The Super Mario Bros. Movie

ORIGINALLY REVIEWED 4/10/23

SCORE: 8/10

SYNOPSIS

After an attempt to save a flooding Brooklyn goes wrong, plumbers/brothers Mario and Luigi (Chris Pratt and Charlie Day) are sucked into a pipe and teleported to an alternate dimension. In the process, the two get separated, and Mario must get the help of Princess Peach (Anya Taylor-Joy) of the Mushroom Kingdom, as well as from Toad (Keegan-Michael Key), Donkey Kong (Seth Rogan), and a few other friends, to save his brother from the Koopa King, Bowser (Jack Black).

SPOILER FREE REVIEW

This movie is incredibly straight forward, and it’s meant to be. It’s clear that at the end of the day, this movie is meant to be a kid’s movie, but also is full of references and easter eggs for the older audience. The score of this movie incorporates loads of motifs from the music in the games, which is a delight that it works so well in the movie. They also managed to put different elements of the games into the movie, with things like karts, various power-ups, references, and characters for everyone to enjoy.

SPOIER REVIEW

This movie is both a love letter to fans of the long-lasting franchise, as well as a great movie for kids and newcomers to the fanbase. Initially, I was among the big group of people that were very skeptical of the cast list, with Jack Black as Bowser being the only one that I could see working. Then we got our first look in the trailer. The stunning animation throughout this movie really adds to the wonder of Mario and the Mushroom Kingdom, and it has a very important message for kids to learn from throughout, “don’t be afraid to chase your dreams,” something I atone to greatly. A message that after years of hearing, finally made me take the leap and start posting movie reviews.

The movie opens with Bowser and his troops of koopas, as they attack an ice kingdom and steal a power star. We then cut to a commercial for Mario and Luigi’s new business as plumbers. We see throughout this opening that nobody believes in Mario, and to add insult to the injury, is told that he is dragging his brother’s name down too. Confirming that he isn’t, Luigi talks to his older brother, and the two share a petty nice moment. Then an emergency news warning pops up on the TV. Brooklyn’s city pipes are starting to burst and flood the streets.

Mario sees this event to promote their business as the guys that saved Brooklyn. The two brothers head down to the streets. Then make their way into a sewer. This early on shows Mario is very strong headed, and he’ll always try to do what he thinks is best, and he’s not afraid to stand up for himself, or his younger brother. Once underground, the brothers end up getting sucked into a warp pipe. While being swept away, Mario comforts Luigi by telling him they’ll be okay, before Luigi is forced into a different warp tunnel. He lands in Bowser’s world, while Mario ends up in The Mushroom Kingdom.

Mario meets Toad, and he agrees to take Mario to the Princess to ask for help in rescuing Luigi. I enjoyed the sequence of the two traveling through the streets of the Kingdom, filled with references to past games. While I’m sure on future viewings I’ll catch more (to take from another Nintendo game, maybe even… catch them all) it was very fun being able to pick out the ones I could. Once we get to Peach’s castle, Mario convinces Peach to help him find Luigi.

Before he can join the fight, he must complete the training course. This was one of my favorite scenes in the entire film. A full montage of Mario going through a training course full of mechanics from games, such as piranha plants, bullet bills, and play fireball chains, among other well-known enemies and obstacles, and I loved every minute of it.

After hours of training, Mario, Peach, and Toad seek the help of the Kong army in their adventure to take down Bowser. In their attempt to gain the help of the Kong Army, Mario must fight Donkey Kong to gain their loyalties. This was another scene I enjoyed greatly. The arena they fight in mirrors the railings you climbed in the original Donkey Kong game. It was also a great way to see the use of power-ups, like the blue mushroom to make you tiny and the catsuit.

Once defeated, Donkey Kong (begrudgingly) agrees to help, along with Cranky Kong (Fred Armisen), and the Kong Army. This is where my favorite scene in the entire movie comes in. We see Mario, Peach, and Toad build their karts and bike, and with the army in tow, they head off on Rainbow Road. This whole sequence on Rainbow Road is incredible from start to finish. From fun driving action to a blue shell, it’s another great use of power-ups and mechanics from the games.

Bowser captures Cranky and the army and makes his way to the Mushroom Kingdom. Having returned to warn the other Toads of the invasion, Peach and Toad prepare for an attack. However, when he arrives, Bowser confesses his love for her, and how he planned to give her the star as a proposal and asks her to marry him. After he forces her to say yes, for the safety of her people, Bowser has a wedding set up, where he plans on sacrificing Luigi, Cranky, and all the other captured characters in Peach’s honor.

My next favorite scene is of Mario and DK teaming up with power-ups like the fire flower, something I never knew I needed to see DK use, and the tanuki leaf. Full of squashing Koopas and Goombas, fireballs, and tail spins, it’s the culmination of the classic Mario games coming together beautifully. Once they reach the top, Mario, DK, and Peach work together to free Luigi and everyone else before they are dropped into the lava that awaits them below.

Once freed, Mario and Luigi reunite, but it’s not over yet. Bowser launches a Super Bullet Bill to blow up the Mushroom Kingdom. Mario flies off to attempt to stop the Bullet Bill. Mario distracts the Bullet Bill by hitting its eye with his suit’s tail. This scene mirrors an earlier scene with Mario and Luigi attempting to fix a broken pipe but being chased by the house owner’s dog. It’s a great way to call-back to an earlier scene, while also showing how far Mario and Luigi have come in this movie.

Mario sends the Bullet Bill through the same pipe that landed him in the Mushroom Kingdom, and it explodes. This sends everyone back into Brooklyn. Mario goes for the star but is quickly attacked by Bowser. Beaten badly, Mario gets thrown into the pizza parlor where we first saw the brothers. The commercial he and Luigi filmed is playing on the TV, and it gives him the courage to stand back up, and face Bowser again.

Mario runs for the star again, being chased by Bowser. Bowser shoots a fireball, but with another mirror (literally of a scene with a mirror) Luigi blocks the blast with a manhole cover. Mario grabs him by the hand, and the two grab the star together. This scene was so much fun, and something that I’m sure everyone has enjoyed doing at least once, destroying every enemy in your path with the star-power. As they activate the power, we again hear the music from the game, as it takes us into a beautiful sequence.

Once they defeat Bowser, they make him eat a blue mushroom, and he shrinks. They put him in a glass jar, and everyone runs up to praise Mario and Luigi for saving Brooklyn, the thing that sent them on this journey in the first place. We return to The Mushroom Kingdom, as Mario and Luigi run to a pipe, on their way to another job, and jump in as we cut to the credits.