6/7 🪩🪩🪩🪩🪩🪩
I don’t know what the haters were talking about because The Super Mario Bros. Movie was almost exactly what it needed to be: a bright, funny, fast-paced ride through some amazing IP. It fully embraces the Nintendo universe, packing every scene with little references, visual details, and Easter eggs that true fans can appreciate.
The music was great, although I definitely could have used a few more Bowser songs. Jack Black was fantastic, and you can tell he had an absolute blast with the character. The whole cast gelled really well, the animation was beautiful, and I kept wondering how stunning it must have looked on a massive theater screen.
I’m a little behind on finally watching it, but I was honestly surprised by how much some early reviews seemed to miss the fun of it all. Maybe they never grew up playing Mario games, who knows?
The script itself is definitely the weaker part. The dialogue is not especially deep, but that also feels pretty in line with a typical Mario game. The story is simple, the adventure is straightforward, and so much of the charm comes from what is hidden in the scenery instead of what is said out loud. A lot of the comedy is visual, and the movie knows exactly how to use that.
Overall, it is just a really fun film. It is colorful, nostalgic, silly in the right ways, and clearly made with love for the world of Mario.
Emotion: 5/7
Editing & Story: 5/7
Visuals: 7/7
All images and references are © Nintendo and Illumination, and are used for editorial purposes only.