Review of The Super Mario Bros. Movie (2023) by Nd-Bringer — 08 Apr 2023

Honestly, this movie was way better than I expected to be. Genuinely, I haven't been satisfied with a video game film like this for a long time. And that's explicitly due to the simplicity of this movie.

Illumination wasn't aiming to make some cinematic masterpiece or some glorified commercial, but rather a roller coaster ride that pays tribute to the Super Mario franchise. I was surprised to see the writers do there homework and make references to not just the most popular games in the series like Mario Kart, but also hidden relics like Wrecking Crew, Punch-Out, and even Donkey Kong 64.

We now have a cinematic version of the DK Rap! Somehow, miracles do happen. Even the world design feels natural. I've had theories since I was a kid about how Mario and Luigi first made into the Mushroom Kingdom, mainly drawing inspiration from the Super Show, and the execution here feels.

..wholesome. They establish the more down to earth human world, that includes the brothers' family, and even their plumbing careers. The exposition for all the important details about this universe may be rather brief, but not unfocused.

No one is going to mope around for 10 minutes trying to figure out what to do. This adventure runs on a lot of positive energy and fresh comedy to keep the party going. If you were looking for a more deep and manful Mario story, then I suggest you watch the classic Paper Mario trilogy cutscene movies.

They'll give a much more richer experience if you feel like the storytelling was lacking.