The Super Mario Bros. Movie is a fun ride through the iconic world of Mario. The screenplay is admittedly very bare bones, and the characters lack depth, but the film still manages to capture the essence of the beloved video game franchise. The writers do not attempt to do anything beyond create a narrative that intentionally puts our characters in worlds and areas that are instantly recognizable to the audience. This makes the film feel like a Mario game come to life so that audiences can say “that is like Mario Kart or Super Smash Bros.” The movie pacing flies at a breakneck speed, and I felt that this movie could have benefited from a slightly longer runtime to flesh out the story and characters a bit more.
I was initially nervous about how the voice acting would hold up, but I was pleasantly surprised. Chris Pratt's voice as Mario is not over the top, which works well. It would have been extremely annoying to hear the super Italian Mario accent for a full hour and thirty minutes. Jack Black's portrayal of Bowser steals the show and was the best of the film. Anna Taylor Joy and Seth Rogan were good as Princess Peach and Donkey Kong, although I think Rogan may have injected a bit too much of himself in the character.
The direction of the film is solid, with great action set pieces and creative camera angles that make the action feel exciting and dynamic. The animation is stunning, with the characters and world directly designed off the games, but with more polish and details than ever before. The lighting is beautiful, with the bright lights of Rainbow Road and the dark, fiery flames of Bowser standing out as highlights.
Overall, The Super Mario Bros. Movie may not be the deepest or most complex film, but it is a good time for fans of the Mario franchise. The movie captures the fun and whimsy tone of the games and brings it to life on the big screen. While the comedy may not hit every mark, the voice acting, and direction make up for it. I am excited to see where this film series goes next.
Score: 72% Verdict: Good