Movie Review: ‘The Super Mario Bros. Movie’ is fan service at its best

By Connor Webber

The basic premise of the “Super Mario Bros. Movie” is that Mario (voiced by Chris Pratt) is separated from his brother Luigi (voiced) Charlie Day in an unknown world and must team up with Princess Peach (voiced by Anya Taylor-Joy) to stop the all-powerful Bowser (voiced by Jack Black) from conquering the world.

Let me preface this review by saying I do not consider myself an expert when it comes to Super Mario Bros.; I do, however, consider myself a fan. I grew up with a GameCube playing “Mario Kart: Double Dash,” which evolved into playing “Super Mario Galaxy.” So, while I might not be a die-hard, I am familiar with the characters and the lore. With that (and like every other fan), when I saw the first trailer for “The Super Mario Bros. Movie,” I was skeptical. I wasn’t sure what to think. It didn’t seem like they were adapting a storyline from previous games, and there was an obvious discrepancy with the voices. But, as time went by and more trailers were released, the hype began to rise for the film’s potential, and now having seen the movie, I am happy to say it delivers.

“The Super Mario Bros. Movie” is 90 minutes of pure adrenaline, as you’re thrown right into the story and there’s no slowing down. When I say, “It delivers,” I mean it delivers fan service on the level of “Avengers Endgame.” In every shot, there is either something in the background or music playing that will make die-hard fans want to stand up and cheer. Unfortunately, with that and the frantic pace of the movie, some people may feel left behind. The story is easy to follow, but there were times when I couldn’t digest what I had just witnessed before it was already over. Many people may also walk away wishing it were longer, which is due to a belief that animated film’s runtimes must come out to around 90 min, but that’s a discussion for another day.

I will say this might be one of the prettiest animated films I have seen in a while – and it’s definitely the best-looking Illuminations film to date. Yes, that has a lot to do with the quality of the animation, but credit also needs to go to the direction. There are some JAW-DROPPING sequences in “The Super Mario Bros. Movie,” specifically the action sequences. Everyone knows the style of action the Super Mario games have, and the way Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic were able to capture this is exhilarating to watch.

Now for the question everyone has been asking: “How is the voice acting?” The answer is simple, it’s great. Chris Pratt (Mario), Charlie Day (Luigi), Anya Taylor-Joy (Princess Peach), and Jack Black (Bowser) all kill it. The voices never seem to take you out of the movie; they even explain why Mario and Luigi don’t sound incredibly Italian like they do in the games. The only issue is if you blink, you’ll miss it. Overall, I had no problems with the voice acting and actually quite enjoyed them.

“The Super Mario Bros. Movie” isn’t perfect, but between fan service and some killer directing, it makes for one of the best video game adaptations of all time!

“The Super Mario Bros. Movie” is rated PG and hits theaters worldwide on April 5, 2023. It has two post-credit scenes (mid- and end-credits).

Super Mario Bros. in the Parks

Other than the major film releasing, there was another big moment for Nintendo and the Super Mario Bros. this year. On Feb. 17, 2023, Super Nintendo World opened to guests at Universal Studios Hollywood in the wake of the success of the land opening at Universal Studios Japan in 2021.

From eating food at Toadstool Café to riding alongside your favorite characters in “Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge,” the land has everything to put fans right in the middle of a Super Mario Bros. video game. Check out the opening day festivities in our video below.

Super Nintendo World will also make its way to Orlando when Universal’s Epic Universe theme park opens in Summer 2025. Check out our construction updates.