The first reviews for The Super Mario Bros Movie are out, and it looks like things are quite mixed. Praising the animation, voice work, action and the bunch of references to the Mario lore from the games, the critics are also criticising the film for having a flat story. So, with the reviews being out, let's take a look at some of them. 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).

Watch the Trailer:

The Guardian: unlike the brilliant Lego Movies, there is a fierce insistence on not being ironic or funny or self-referential about any of this – odd, as screenwriter Matthew Fogel worked on The Lego Movie 2. The only exception, arguably, is when Bowser is seen thoughtfully playing power-ballads on his piano. Even Super Mario superfans might prefer the game.

BBC: The Super Mario Bros Movie will probably make a fortune, because it is harmless and colourful enough to be almost adequate as an Easter holiday time-passer for small children. Any adults accompanying those children may wish they were watching the Hoskins and Leguizamo film instead.

The Hollywood Reporter: As usual for Illumination films, the brightly colored animation pops in consistently appealing character and scenic designs. The brisk 92-minute running time is another plus, especially for younger attention spans; this feels especially welcome when so many bloated animated movies come closer to the two-hour mark.

IGN: The assembled voice cast puts a unique spin on each of their characters, but undercooked emotional arcs don’t get the same attention as the aesthetics, something not helped by a paint-by-numbers plot that bafflingly keeps Mario and Luigi away from each other for half the movie. Illumination and Nintendo set out to deliver a Mario movie that anyone could enjoy, and that anyone with even a passing knowledge of the games could get lost in - they’ve undeniably succeeded on both fronts.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 05, 2023 11:33 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).