While working underground to fix a water main, Brooklyn plumbers and brothers Mario and Luigi are transported through a mysterious pipe to a magical new world. But when the siblings are separated, an epic adventure begins.
- Based on the Nintendo video game characters.
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Back in the 80’s and 90’s, Nintendo tried to get their video game characters on the big screen in a live-action film (Super Mario Bros.). It didn’t go well. Mario, Luigi and even Bowser put in appearances, but the whole movie came off as a disastrous joke. With the recent success of a live-action/CGI Sonic the Hedgehog (created by Nintendo’s biggest rival back in the day, Sega), the time seemed ripe for a new adaptation. Enter The Super Mario Bros. Movie, a computer animated pic from the makers of Despicable Me. So would this second attempt be worthwhile, or are these characters stuck in video games forever?
The voice casting is great for this film. Chris Pratt and Charlie Day have Mario and Luigi down pat, and the voices seem exactly like what viewers remember from the cartoons and such back in the 80’s. While Charlie Day is somewhat recognizable, Pratt is Mario, and the viewer will only realize it’s him from the end credits.
Jack Black, on the other hand, manages to take Bowser (who never said anything) and put his own spin on him (as evidenced by the popularity his “Peaches” song got on YouTube). Keegan-Michael Key is excellent as Toad as well and Anya Taylor-Joy is unrecognizable as Peaches. Even Seth Rogen turns down the stupid to deliver a solid voice performance for Donkey Kong!
The story, while simple, is what helps make The Super Mario Bros. Movie work. The viewer is first introduced to Mario and Luigi as down-on-their-luck plumbers in Brooklyn, New York. There’s a funny sequence involving what looks like the dog from UP, then, in an attempt to save Brooklyn from flooding, they are sucked down a strange pipe – and end up in a world video game fans will easily recognize. It’s a a good way to explain why the video game world looks so different from this one. It also makes it easier for the viewer to connect with the characters, as they are brought along with Mario and Luigi to experience this new world alongside them.
Also, by exploring this world, the filmmakers have really managed to toss in a ton of references to both different video games in the franchise (including Mario Kart and a nod to the original Donkey Kong that started everything) as well as other animated movies (like Frozen and Wreck-It Ralph). The soundtrack – both the classic 80’s songs like “Take On Me” by A-Ha and the iconic video game sounds, both bring viewers a hint of the 80’s without inundating them, making this trip have a nostalgic tinge to it.
With a solid story, spot-on voice casting, and a visual feast for the eyes driven by a nostalgia-filled soundtrack video game enthusiasts will appreciate, The Super Mario Bros. Movie finally does these video game icons justice on the big screen. Forget that crappy 90’s flick. This fun-filled family adventure is where it’s at.
