The Super Mario Bros Movie Review: Chris Pratt’s Animated Film is Bogged Down By a Paper-Thin Plot Over-Laden With Nintendo Nostalgia (LatestLY Exclusive)

The Super Mario Bros Movie Review: Mario's movie history has been somewhat of a disaster. After a flop in the 90s, the prospect of another Mario film seemed like a nightmare, and when the Chris Pratt-starrer was announced, many of us collectively said "Ninten-don't," but they went ahead and Nintendid, and here we are two years later with a film that left me conflicted at the end. On the one hand, The Super Mario Bros Movie is an aesthetically pleasing journey that is sure to please long-term fans, but on the other, its story is exceedingly shallow. The Super Mario Bros Movie Review: Chris Pratt's Animated Film Receives Mixed Response From Critics, Animation Receives Praise While Story Gets Called 'Flat'.

The Super Mario Bros Movie is directed by Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic, and is based on one of Nintendo’s flagship gaming franchises. It focuses on Mario (Chris Pratt) teaming up with Princess Peach (Anya Taylor-Joy) to save Mushroom Kingdom from Bowser’s (Jack Black) wrath, while also trying to save his brother Luigi (Charlie Day) in the process.

Getting the story right for Mario is a tricky task. In the games, he and Luigi journey to Mushroom Kingdom in order to save Princess Peach from Bowser. The classic damsel-in-distress story became synonymous with the games. In The Super Mario Bros Movie though, the roles are reversed as this time around its Luigi who needs saving and Princess Peach has a very direct involvement in the plot - which is appreciated, but the movie doesn’t know what to do with it.

The story's main flaw is that it nearly feels like it's hanging by a thread. There is nothing to discover and no depth at all. It feels more like a sequence of vignettes that you're witnessing. You keep bouncing from one area to another without ever presenting any major threats or urgency that might compel you to become more involved. We've seen with animated films in the past, such as Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, that you can build a plot aimed towards children while yet having emotional depth, but The Super Mario Bros Movie never truly does.

Watch the Trailer:

As a viewer, you sit there feeling like the movie is throwing nostalgia at you to keep you amused because it doesn't have much to offer. The Super Mario Bros Movie contains a plethora of references that are guaranteed to please die-hard fans, but you can't help but feel that the impact is cheap and comes at the expense of a plot.

It also sets up a lot of stuff that feel thrown in. It was like watching a Mario film through the eyes of Marvel Studios. If you've seen the trailers, you'll know Donkey Kong is in the movie, and his participation just didn't make sense to me. He has appeared in other Mario games and vice-versa, but it just felt like a way to kickstart another cinematic universe.

The one aspect that many people were skeptical about turned out quite well actually. Chris Pratt, believe it or not, makes for a good Mario. Of course, it's difficult to surpass the voice of Charles Martinet from the games, but Pratt does his best, and Mario's arc in the film is well-appreciated. Other cast members, such as Charlie Day's Luigi and Taylor-Joy's Princess Peach, stay loyal to the games' style. Jack Black delivers an unapologetically Jack Black performance with Bowser, while Seth Rogen's Donkey Kong is a delight. Keegan-Michael Key’s Toad was adorable too, and the voice performances overall were well done.

I was surprised by the incorporation of gameplay elements in The Super Mario Bros Movie too. The filmmakers nailed the visual of how Mario should be presented on the screen, which was undoubtedly a highlight of the film and some of the most entertaining moments of it. From the recreations of 2D levels to the high-octane Rainbow Road segment pulled straight from Mario Kart, this will be a joy for the vast majority of fans. The Super Mario Bros Movie Trailer: Chris Pratt's Mario Leads the Fight to Bowser in Illumination's Film Based on the Hit Nintendo Game (Watch Video).

The soundtrack was also something that drew my attention. I can imagine myself listening to Brian Tyler's remixes of Koji Kondo's iconic works on repeat. It has just the proper amount of individual identity to be recognised while also adding another layer to it. The slightest hints of the old music, or even the addition of the level-completion track, had me giddy in my seat. Oh well, only if the film had a compelling plot to back it all up.

Yay!

The Soundtrack

Incorporation of the Gameplay Elements

Nay!

Plot Feels Flat

Nostalgia Bait

Final Thoughts

The Super Mario Bros Movie gets a lot of things right in terms of aesthetics and recreating many legendary Mario moments on the big screen, but it ultimately falls short in terms of story. It delivered a paper-thin plot that was carried on nostalgia, leaving me conflicted and wishing for more depth. The Super Mario Bros Movie releases in theaters on April 7, 2023.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 06, 2023 04:00 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).