While The Super Mario Bros. Movie has become a huge success for Illumination and Universal, the movie proves that the original 1993 Super Mario Bros. did something right. The 2023 movie has become an outstanding success for the studio, as The Super Mario Bros. Movie made $1.36 billion worldwide (via The Numbers), all but guaranteeing Super Mario Bros. 2. That figure is even more impressive given that the movie had a mixed reception, as it sits at a “rotten” 59% on Rotten Tomatoes. Nevertheless, The Super Mario Bros. Movie is a massive audience pleaser, and has helped fans forget about the obscure 1993 film.
1993’s Super Mario Bros. was completely different from the 2023 movie in almost every way. The film was live-action, intentionally dark, and included a cast full of movie stars with very animated voices. That said, the movie was a total box office bomb, making $20 million domestically against a $48 million budget (via Box Office Mojo). However, the new animated hit proves that in spite of its drawbacks, the original Super Mario Bros. did excel in at least one area.
1993’s Live-Action Mario Beat The Super Mario Bros. Movie For Creativity
The Super Mario Bros. Movie undoubtedly looks stunning, and Illumination stretched the Super Mario $100 million budget as far as it could, as the film looks just as visually stunning as any $200 million Pixar or Disney movie. Its success can be attributed to all sorts of factors, but imagination isn’t one of them. The majority of its best moments, including the kart racing, were lifted directly from the video game franchise. The studio essentially played it safe when adapting the video game, and while that might have been the best decision financially, it spotlights just how much more creative the 1993 Mario movie is.
The 1993 live-action adaptation of Super Mario Bros. might not have received the warmest reception from critics and fans, but it undeniably displayed a considerable amount of creativity that often goes unnoticed. While it’s crucial to acknowledge the criticisms the film faced, including its deviation from the source material, it is equally important to recognize the innovative aspects that set it apart. One of the film’s most inventive features was its world-building. Instead of simply replicating the familiar Mushroom Kingdom, the movie introduced Dinohattan, an alternate dimension where the dinosaurs had evolved into human-like beings.
This unique twist on the source material gave the film a distinct identity and allowed for a fresh exploration of the Mario universe. The filmmakers took a risk by deviating from the norm, and it resulted in a world that was genuinely visually striking and distinct. Another creative element was the film’s portrayal of its iconic characters. While the characterizations might not have been entirely faithful to the games, Hoskins and John Leguizamo (Luigi) playing fish-out-of-water Brooklynites was entertaining nonetheless. The same can be said for Dennis Hopper’s portrayal of King Koopa, which proved to be an eccentric and fantastically absurd take on Bowser.
Yes, The Live-Action Mario Movie Is Still Awful
Ultimately, it was an audacious move to make a Super Mario Bros. movie a neo-noir-like sci-fi flick influenced by Blade Runner and Total Recall, and it led to interesting visuals and world-building. All this aide, though, the live-action film remains deeply flawed and, in many ways, a missed opportunity. The criticism it garnered over the past three decades still holds weight, preventing it from achieving the status of a beloved cult classic. One of the most significant issues with the film was its disjointed narrative and inconsistent tone.
The convoluted plot involving parallel dimensions and a devolved dinosaur-human society left audiences scratching their heads. Additionally, the film struggled to find a balance between catering to children and appealing to adults, resulting in a tonal mishmash that didn’t satisfy either demographic. Then there’s the bizarre decision to turn Toad, a beloved character from the games, into a rockstar who shares none of Toad’s personality traits. This creative choice, among others, felt disconnected from the source material and added to the overall inconsistency.
The writing was on the wall regarding the film from the very start, as production problems plagued Super Mario Bros. early in development. Constant script rewrites and creative differences among the cast and crew hindered the project’s development process. This turmoil behind the scenes undoubtedly contributed to the film’s lack of cohesion and the perceived lack of passion for the final product. The directors were even told to leave the set, effectively leaving the production without its leaders.
Barbie Proved Where Both Mario Movies Went Wrong
Barbie is the perfect middle ground between the creativity of the 1993 Mario movie and the 2023 reboot, and it isn’t a coincidence that the only 2023 movie to make more money than The Super Mario Bros. Movie is Barbie. The film based on the iconic Mattel doll could have easily gone down the same safe route as the 2023 Mario movie, simply being a fun and inoffensive film aimed at kids. Instead, Barbie was daringly meta and PG-13, and the creative and unique approach while still embracing and celebrating Barbie’s history is what helped the film become a phenomenal success, leading to a whopping $1.43 billion worldwide box office haul (via Box Office Mojo).
