Review by Mr. Will Wong
Attempts have been made to give iconic The Super Mario Bros. that big screen (and TV!) treatment but none have ever been on this grand a scale. Directing duo Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic‘s THE SUPER MARIO BROS. MOVIE never stops dazzling from start to finish. It is a dazzling spectacle that fans who grew-up with its Video Game legacy will find plenty of throwbacks planted within, to adore. And did we mention how incredibly-cute it is?
We meet Mario (Chris Pratt) and Luigi (Charlie Day), as they try branching-out on their own with their plumbing business. They are under-achievers with big dreams. When a water pipe explosion threatens to submerge Brooklyn, they step-up to the rescue. They find themselves swept away and separated. Luigi finds himself in Bowser‘s (Jack Black) dark kingdom and Mario must find Princess Peach (Anya Taylor-Joy) to enlist her help in freeing his brother from Bowser‘s clutch. Bowser also happens to be in love with Princess, hoping to have her hand in marriage. Princess trains Mario up to give Bowser a real fight, and along the way they get some help from new allies. But will that even be enough to accomplish the gargantuan task?
While leaning on typical tropes like the guys fighting to get the girl tropes, THE SUPER MARIO BROS. MOVIE is a little different from others in that it pays respect to Princess Peach’s strength, instead of making her damsel in distress. Mario and Luigi are Average Joes, but it is their persistence that is their superpower through it all and if anything can be taken away from this feverish pace – the Film is a concise 90 minutes – this is the thing.
The story is told through gorgeous animation and effects and we were captivated by colours and the defiance of gravity. Visually, it is a 10/10 even if the story isn’t nearly on the same plain. And the Film pays respect to the many eras of Mario and the things about his world that we love so much. We don’t want to give too much away, but the cat suit comes out and our hearts melt. And that Score is used effectively, especially late when it tugs on our heartstrings.
Pratt takes us into Mario‘s world, his own insecurities and self-doubt, which has us rooting for him, though Day as Luigi hardly gets enough room to work with as this truly is Mario‘s origins story. This is a gap in that the Film wants us to believe that great things come of family being together. Black is in on the laughs and takes Bowser right over the top and beyond (!), which actually fits since all of this kinda crazy and fantastical when you think about it. And Taylor-Joy grounds all the chaos as Princess Peach, a voice of reason in this war of the worlds.
THE SUPER MARIO BROS. MOVIE might not be protected by the invincibility of the star in the Video Game, but it sure is charming and fun! Universal Pictures Canada release it in theatres April 5, 2023.
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