The Super Mario Bros. Movie (2023) User Reviews

Illumination's best since Despicable Me 1.

[benjaminskylerhill · 8/10 · 5 April 2023]

Granted, this film is not going to appeal to people who have never been fans of any games featuring the titular brothers. But given the fact that these filmmakers were tasked with making a movie that caters to a fan base that spans four decades and thus have a myriad of tastes and expectations, they did a pretty good job. In fact, a slightly better job than I was expecting.

The voice cast was the subject of much controversy, and I thought that for the most part it was actually spot-on. A couple of characters were horribly miscast in my opinion, but in particular Jack Black as Bowser and Charlie Day as Luigi shine as perfectly encapsulating the spirit of the characters.

Platforming elements from the games was very efficiently worked into the action sequences, and some of them were quite thrilling. This is easily Illumination's most visually stunning film, and a massive step up from every one of their other films since the first Despicable Me.

As for the plot, it's just the plot of every Mario game. And for the most part, that's all it needs to be. Every beat plays out almost exactly like you'd expect it to, with a couple subversions pleasantly thrown in there.

The messiest parts of the movie, if I'm going to get critical, are the dialogue (which is often quite stupid) and the characters. They just try to deal with too many of them, and although four or five characters are strongly introduced with background and desires, almost none of these introductions actually amount to a payoff, and even when there is a payoff, it's haphazardly thrown together for a rushed ending.

Although I think 85-90 minutes is actually the perfect length for an animated film normally, this one could've benefitted from an extra 10-20 minutes to flesh out these points a bit more. We move so quickly from location to location that there's never any time to breathe or get invested.

But that's my adult perspective. I had a pretty breezy, fun, and heartwarming time, though I would've liked more meat on the script.

My theater was PACKED, and probably 75% young children, and they all seemed to have the time of their lives. Your kids will probably love it, and you will probably more than tolerate it.

Solid Example of Game to Screen Adaptation

[Ltufano23 · 7/10 · 5 September 2023]

Video games have long been plagued by subpar adaptions of their materials, but on their second attempt, the Mario Bros save the day. Being on par with the likes of Sonic and Detective Pikachu, this film hits all the fun beats you would want from a Mario film. Including plenty of fun moments for fans of the expansive franchise, this also stays completely understandable and entertaining for anyone who checks it out. With some interesting voice acting choices, no one took you out of the film and everyone felt like great choices for this vibrant world. Wishing that it stood out more or took on more intriguing choices, I was still walking away happy and hopeful for the future of this franchise and the possibilities to come.

Everyone is so fixated on rotten tomatoes scores, it really is a solid film.

[nickryan-44535 · 8/10 · 5 April 2023]

I am someone who is not swayed by "critics" or rotten tomato scores. I didn't even really have any expectations going into this movie. As someone who grew up playing Super Mario Bros, Super Mario World etc., I was really just going to see this movie based on nostalgia and it does deliver on nostalgia. The visuals are stunning, and while everyone has their reservations about Chris Pratt the voice acting is perfect (except one for one elderly character). While many have said this movie moves quickly or "too fast", I would say it has great pacing and never leaves you bored. While it is not a perfect film it leaves little to be desired. It is everything you want from an animated Super Mario Movie.

The Message Of Love Is Sent Directly To The Fanbase, Not To The General Audience.

[folk_egm · 7/10 · 5 April 2023]

This is a movie that feels like a love letter to all the Nintendo fans out there, even if they don't necessarily play Mario anymore. The film delivers a fun and enjoyable experience for viewers by faithfully adapting every aspect of the game into the movie, including the Mario Kart and Donkey Kong franchises. The movie is packed with non-stop action and fast-paced storytelling, leaving little room for some of the more significant elements that fans might have wanted to see. It may not be able to fulfill every fan's wishes, but it's understandable and sets up for a sequel, as there is a post-credits scene.

But for general audiences who are not familiar with Mario enough, this might be a movie that is difficult to understand. There may be questions like why does it have to be like this? Why do it this way? Why is the world so strange? This is because the story hardly explains in detail for us to know how the world is. Even though the story is simple and has nothing much. But if you don't think too much, it's an easy and enjoyable movie to watch, with the lovable characters in the style of the works from the studio that made Despicable Me.

