The Super Mario Bros. Movie Review

By Ben Wright (@iamzavagno | www.xgeeks.co.uk)

This review is spoiler-free.

The Super Mario Bros. Movie, directed by Aaron Horvath and

ichael Jelenic, is a visually stunning and highly entertaining adaptation of the beloved video game franchise.

Now, I have a little love for the 1993 Super Mario Bros. movie, it’s a good-bad watch, if that makes sense? But of course, I have always been waiting for a more faithful cinematic adaption of this iconic and much-loved franchise. Thankfully, The Super Mario Bros. Movie delivers on every single level and I believe cinema audiences, both families and die-hard Nintendo fans alike, are going to have a lot of fun with this movie!

The pacing is unrelenting, and I think that will help keep a younger audience engaged and entertained. The story is creative and enjoyable, with a whole host of Mario and Nintendo Easter Eggs thrown into the mix. The characters were fleshed out and developed, in some cases beyond what has been offered up in the video games. As for the music? I was in awe of Brian Taylor’s score, who has creatively adapted and reimagined those iconic Mario songs and brought them to the big screen in a unique and creative way.

One of the strongest aspects of the movie is its cast! Much has been said in the build-up to the release of the movie, regarding the casting of Chris Pratt. However, I believe he delivers when it counts and had no issues with him as Mario. Anya Taylor-Joy (Princess Peach), who I don’t usually enjoy as an actor, was wonderful and a solid pillar of the movie – a new wave of Princess Peach fans will be born thanks to her portrayal and performance in this movie. My boy, Charlie Day (Luigi), was perfect casting from the off and was brilliant throughout as my favourite Mario-based character – I was so pleased that Day was outstanding in the role. Keegan-Michael Key (Toad) brings his usual A-game and took Toad to a completely different level as a character. As for Jack Black (Bowser), he was born to play the King of the Koopas! He chewed up every scene and that energy came bursting through the screen! The inclusion of Charles Martinet, the iconic video game voice of Mario and Luigi, was also a nice touch!

As enjoyable as the story, Easter Eggs and character performances were, for me the highlight of the movie is its visuals! I was not prepared for the quality level of animation in The Super Mario Bros. Movie. There were times when I was in genuine awe and with my mouth open, as I experienced some of the visuals. The visual effects were phenomenal, and some of the best you will experience on the big screen. A plethora of your favourite Mario moments are beautifully recreated on the big screen and it was a joy to experience them on such a large scale.

On a final note, there are two post-credit scenes, but it is the final one, at the end of the main credits, that you REALLY need to stick around for…

Fans of the Mario series will appreciate the movie’s creativity and charm, but most importantly the heart of the story and its characters. This is a perfect example of how to adapt a video game onto the big screen! The visual effects are outstanding and are worth the ticket fee alone!

What did you think of The Super Mario Bros. Movie? Let us know in the comments or find us on social media.