The Super Mario Bros. Movie
Directed by Aaron Horvath and Michael JelenicA Brooklyn plumber named Mario travels through the Mushroom Kingdom with a princess named Peach and an anthropomorphic mushroom named Toad to find Mario's brother, Luigi, and to save the world from a ruthless fire-breathing Koopa named Bowser.
Where to Watch The Super Mario Bros. Movie
Cast of The Super Mario Bros. Movie
The Super Mario Bros. Movie Ratings & Reviews
- vangh1October 28, 2024The Super Mario Bros. Movie experience for me was the exact inverse of my experience with The Revenant. (I've got to get bonus points for being the only person on Earth to compare these two movies, yeah?) The Revenant is an excellent movie that I didn't really enjoy at all and have no urge to ever see again. The Super Mario Bros. Movie wasn't really a very good movie in terms of it's structure or storytelling, and the VO was a bit hit or miss, but I enjoyed it pretty much the whole way through nonetheless and wouldn't say no to a mindless rewatch down the line.
- Manuel FrangisMarch 9, 2025I just watched The Super Mario Bros. Movie and I would give it 5 out of 5 stars. This one actually delivered. Going into it I was a little skeptical because let’s be real we all remember that disaster from 1993. But this? This is the Mario movie we should have gotten decades ago. The animation is top tier. Illumination completely nailed the look of the Mushroom Kingdom. Every single frame is packed with detail Easter eggs and nods to the games. Whether it is power ups classic level designs or even the way characters move it all feels like it was made by people who actually care about Mario. If you have played any Mario game you will constantly be pointing at the screen going hey I know that. Now let’s talk about the voice acting. Yeah I had doubts about Chris Pratt as Mario but honestly he did fine. They did not try to make him sound exactly like the game version but they gave enough of a nod to the original voice to make it work. Jack Black as Bowser though? Absolutely perfect. He stole every scene he was in. Charlie Day as Luigi was also a great fit and while I wish he had more screen time he completely nailed the role. The story is simple but exactly what it needed to be. Let’s be real this is Mario. Nobody is here for a deep emotional plot. They kept it fun fast paced and packed with action which is exactly the right move. And speaking of action the Mario Kart sequence was one of the best parts of the whole movie. They somehow made Rainbow Road feel just as chaotic as it does in the games and it was incredible to watch. The soundtrack was mostly great especially when they used classic Mario themes in orchestral form. That is where the music really shined. But I could have done without some of the random pop songs. Did we really need Take on Me in a Mario movie? The game remixes were where it really felt right and I wish there had been even more of that. If I had to nitpick I would say the pacing felt a little rushed at times. There were moments where they could have let things breathe just a little more. And Luigi kinda got sidelined. I wish they had given him more to do because Charlie Day was so good in the role. But those are small complaints because overall this is exactly what a Mario movie should be. It respects the source material in a way that so many video game movies do not. It does not try to be something it is not. It just embraces the fun colorful world of Mario and makes it work on the big screen. Nintendo did it right this time. Everything from the visuals to the action to the humor felt like it came straight out of the games while still working as a movie. It is packed with nostalgia without relying too much on it. It is just fun from start to finish. If you love Mario you are going to have a great time with this. It is the perfect mix of nostalgia and fun and I already cannot wait to watch it again.