Critics are being too harsh for what it is

[AdrenalinDragon · 7/10 · 5 April 2023]

I think for what this movie sets out to do, Super Mario Bros. Movie pretty much ticks the boxes of an entertaining, reference fan-service heavy movie. A lot of the jokes are basic sure, but it's just impressive that there is some competency to a Video Game Movie. Sometimes simple and straightforward is the best way to go. Not high art or anything, but it ticks off almost everything for what Mario should be at least. Voice acting wasn't as bad as I thought, and Jack Black was the highlight as expected. Yeah, not gonna win any big awards but judge it for what it is, and yeah by Video Game Movie standards it's one of the best ones easily if you ask me.

6.5/10.

Fun and that's all

[educunhaholanda · 7/10 · 8 April 2023]

If you only watch the movie with the intention of having fun, you will certainly have a good experience with Mario. However the plot is quite bland and the movie runs at a very fast pace between one scene and another, hampering the progress of the story.

Also, if you haven't played the Mario games, you'll fail immeasurably to pick up the game references that are scattered throughout the movie, and there are many of them. For anyone who's a Mario fan, this movie is literally fan service and it's no wonder why they're giving it a 10.

For me, this movie doesn't lived up to the hype, but for a Mario fan, it certainly did.

An absolute BLAST!

[justinvitelli · 10/10 · 5 April 2023]

First off this movie is for kids and fans of Nintendo and the Mario franchise. I still think an adult who isnt a fan could still enjoy it but this movie is so full of fan service that it will have you smiling the whole time. The voice acting I was skeptical but they all work and work well too. Jack Black is the star here. I love how they kept the story simple like all of the games. Truly felt like a video game on screen. This movie felt like a beautifully animated amusement park ride. The audio in the movie was amazing too. The sounds and the score with reimagined iconic music was perfect. Some of the songs in the movie felt unnecessary but they worked. I think they should've bumped the run time to 105-120 min. 90 min felt too short as it goes by quick. I havent had this much wholesome fun at the movies in a long time. If youre a fan you HAVE to see it.

pretty much as expected

[SnoopyStyle · 6/10 · 19 April 2023]

Mario (Chris Pratt) and Luigi (Charlie Day) are struggling Brooklyn brother plumbers. When the city's sewer goes haywire, Mario sees an opportunity for heroic fame. Instead, they get sucked into an alternate world. The brothers get separated. Mario joins Princess Peach (Anya Taylor-Joy) to recruit the Kong army in their fight against the evil turtle Bowser (Jack Black). Luigi gets captured.

It's brightly colored. It's energetic. It's got the characters. There's the game play. The story is fairly simple. It's pretty much what I expected. I wish there is more heart to it. The brothers could have been that, but they get separated pretty quickly. I played some of the games over the years and this will probably appeal to the fans. It's got all the brightly colored chaos for the kids. It's less so for everybody else.

Don't listen to the critics on rotten tomatoes, this movie is really good.

[cplushie · 9/10 · 8 April 2023]

As a Mario fan myself it was a very enjoyable and fun action packed movie. While watching I just couldn't wipe the smile off my face. Jack black did an amazing job with voice acting bowser. Everyone did a great job and while I do agree Chris Pratt could have been better i got use to it really quick and im sure pretty much everyone else will too and besides, the Italian accent in the games is great but definitely not meant for a 80 minute movie. The plot is very simple which is good however because a Mario story shouldn't be complex at all and the people at illumination definitely know how the games should be. Speaking of that, you can tell the people behind this movie put a lot of heart into it. Definitely give this a strong recommendation if you like Mario or have childhood memories with Mario in any way or just wanna watch an enjoyable family movie.

If You Love Mario or Are Under 10

[knives123 · 6/10 · 6 April 2023]

I love Mario, and I enjoyed this movie, and so did my 7y/o. But with that out of the way I'll be honest - this movie is quite bad, as movies go. The story is barely present, every scene leads into the next with very little plot or agency - things just happen, characters just need things, that place is suddenly a karting city, that other place has an elevator leading up to a castle straight up a cliffface. The script is probably just screams and the a few catchphrases. It's all held together by nostalgia baiting, references and pandering, wrapped in Minions slapstick. It is all barely coherent. There is also a thing to be said about the music which was murdering classic tunes, some of which is just shockingly bad.

