The Super Mario Bros. Movie

 Yeah, I know, two non-game reviews in a row. But I feel like I couldn't pass this one up.

In case you haven't heard, there's a new Super Mario Bros. movie out and it seems like a lot of people are going to see it. So many, in fact, that I've heard it broke some sort of record for animated films. Apparently, it made more money in its opening week than something called "Frozen," which must be some sort of indie film because I've never heard of it. In all seriousness, the Super Mario Bros. movie has been a surprisingly big deal. I knew it would be popular, but I had no idea it would be this popular. It's made more than $700 million globally. Almost a billion dollars. Again, I don't think people realized how big this thing was going to be. As to why, I have a couple of ideas. I don't think normies realize how dedicated gamers are. I don't think they understand how popular video games, especially Nintendo games, are in Asia. I don't think they understand how much even lapsed gamers were looking for redemption for the Mario series after the 90's SMB movie. Whatever the reason may be, tons of people have gone to see the Super Mario Bros. move, and I am was one of those people.

Before I continue, I want to make it clear that I'm not really a movie person. I like to think that my taste in most media has some level of sophistication. I tend to prefer more story driven video games; I like some pretty out-there music and I'm a big fan of many of the literary classics (I was the one kid in class that was like Oh Yay! We get to read Great Expectations!). But when it comes to movies...not so much. I don't care about camera angles or set design or deeper meanings when I'm watching a movie. I want to either be laughing or saying "wow, that was cool." The movies I own on DVD: Billy Madison, Beavis and Butt-Head Do America, The Simpsons Movie, Idiocracy, Team America: World Police, Waiting, Dogma, Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, Bad Boys, Lord of War and Terminator 2. So yeah, like, one of those had any critical success. I guess this is all to say that having fun is the most important part of a movie to me, so keep that in mind. If you are into indie arthouse stuff, you may not see much in the Super Mario Bros. movie. But if you are a gamer, you still can't shake the fact that it's not the 80's or 90's anymore or you are an overgrown child such as myself, you should definitely check the movie out.

The film starts, not in the Mushroom Kingdom, but in Brooklyn, with Mario and Luigi marveling at the new ad for their budding plumbing business. The brothers are struggling, having left a steady job to start their own company, much to the chagrin of their father. After their first call goes horribly wrong, Mario and Luigi are unsure of what to do next. A watermain break downtown gives them yet another opportunity to prove their skills, but that too goes downhill fast. The brothers find themselves in a mysterious section of New York's sewers, with their only way out seeming to be a suspicious green pipe...you all know exactly the kind of pipe I'm talking about. After being sucked in, Mario finds himself among a field of giant mushroom and encounters a mushroom man, who introduces himself as Toad. He has landed in the Mushroom Kingdom a far better fate than what has befallen his brother. Luigi has landed in the Dark Lands, under the control of the evil King Bowser. Toad takes Mario to meet Princess Peach, in hopes that she can help rescue his brother. But Bowser, with his newfound power star, has nefarious plans of his own, as he wants to use its power to control the universe.

I don't know how much better they could have done with the plot. Maybe cut out the bits about the real world and just have Mario start in the Mushroom Kingdom? I kind of like the setup they had, it sort of helps the movie stand on its own. Besides, this isn't supposed to be the kind of movie that challenges for the best original screenplay Oscar. It's supposed to be a fun movie full of Nintendo fanservice and video game easter eggs, and boy does it have those. The duo grab a slice at Punch-Out Pizza, it's walls adorned with pictures of Little Mac, Glass Joe, Mr. Dream and other characters from the Punch-Out series. The arcade machine in the pizza shop? A Jumpman cabinet, now that's a deep cut. For lack of a better comparison, Jumpman is kind of to Mario as Steamboat Willie was to Mickey Mouse. Later, Mario and Peach visit the Jungle Kingdom, ruled by the always surly Cranky Kong. Mario does battle with his son, everyone's favorite tie-wearing gorilla Donkey Kong, in an arena that looks like it came straight out of a Smash Bros. game. And it's not just the base level references, stuff like Cranky calling out Diddy and Dixie Kong in the audience. There is attention to detail here as well. During the fight scene, DK uses his Smash Bros. skillset almost move for move. Those who aren't gamers may not find much to look at with stuff like this, but it was cool to take a drive on Rainbow Road, watch Dry Bones rebuild itself to scare the heck out of Luigi, see a heard of Yoshis running through a field and experience Mario grabbing a super star on the big screen.

