Super Mario Bros. is the second film adaptation of the cult video game to be released in cinemas on 5 April 2023. Why the film does everything right this time, you can read in our film review.
I don”t know about you, but when we think of video game adaptations and Super Mario, the hairs on the back of our necks stand up. The new Super Mario Bros. movie, therefore, has its work cut out for it. Not only does it stand on its own, but it also has to convince all the sceptics of its merits who witnessed the pipe burst back in 1993. But the animated film succeeds surprisingly well!
Table of Contents
What is Super Mario Bros. about?
The story of Super Mario Bros. is simple. The brothers Mario and Luigi want to really take off in their career as plumbers in Brooklyn. During a mission, however, the two fall into a pipe and are pulled into a magical parallel world. Mario finds himself in the colourful and peaceful Mushroom Kingdom, while Luigi lands in the dark domain of Bowser and is immediately captured.
To free his little brother from the clutches of the villain, Mario turns to Princess Peach. Together with Peach, Toad and other familiar characters, the Italian plumber faces off against the army of the fire-breathing Bowser.
Who is the animated film interesting for?
Super Mario Bros. is more than just an animated film for children. Unlike the first attempt from 1993, the second film adaptation manages to capture the spirit of video games and creatively weave game mechanics into the plot.
The animated film looks fantastic and breathes a lot of life into the kingdoms. Every scene is teeming with details, allusions to the video games, intense colours and beautiful landscapes. At no point does the film dwell too long on any one scene, but keeps presenting us with new and exciting situations. Of course, the action is not neglected either.
One moment Mario has to pass a parkour and face the magic mushrooms for the first time. The next moment he”s fighting Donkey Kong or throwing himself into his Tanuki costume to face Bowser”s army.
The massive fights and fast-paced kart races are garnished with a juicy pinch of humour. The gags range from over-the-top situation comedy, absurd characters, fantastic facial animation, to funny Easter Eggs for fans of the video games. The background music also provides the right amount of nostalgia and a laugh or two.
So if you”re in the mood for an entertaining, fun and funny action-animation film, you shouldn”t miss the new Super Mario Bros. film. Fans of the video games will also get their money”s worth here. However, if you”re expecting a sophisticated story, character depth and a serious examination of the original, you should rather look for other video game adaptations such as The Last of Us.
Strengths and weaknesses of Super Mario Bros.
What did we like?
- The visuals: There is an incredible amount of attention to detail in the world and characters of Super Mario Bros. The Mushroom Kingdom is colourful and lively and looks like Mario fell right into a candy bag. On the other side is Bowser”s gloomy realm with beautiful lava light effects. The fluid animations round out the film”s great visuals.
- Musical background: Of course, the iconic sounds from the video games cannot be missing in the film. The animated film repeatedly draws on familiar Super Mario themes and creates a rousing film soundtrack from them. Pop hits like “I need a Hero” also find their way into the film. The music not only feeds the great atmosphere of the film, but also provides laughs in the right places.
- The humour: Super Mario Bros. doesn”t take itself too seriously and thus creates a humorous mood right at the beginning. The gags don”t seem forced or out of place, but underline the lightness of the film. With the abundance and variety of comedy, every viewer should find something to smile about.
- The Action: The Super Mario Bros. film uses many elements from the video games and transforms them into entertaining and varied action on the screen. From parkour levels with the iconic yellow blocks, to a fight against Donkey Kong, to a kart race on the Rainbow Road, it”s all there. The combination of colourful visuals, fantastic soundtrack and clever ideas creates a massive action firework display that makes the film seem to fly by.
What didn”t we like?
- Gossipy plot: If there”s one thing you absolutely have to chalk up to the Super Mario Bros. movie, it”s the banal story. The plot runs very straightforwardly from point A to point B. Characters behave exactly as you would expect them to. There are no big surprises or twists. But let”s face it, we didn”t play the games for the story either. The animated film knows what its great strengths are, and the trivial plot doesn”t get in the way of those.
Editor”s Verdict
I had no expectations at all for the Super Mario Bros. movie. How is this video game, which scores with its gameplay instead of its story, supposed to work as a film? The first attempt was already a toilet bowl. But I wouldn”t have thought that the animated film would knock my socks off.
Super Mario Bros. is an entertaining and damn funny film. The colourful candyshop look, the great animations, the great soundtrack and the many clever allusions to various Mario games make the film a quirky action cocktail. Super Mario Bros. is not another soulless animated film for children. Instead, it”s a beautiful declaration of love for the cult video game series that even full-grown kids like me can have a lot of fun with!