Is it a Mario movie? Sure. Is it a fun Mario product for the whole family? Yup. Is it a good movie? No, not really, in fact I'd give it a 6 if I am honest; not awful, but that's about it. So if you are 8 or a Mario fan - sure, you are likely to have a blast. But if you're just a person looking for a fun animation movie wholy uninvested in Mario? Nah, you can probably pass on this.

Brilliant animation and portrayal of the super Mario bros!

[mj-80986 · 10/10 · 5 April 2023]

Took my kids for a special sky screening and boy were we excited! At first I was rather skeptical thinking this film won't do any justice to the games. However, I was wrong! This film met our expectation and beyond. I think I enjoyed this film more than my kids. From the moment the film starts it is enjoyable. Good sense of humour and a lot of nice scenes. A lot of laughable moments. Apart from the film being too short it still met my expectations. As a 39 year old who played all the Mario games since childhood, this bought back a lot of fond memories of sleepless nights of playing the Mario games. A must watch film whether you have kids or not.

Solid

[keystone_koasters · 7/10 · 5 April 2023]

As a Super Mario fan myself, I was hyping this movie up for quite a while. So was it worth that hype? Yes and no. The references, animation, voice acting, and world building are incredible. But, there's a lot of filler and the plot isn't that good either. Despite that, I still really enjoyed it. Though admittedly kinda unnecessary, I really enjoyed watching the Mario Kart section. Same with the Luigi stuff, especially the "you just got Luigi'd" line. Though there are some other problems like Toad not really being funny, and this movie is kinda boring sometimes, but it's mostly pretty entertaining. So overall, solid 7/10 movie, must watch for Mario fans but it may not be for everyone else. If you want a Mario film that's an actual masterpiece, go watch Cute Mario Bros The Third Movie. It's not really based on the series, but besides that it's incredible.

Just average.

[movies_are_life_ · 5/10 · 10 April 2023]

Sometimes you come across a movie that takes no risks. It's light on story, avoids character development, and focuses on getting to the next scene as easily as possible. Mario Bros. Doesn't have any inherent plot holes or issues, but it tends to leave you in a state of just being a viewer rather than participating in the movie. In the end, it's not bad per se, but comes off as flat and lifeless.

The positives are all agreed upon by anyone who likes it, because the positives stand out by not being able to be compared against anything else. People have fun with the action. They love the Easter eggs. And the composed music is good. The action is done well, but without much dramatic weight, only carry the movie so far. Easter eggs don't nor should have any bearing on how good the ovoid is. The music was well incorporated, minus the pop songs that truly don't work.

It's not good enough to play things easy, and rely on fans to spot visual Easter eggs, to call the movie good. It's average at best mostly because it was watchable and didn't have any outright flaws. It just didn't take chances that could've ended up becoming flaws. Even if you had a good time watching it, there's not enough value to see it again. If you're a fan, check it out. If not, you won't miss a thing by skipping it.

A great watch for kids and fans alike

[Seb_3 · 7/10 · 7 December 2023]

This is definitely mostly targeted towards kids, in that aspect it does a tremendous job. It quickly paces along from set piece to set piece, while referencing the many games in the series, a great introduction to new comers and a fun watch for fans.

Ultimately it doesn't have layers upon layers as to appeal to an older audience, and the animation isn't spectacular. There is a lot of bright colors, funny quirks and fast paced clips and cuts. The voice of Luigi is great and sounds exactly like you would expect, while I was a bit worried about Chris Pratt as Mario, his voice grew on me and it wasn't as distracting as I feared. Jack Black as bowser was absolutely outstanding doing an amazing job capturing the quirky and "funny" side, balancing that with

It does bring references that nintendo lovers and fans of the Mario franchise, and the cast of characters that are closely connected to the franchise. While the movie isn't revolutionary in any way, it's a fun time especially for kids, that passes along at an astronomical pace.

It is as safe as animated movies come.

