conquering the Mushroom Kingdom. Will they succeed, or will King Bowser win Peach’s hand in marriage?
Review
I’d compare The Super Mario Bros. Movie to the first Sonic the Hedgehog movie: it isn’t groundbreaking but entertaining. Honestly, that’s all I was hoping to get out of this, and this movie pulls it off. This feels like what Super Mario Bros. should’ve been like back in 1993, and it probably would’ve done better. I often find Illumination’s animation mid-tier at best, but it looks fantastic here and does the franchise justice. It’s very bright and colorful, and the locations are varied, from the fantastical Mushroom Kingdom to the realistic-looking Brooklyn. There are plenty of Mario references sprinkled in, but it’s from a love of the franchise rather than forced recognition. Further adding to this is the fantastic score by Brian Tyler, which includes remixes of classic songs from the games. They add to the feel that this is a Super Mario Bros. movie.
Despite how people initially reacted, Chris Pratt does a fine job as Mario, reserving the “Wahoos” to a minimum. If he had just done a typical Mario voice throughout, it would’ve gotten old quickly, so he was fine. Charlie Day is fantastic as Luigi and has excellent chemistry with Pratt, so it’s disappointing that they’re separated early on. Jack Black is another stand-out as the villainous Bowser, who has some hilarious musical interludes about pining over Princess Peach. Anya Taylor-Joy is another excellent casting choice for Princess Peach, as is Seth Rogen as Donkey Kong. I’d say Fred Armisen was the weakest as Cranky Kong, as he doesn’t sound as cranky as he should be. My only other complaint is that while Brian Tyler’s score is excellent, there’s some 80s rock that’s out of place. Overall, The Super Mario Bros. Movie isn’t perfect, but it’s a good time for fans.
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