After much anticipation, the first Super Mario Bros. Movie reviews have arrived. The new video game adaptation, based on the long-running Mario franchise, has faced a lot of scrutiny in recent months due to Chris Pratt’s casting as the titular plumber. The last time Mario was brought to the big screen, it was in 1993’s live-action Super Mario Bros., which flopped critically and financially. The hope now is that The Super Mario Bros. Movie will kick off a new animated franchise for Nintendo and Illumination.
Now, ahead of the film’s release on Wednesday, April 5, critics have begun sharing their official thoughts on Illumination’s The Super Mario Bros. Movie. The overall consensus is fairly mixed; at the time of writing, the Rotten Tomatoes score is 55 percent, though that is still evolving. Check out a sampling of what critics are saying below:
Molly Freeman, Screen Rant
The film is filled with so many references and Easter eggs to the game that even die-hard fans will likely need a second (or third) viewing to catch them all, but that’s the film’s main offering. Its story is neither compelling nor strong on its own, and is simply used as a vehicle to take Mario from one game-based adventure to the next. Its characters aren’t developed or interesting, and there’s no real thematic through line other than a muddled message about Mario’s greatest strength being not giving up.
Kristy Puchko, Mashable
Sure, Pratt has done terrific voicework as a naive but lovable oaf in The Lego Movie and Onward. But in The Super Mario Bros. Movie, he’s lost that spark. His Mario doesn’t do the “Its-a me” voice, save for a cheeky commercial for his fledgling plumbing company. And that’s fine. Frankly, that bit would have grown stale quickly. But whatever voice Pratt is doing isn’t Brooklyn, and it isn’t anything particularly specific, consistent, or exciting.
Owen Gleiberman, Variety
It’s going to be a huge, huge hit, but not just because of its beloved gamer pedigree. (That didn’t help “Super Mario Bros.” in 1993.) It’s because the movie, as directed by Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic (from a script by Matthew Fogel), is a serious blast, with a spark of enchantment — that je ne sais quoi fusion of speed and trickery, magic and sophistication, and sheer play that…well, you feel it when you see it.
Matt Singer, ScreenCrush
Most of those bursts of fun come in the scenes inspired by the Mario Kart franchise, whose insertion into The Super Mario Bros. Movie’s wafer-thin story doesn’t really serve a coherent purpose, but does at least enliven the film with some visual creativity. For a couple minutes, it starts to feel like the film is building on top of the Super Mario mythology rather than simply regurgitating it. The rest reminded me of the attract mode that would automatically start to play on old arcade games if no one pressed start: A bunch of computerized images going through the motions over and over.
Christian Zilko, IndieWire
Fortunately, nobody screwed it up. From the decision to cast the onetime Least Offensive Actor on the Planet Chris Pratt in the titular role to the production design that seems to be an exact replica the Wii-era Mario games, “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” largely plays things by the book, which is exactly what the assignment called for. Co-directors Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic have delivered a perfectly serviceable movie that is going to make a lot of kids very happy and a lot of adults very rich.
Julia Glassman, The Mary Sue
All of the emotional beats are shoved to the margins in favor of video game references. Mario punches blocks, grabs power ups, runs across falling platforms, and dodges piranha plants. In whatever spare time he has left, he breezily comes to terms with the fact that he’s trapped in an alternate universe where his little brother may have already been murdered. The movie literally feels like video game levels punctuated by cutscenes.
Tessa Smith, Mama’s Geeky
The Super Mario Bros Movie is a love letter to the video game franchise from Nintendo. It does its best to sneak in as many Easter Eggs and references as it can, for better or worse. I wouldn’t say that the plot necessarily suffers from this, however the story itself is lacking. It is very formulaic and was clearly made so that even the youngest fan can understand and enjoy it. Still, those who love these plumber brothers will have fun with the movie, if nothing else.
Ross Bonaime, Collider
But the real standout here is Jack Black as Bowser. His penchant for the grandiose makes him the perfect choice for the character. He can be big and intimidating, but he can also sing love songs dedicated to Peach without it seeming out of character. To be fair, there’s not a lot of nuance to these characters, but Black’s performance makes Bowser more than just a villain to be toppled.
What The Super Mario Bros. Movie Reviews Are Saying
The Super Mario Bros. Movie is drumming up both praise and criticism, in some instances for the same things. The first question on many potential viewers’ minds is likely whether Pratt makes for a suitable Mario following the months-long controversy regarding his hiring. While there are some critics who insist Pratt does a serviceable job, it sounds like those already against his casting won’t be won over. The Super Mario Bros. Movie voice cast as a whole earned decent reviews, though Jack Black’s Bowser is the one to get the most appreciation.
Even more than the vocal performances, critics are generally split on The Super Mario Bros. Movie‘s success as an actual film. Longtime fans of the Mario franchise will likely find plenty of enjoyment within the film, particularly because it is stuffed with Easter eggs straight out of the video games. However, it also sounds like the plot doesn’t hold much weight when transferred onto a movie screen; The Super Mario Bros. Movie looks to be more preoccupied with bringing elements of the games into the movie rather than building them around a solid story.
Based on current projections, The Super Mario Bros. Movie is poised to become a hit at the box office, which would then put it on the right track to kick off a new franchise. It seems all but guaranteed that Mario’s most ardent fans won’t be deterred by the negative-leaning reviews; The Super Mario Bros. Movie has already been heralded as a major step-up from the live-action film, and for some, that may be enough.
Key Release Date
The Super Mario Bros Film
Release Date:2023-04-07