[Johnny-the-Film-Sentinel-2187 · 7/10 · 5 April 2023]

**Possible Spoilers**

30 years since 1993's fever dream live-action nightmare, The Super Mario Bros. Movie rights the wrongs of the last one; though it's certainly not a perfect movie, it's perfectly fine for what it is, and as family entertainment goes I've seen far worse than it. And with the gorgeous animation, the faithfulness to the games and the music, Chris Pratt and co. Do their best with the same old 'Mario comes to save Peach' storyline being worn thin at this point.

Sure the film's problems can be dissected to the nth degree on YouTube retrospectives talking about the movie, but it is what it is and it works where other blockbuster fan-service vehicles have failed (like Terminator: Dark Fate, Ghostbusters 2016 or The Lion King 2019). And Mario (at least Nintendo) has the potential to become a cinematic powerhouse that defies the 'bad' press and reviews (they're more mixed for the movie).

The film is basically feature-length comfort food more than anything else; and considering it's a family film that's pretty harmless, I'd say it's done its job more than well. Certainly better than Illumination's other more recent films I'd say.

The Super Mario Bros. Movie is the safest kind of cinema, and maybe some people should accept what they see; but not everyone has to. Besides, fun is fun. 3.5/5 stars.

P. S. Could this film lead to other stuff like Zelda hitting the big screen? Or maybe even Metroid? Who knows?

Its not a Super Star But it will certainly Power Up Your Day!

[KinoBuff2021 · 7/10 · 4 December 2023]

'The Super Mario Bros. Movie' (2023) is fun. Fans and casuals of the Mario franchise will certainly be entertained with the dazzling visuals and countless Easter Eggs and references to all sorts of games/media from Mario and Nintendo. But if you've never played a Mario game you might feel a little out of place as the film is based around these references to the games people have grown up with.

The animation is amazing and the visuals give it such as a cinematic feel its just dazzling at times. Enough for you to wish the film was longer so you can watch the Mushroom Kingdom live in action. Unfortunately the story is pretty simple and fast-pace, but still entertaining. The voice acting is better than what people were expecting from the voice-actor reveal. Jack Black as Bowser is for sure the highlight.

The film is definitely worth watching for anyone who has played a Mario game as you will quickly have enough fun to just spot the countless references throughout the film. Newbies may feel awkward but the visuals are good enough to keep you or more likely a kid entertained.

ALSO, watch till the very end for some great mid-credits and post-credits scenes!

Some great moments in a not so great film - but people will love it

[parksiet · 6/10 · 6 April 2023]

As I started to write this review, I was told I was being too harsh on this movie. I was told to think of it more as a video game playing out on screen, to just have fun with it. And frankly, I have a different perspective, as I will get into. But it just reminds me of the beauty of film; the subjectivity of all our opinions. We can all go into the same movie, and all come out with a variety of different opinions, thoughts, and interpretations. Mine isn't the right one, it is just my opinion. But let me just say, it's a fact that audiences are going to enjoy the heck out of The Super Mario Bros. Movie! My proof? The audience I saw it with went nuts for it, there was lots of cheering and clapping, and a round of applause at the end (reactions I haven't seen since Spider-Man: No Way Home). But while everyone else was clapping at the end, I was sitting there thinking to myself: "That's it?"

Before you try and guess where this is going, NO I did not hate this movie. I enjoyed myself the whole time and loved so many moments in it. I have played Mario games all my life, especially lots of Mario Kart, so seeing these iconic characters and locations on screen was a blast. There were so many references that made me smile, and I even loved how cues from the music in the games were used in the score here. The whole movie has many great moments, from the Mario Kart scene to the Donkey Kong vs Mario fight, to the training scene in the Mushroom Kingdom that plays out exactly like me trying to play the games (a real struggle). But your liking or disliking of this movie really comes down to how far these Mario-isms go for you. The plot is simple, hollow even. The Illumination style doesn't help. But the Nintendo stuff is exactly what you want. So if you are a fan of Mario, you'll have a good time! If not, this movie probably isn't for you, you'll probably come out of it confused about why so many people are loving it. Me? I think I've established myself as very mixed.