- Rowan KrzysiakFebruary 13, 2025Okay....now the kids have left the room 😉 I didn't think this movie was good. I actually thought it pretty bad. You could go and see any of the other Illumination films and be greeted with better, funnier, more entertaining lines, characters and set-pieces than this had to offer. Actually the loudest laugh from my kids came from the opening Illumination ident that featured a minion being funny (that's generally what they do). It turned out to be a cruel last pat on the back before being sent onward into the actual film. And off we go, into the world of relentless winks and nods which, if you're invested in Mario can become quite overwhelming, especially the musical cues. Perhaps this is slightly unfair for most and actually seeing the power-ups, the side characters and the Karts is half the point but it seems to end up as the only point of the film. The story thread is super weak with little to no questioning of the completely bizarre situations and motivations of anything. People just turn-up, slot in and stand in place for their 'bit of meme'. The desperation to cram stuff into this thing like it's filling cells in a spreadsheet makes Spiderman 3 look like Citizen Kain. Dare I say it but there's elements of the Bob Hoskins attempt that does things better. The use of licenced music, a stalwart for Illumination here comes off as crass and heavy-handed. As does the whole Italian American thing that Nintendo had seemly slowly ditched elsewhere but here we have 'the family', the vests, the pizza/pasta and more "mamma-mias" than you ever thought possible. For something so stuffed with references and detail, the whole thing seemed to lack any sort of love and care. The obvious talent of the film studio was perhaps hamstrung by the demands of a game studio that albeit 30 years ago, still had the scars of their last ventures into Hollywood deeply embedded in their minds. No one here has any freedom. There was no independent creativity. Most of the enjoyment was lifted from other content to end up as a mish-mash, roller-coaster of forgettable, templated one-liners of blandness and confusion. The kids said they enjoyed it which I don't doubt but I've seen them really have a good time with film and that's not what was going on here. And I think that's the crux of the issue. I started by saying that this isn't a good film. I think that was wrong because as a commercial product that's not true. Everything was there. There's a difference between something being good and enjoyable though and enjoyable this was not. Disappointing.
- 匚卂尺ㄥFebruary 12, 2025"The Super Mario Bros. Movie" was the best movie I've ever seen. I've been a Mario fan for ages, and I am really grateful to have gotten a movie based on it, which is not that 1993 failure. The movie stayed true to the games, while being a wonderful cinematic adventure of a lifetime. Nintendo and Illumination really nailed it with their film. First of all, let's talk about the storyline. Despite its fast pacing, the story was fun to follow along. It's an origin story of the brothers and how they became heroes of the Mushroom Kingdom. The themes of the movie are friendship and loyalty, as the brothers are shown to be there for each other, no matter what situation they're in. The story stayed unique while paying tribute to the games, with Easter eggs and references here and there. It just pleases the heart of longtime Mario fans. Next, let's talk about the character portrayals. Mario is a courageous plumber from Brooklyn who just landed in the Mushroom Kingdom. On the other hand, Luigi is Mario's timid fellow younger brother who got captured by Bowser and his army. It seems like instead of Princess Peach being the damsel in distress like in the games, Luigi is. And speaking of Princess Peach, she is shown to be a brave princess who defends her kingdom. That just makes me love my favorite Mario character more. The voice actors did amazing as their own characters, surprisingly including Chris Pratt as Mario. Charlie Day's voice was perfect for Luigi; he really sounded like the character. Jack Black made Bowser sound menacing and villainous, while Keegan-Michael Key did a good job with his Toad voice. The voice actors must have been really happy with their chosen roles, and I am happy for them too. The animation was outstanding. It was full of vibrant colors that feel like the videogame world, and the characters look realistic and cartoony at the same time. Illumination did a great job in animating the film. Brian Tyler did a great job in composing the movie's score. Along with some Mario songs from the games, he also put some original melodies. I did quite appreciate the use of old-fashioned songs, they also kind of fit with the movie. The Super Mario Bros. Movie is fun to watch, and perfect for Mario fans old and new. I really enjoyed watching the movie in the theater; it was the best experience. If I could give the movie 6 out of 5 stars, I would. So it's a 6/5 for me.
- RyezooFebruary 5, 2025Beautiful to look at and a handful of laughs. I just wish the movie had some sort of substance. Hopefully we get a story in the sequel.
- Daniel GustavssonOctober 11, 2024So this is the Mario movie huh? It's finally here. As a kid, what I would have given to see such a thing. You know what my kid-self never would have thought about though? Seeing Mario sitting at the dinner table having his judgmental family bully him. If it isn't obvious to literally everyone, that doesn't feel very "Mario". To say the least, this is not a good Mario movie. And it's not a good movie in the general sense either. Actually, it's one of the worst movies I have ever seen, Mario in it or not.