I also have to give tons of credit to the visuals; this is what I kind of always envisioned a Mario movie should look like. It's bright, colorful and alive, all the characters look like they've been pulled straight from the games. The animation is excellent, it's fluid and smooth and the characters all have a lifelike quality to them. All the visual standouts from the games are there, coin blocks, bricks, pipes, Koopa Troopas, Goombas, Peach's Castle, fire flowers, you know the stuff. Super Mario Bros. leans hard into nostalgia rather than shy away from it. That may be problematic in some movies, but it works here. They also made sure to include a little something for everyone. True 80's OGs, 90's and 00's kids that were there for the formative years and young gamers who still know and love the series. I mean, just when it looked like Mario and DK were going to escape Bowser's minions on Rainbow Road, they got hit with a blue shell. You know you love it. It's a kids movie at its core, but Super Mario Bros. offered plenty for older gamers as well.

I will say, the movie wasn't perfect. I don't think anyone was expecting some sort of deeper meaning or anything like that, but the plot was fairly by the book. That's not the end of the world, but it may be an issue to some people. At the end of the day, Super Mario Bros. is more of a two hour long nostalgia trip than it is a movie. For me, that was okay, it was absolutely what I was looking for. But those who weren't gamers growing up, or those who don't have a huge amount of familiarity with the medium beyond modern generations may not find as much to like. I think that is the primary reason for the gulf between viewer score and critic score. Most of those people don't really play videogames and most probably actively look down on them, so it's no surprise they don't see much in Super Mario Bros. If you find yourself liking all the critical darlings, you might not find much to like with Super Mario Bros.

The biggest criticism I've heard that I believe was founded comes from the voice acting. I don't think it's as bad as some people say, but it definitely wasn't the strongest part of the movie. Jack Black is excellent as Bowser, he's a bit over the top but I get the vibe that's just kind of how he is. Keegan Michael-Key didn't voice Toad the way I think a lot of people would have wanted, but his performance was at least interesting. However, I don't think Seth Rogan was a great choice for Donkey Kong and Fred Armisen didn't really do Cranky Kong justice. I've seen a few complaints about Anya Taylor-Joy not delivering her lines without conviction and I would definitely agree with that. I will say she seemed more comfortable in some scenes than others. Charlie Day was fine as Luigi and Chris Pratt was fine as Mario...the problem is that Mario already has a voice actor. Charles Martinet does make a guest appearance, he voices the boys' father Giuseppi, but I feel like he should have just been the voice of Mario. I understand why, movies are always cast with star power in mind. When you are making a live action movie, especially a movie that's supposed to be a bigtime blockbuster, star power matters. The Super Mario Bros. movie may officially be a blockbuster, but it's not live action. It's also directed at two primary audiences: gamers and children. Neither of those groups care that the movie stars Chris Pratt. They are there to see Mario. For those of us that grew up in the 80's and 90's, Charles Martinet IS Mario. That said, the voice acting wasn't necessarily bad, it was just a bit underwhelming.

But that isn't enough to sink the Super Mario Bros. Movie. I'm not going to say it's a deep and meaningful film that's going to change the way you view yourself or the world. But it's a fun, exciting move full of video game references that you can take your kids to go see. I highly recommend it to anyone that's a lifelong gamer, especially if you were a Nintendo kid. I'm not going to come out and say it's the best video game movie ever...but it has to be in the conversation. Sure, it's not a high bar to clear, but the Super Mario Bros. movie is up there with the 90's Mortal Kombat, more recent Mortal Kombat and Sonic the Hedgehog. It's probably the most accessible family friendly movie of that bunch. Again, if you are a gamer, either casual or hardcore, check out the Super Mario Bros. movie.