And yeah, some of you are going to say I'm being too harsh on this movie. Trust me, I don't want to be, nor do I think I am. I did love the Mario stuff, I just really would've liked an actual script next time... it plays more like a demo of the world of Mario. The movie is still really cute and perfect for kids, it does a great job of capturing the spirit of the games and the excitement of the set pieces, it is just a pretty hollow script that barely operates as a narrative feature. Mario, Luigi, Peach, and Toad are all very blank slate characters (although this is perhaps at the request of Nintendo, maybe they didn't want overly specific versions of these marquee characters). Really, I think most of my issues stem from the Illumination side of things. This movie has all the same qualities as any other Illumination film, from Minions to The Secret Life of Pets: it's got 20 gags (or references) per minute and really moves fast through story and character moments - it feels like a movie speed run. I would've liked it to slow down more, explore more of the world and get more time with the characters. It also had some humor that didn't work for me, but seemed to work for people around me (singing Bowser wasn't my favorite). But frankly, I really can't fault the movie for all this, it did what every other Illumination film does. So it's easier for me just to accept that maybe Illumination's style isn't for me. I prefer the Pixar or DreamWorks style, or if we're talking about this type of movie, I prefer The LEGO Movie or the two Sonic films as those were both very good stories with thematic elements while honoring their source material (and being very charming films too!)

The voice cast was actually decent! I don't always love Illumination's insistence on hiring big-name actors over voice actors, but it worked here for the most part. Jack Black was awesome as Bowser, same goes for Anya Taylor-Joy as Peach, and the rest of the cast was pretty good too! But here's the big question: how was Chris Pratt's Mario voice? And the answer - it was fine. He did well for what they had him do, although I didn't love that this Mario had a Brooklyn accent over the classic Italian one. I thought it worked for the most part, but I still would have preferred they just use the original Mario voice.

I can be critical all I want. I could mention how the needle drops were too much, I could go on about the lack of plot, I could complain about how I wished it was longer, but I don't want to. Because as a Mario fan, I loved so many moments here. I was smiling throughout the film. Sure, some things didn't always work, but I had a good time, as did everyone else in my showing. Kids will go nuts for it, it's a great family film. It's so joyful and energetic and feels like a fun adaptation of the Mario games. Plus the animation is fantastic! It's pretty cute, and will be very re-watchable. The movie is by no means perfect, but families looking for a good movie will find one with The Super Mario Bros. Movie! And of course, this will be perfect for any Mario fan!

Now, time to go play some Mario Kart!

Chris Pratt was awesome as Mario and Jack black as bowser was remarkable!!!!!!

[gabethedinosaur · 10/10 · 6 April 2023]

After meeting Chris Pratt at the Santa Barbara film festival I'm very amazed of how remarkable Chris played Mario for the first. I remember playing Mario kart double dash on GameCube 20 years ago with my sister during Christmas Day and I absolutely loved the game . Universal and Nintendo did a great job making this movie for kids and adults who played the video game since the 80s 90s 2000s to now . The Mario movie was absolutely awesome and very creative from the video game . Chris was absolutely hilarious as Mario . Jack black as bowser was the best for the film. His voice was a mixture of Vader which I find so outstanding. Chris who voiced Mario did a fantastic job. He used the characters voice very carefully. The sounds were just like the video game. And i think that was absolutely awesome. The story taking place in New York to the mushroom kingdom is brilliant. Princess peach was the best part of the movie . She had a good way of showing bowser she will not marry a turtle . And toad was the best part of the movie . The rest of the characters including donkey Kong voiced by Seth rogen was so awesome. I hope in the next Mario movie yoshi finds Mario and Luigi and becomes they're pet.

The Super Mario Bros. Movie

[jackson_ro · 6/10 · 5 April 2023]

Can't help but feel like a massively missed opportunity for such a massive IP. While a lot of elements are added in from various games over the years, the script is simply flat and uninspiring, while fails to really showcase the wondrous world of the Super Mario Universe. However, I do understand that the film is a serious undertaking, attempting to introduce a somewhat dated character to a new generation of viewers who may or may not know much about them, but I think a better balance could have been done to appease both type of fans. The music score is definitely a highlight of the overall film, and I think that says a lot about the overall quality.

Nintendo @ Da Best

[mariotoadman · 10/10 · 5 April 2023]

I always try to be genuine when it comes to the Big N. Certain years in Nintendo history stand out to me; 2009, 2013, 2017, and now currently one of the best years of Nintendo yet... 2023.

