Review: 'The Super Mario Bros. Movie' serves Mario on a wacky adventure while being a fun ride to nostalgia

The Super Mario Bros. Movie

It is impossible not to say the word 'Mario' and not have the iconic 'Mario theme music' play in your head as you already begin smiling on your ride to nostalgia. When times were simpler, when playing a video game on the computer didn't have fancy graphics but was just about an adorable plumber trying to fight immense odds as he tries to reach to the castle to meet the princess.

In its essence, the story of Super Mario wasn't pathbreaking per se but to be one of the first ones to do it, Nintendo and creator Shigeyu Miramato struck the jackpot by creating an immersive experience that had the 90s kids spending umpteen hours on a desktop or otherwise.

Now, in 2023, keeping up with the on-going trend of video-game adaptations, we have The Super Mario Bros. Movie with advanced design, touch of reality and some bigshot A-listers voicing important characters. Having had the chance to see the film beforehand, here is what I thought about it-

Little Teasers of Nostalgia Everywhere

The one thing that the film and directors Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic deserve total credit for - is making sure the unbridled joy, nostalgia and pure love attached to this world isn't lost. To be attempting to do that in today's times can be a mammoth task where one needs to strike a balance and not rely too much on that feeling while also justifying it - and the director duo are successful in doing that. Right from a funny and ironical trait of Mario on not liking mushrooms in his pasta, to the pipes which lead Mario into a different stage to the thorny plants coming out of the pipes and of course, the anticipatory '?' boxes that might lead to a good or bad surprise - all these instantly remind you of all those amazing hours of playing the game and being immersed. There was a collective hoot at the screening I was at when the iconic tune of Mario being in trouble was played in an important scene the villain Bowser is plotting to finish Mario. Wow!

Brilliant Voice Cast & Keeping The Fun Alive

Your job is half-done when you manage to assemble an exhilarating voice cast to breathe life into these iconic characters. Right from the baritone-added voice of Jack Black as Bowser, Keegan-Michael Key as the adorable toad, Seth Rogen as Donkey Kong, Charlie Day as the timid brother Luigi, Anya-Taylor Joy breathing love and warmth as Princess Peach and of course - at the helm is one of the finest comedic actors and voice artists we have - Chris Pratt. 

Apart from a weird stereotypical Italian accent in the homemade video segment, Pratt chooses to stick with his American accent with the occasional 'lets-a-gos' here and there thus making sure that the goofiness, love and bravery of Mario isn't compromised and it continues to be a lot of fun.

Muddling Up For The Grandeur

One of the concerning things about The Super Mario Bros. Movie is that how there is nostalgia indeed but in an attempt to make things bigger and possibly - more appealing to the younger generation today, it muddles things up. The screenplay becomes generic and at the same time, muddled. The events leading to Mario fighting odds to rescue his dear brother, Luigi is engaging but until the big showdown comes later in the climax, it continues to be a mishmash of just events happening. Mario may be Super Mario but he is given the big changes rather easily. The grandeur is indeed a visual treat but just like many live-action films do, this big scale phenomena doesn't entirely stick to the roots and simplicity.

The Runtime & Other Issues

Amazingly, the runtime of The Super Mario Bros. Movie clocks a measly 92 minutes which should ideally be perfect for an animated feature like this but owing to how generic and disjointed the screenplay is, it seems longer than it is. And the one big issue that the film suffers more than anything is a loss of connect. This iconic game and the attachment that the 90s kids have is not even going to be remotely felt by the kids and growing teenagers today. I was in a screening with ages ranging from 2 or 3 years old to 15-16 year olds and then the 30-40 year olds. The increasing amount of disconnect between all these age groups was prevalent and while the youngest lot enjoyed the spectacle, the amount of questions, wonderings and other doubts was so constant that they couldn't stop asking about them to their respective parents or guardians.

The Verdict

The Super Mario Bros. Movie is a worthy film of not being an entrant in the club of flak towards video-game adaptations. It achieves the basics - fun, nostalgia and warmth but also misses out an opportunity to make it more accessible and connecting to all ages.

Rating - *** (3/5)