I will criticize Nintendo when Nintendo deserve it and praise Nintendo when they deserve it too. This has to be the most self-aware film ever. The film knows exactly who it is representing.

If you love Mario, you'll love this film. The animation is beautiful art, the music and soundtrack are fantastic, the whole thing has been handled with immense care. This movie is a love letter and thank you to Super Mario fans.

Ignore the critics. They give bad movies good reviews a lot too you know. Peach is a boss and the movie is great.

Nintendo wins again. I really felt the love and care, and everyone trying their best w this film. 10/10!!

IT WAS GOOD !

[Ju2lu · 7/10 · 9 December 2023]

IT WAS COOL

A good film to see, alone or with the family, enjoy it at any age...

I'm not an undisputed fan of the franchise, but like everyone else I got to know the universe through the video games that marked my childhood.

I didn't expect anything better from this film, I got everything I wanted even in detail, whether it was Mario's famous jump, the skidding of his go-kart, the rainbow circuit... and much more.

It was cool and I had a great time that brought back memories of my time on the Wii or Nintendo DS.

I didn't watch it in the original version, but special mention to the voices in the original version!

Enjoyable but shallow

[Arts-student · 5/10 · 21 April 2023]

As a purely fluff piece - it's fun, bright spirited, and enjoyable for families. A movie that has all of the elements you'd want represented from Super Mario bros video games, and as a bonus, it also showcases Mario cart and donkey kong junior. The animation is strong, the worlds are exactly like the video games and truly fun moments for kids. The runtime is great and the movie moves along without pause.

AND I expect better, higher quality movie making.

The voice acting in this movie is so lazy. Chris Pratt is forgettable-anyone could have done better voicing such a beloved character. Princess Peach is the same - voice acting is boring and fairly emotionless. The worst voice acting belongs to Seth's terrible Donkey Kong junior - not a single attempt to make an actual character voice, just Seth's normal voice slapped on Donkey Kong. Toad's voice acting is also meatless and without any real jokes.

The script is mostly empty and there is little to no attempt at character motivation, organic character decision making - for example, why Princess Peach tells Mario he can come with her to save her kingdom. Almost every opportunity to make a joke is skipped. None of the characters have stated goals aside from King Koppa.

And saddest of all to me, there is no attempt to create backstory or give context to these beloved worlds and characters.

Fan service : the movie

[ancjeremy · 6/10 · 7 April 2023]

The movie was an enjoyable moment. Not going to lie on that front.

However most of the references to the Nintendo universe were forced onto the viewer and I much rather when it's done within a element of set that is not interacted with.

The mixed feeling is coming from that but also from the general feeling of nothing special. It is everything you wanted to see but without surprises.

On a good note some of the jokes are working very well and the animation is really clean - when you have Miyamoto on your producer roaster I guess it helps the artistic direction.

One thing that transpire is that Nintendo have been really careful with their I. P.

Jack black

[judealexharnett · 6/10 · 19 November 2023]

This movie wasn't bad, it wasn't good either though, it was just alright. Everything about it was alright. Whole the story itself felt pretty weak I feel a lot of people sat there and said I know that character or wow what a cool Easter egg, and thats why people enjoyed it so much. The movie itself sacrifices a lot of good storytelling to focus on these Easter eggs and nostalgia. A lot of the characters are really underdeveloped and I was so unmotivated to root for either of the Mario brothers. And idk who decide to cast Chris pratt as Mario but it felt so strange but Jack black definitely hard carried as bowser. 6.8/10.

It's generally okay

[wangzhiheng-92199 · 6/10 · 14 May 2023]

Effect is good, it really makes me feel like to be in the scene. However, plot is little bit tedious. It's kind of like watching a game being played, mission after mission without decent transition. Not recommended for the people who haven't touched the game(like me). But I believe it surely does add a lot of classic elements of the game into it like the super cubes, car-racing and the Mushroom Kingdom filled with game. By the way, Princess Peach riding the motorcycle is as well a little highlight. An appeal to the modern aesthetics? If you are a fan of the game, it can be a huge bonus I guess.