For those who maybe have not heard or read yet, news came out this week that Screen Gems’ largely forgettable cinematic adaptation of Nintendo’s Super Mario Brothers video game franchise will get a 4K theatrical re-issue next month. The movie is set to return to theaters Sept. 15 to celebrate the 30th anniversary of its initial release, May 28,1993. Despite having a superstar cast, including Dennis Hopper (Easy Rider, Blue Velvet, Waterworld), Bob Hoskins (Who Framed Roger Rabbit?, Hook, Hollywoodland), and John Leguizamo (Ice Age 1-5, Spawn, Moulin Rouge), the movie has since gone on to be largely forgettable in the bigger world of movies adapted from video games. Interestingly enough, the same year that largely forgettable movie will get some renewed attention through its theatrical re-issue (and likely a 4K physical re-issue to follow), another iteration of the world’s favorite plumbers from Brooklyn made its initial debut early this year thanks to Universal and Illumination in the aptly titled The Super Mario Brothers Movie. Where its predecessor ultimately made itself anything but memorable, this latest take on the famed video game franchise makes itself at least a little bit more worth watching. That is due in large part to its story, which sadly is its own mixed bag offering. This will be discussed shortly. The bonus content that accompanies the movie in its recent home release adds a little (and only a little) to the movie’s appeal. It will be discussed a little later. The work of the movie’s cast rounds out the most important of the movie’s presentation and will also be discussed later. Each item noted here is of its own importance to the whole of this movie. All things considered they make The Super Mario Brothers Movie at least a slight improvement on its predecessor.
It goes without saying that Mario Mario (that really is his name) and his plumber brother Luigi are among the most famous and beloved figures in the world of pop culture. From the countless video games that have featured the brothers both together and by themselves to the TV shows to the theatrical offerings to the toys and apparel, Mario and Luigi have for more than four decades (yes, that long) become household names. This past April, Universal and Illumination (the studio behind the Despicable Me and Minions movies) further cemented the Mario Brothers’ place in pop culture history when they released the latest movie centered on the long-running franchise, the aptly-titled The Super Mario Brothers Movie. Not even a full three months after its release (likely as a way to offer audiences something worth watching after the launch of the Writers Guild strike) the movie made its way to home release in June. The movie is far from being as forgettable as Screen Gems’ 1993 live action adaptation of the famed franchise, though still imperfect. That is due in no small part to its featured story. The story featured in this adaptation is a mixed bag. On the one hand, the story does have some heart. The heart in question comes as Mario wants his dad to be proud of him and his brother for starting their own business and taking that big risk in life. The risk in question involved the brothers leaving an established business to start their own business. This is a story element that is very real. To that point, it is a matter that is certain to resonate especially with any viewer, not just longtime fans of the Mario Brothers. That desire to have his father (and family) proud of him and his brother is just as relatable. The lack of support from the Marios’ patriarch is very real, too. There are in fact people out there who are as lacking in support as him. Of course, Mario and Luigi’s dad changes his tune when the brothers save not only the Mushroom kingdom, but also Earth when they defeat Bowser. That everyman hero type story is anything but new to any movie but is still a welcome tale here.
On another level, audiences will find interesting, a clear reference to what is currently happening globally with the mention that if Bowser is not stopped before he overtakes the Mushroom Kingdom, he will not stop there. This is a clear reference to what is happening between Ukraine and Russia (or more specifically, its tyrannical leader, Vladimir Putin). There is even a scene late in the story in which a giant nuclear weapon is used by Bowser, which sets up the final climactic battle in Brooklyn. That sequence is obviously an allusion to what Putin is capable of doing. To that end, the subtle but not-too-subtle way in which this political commentary is tied into the bigger story does make for at least some more interest in the story.
While the central story does make this movie worth watching at least once, there is also one major concern with the story. The concern comes through the nonstop references to every single Mario Brothers video game iteration and even some Donkey Kong games. From Mario’s earliest days on the Nintendo to his games on the Nintendo Switch, script writer Matthew Fogel goes all the way back to Mario’s earliest days while also making reference to the likes of Luigi’s Mansion, Super Mario Brothers 64, Donkey Kong (which also featured Mario – then known as Jump Man), and even Super Mario Brothers World 3D, using each game as part of the bigger plot, which finds Mario, Luigi, and the Mushroom Kingdom’s citizens working to keep Bowser from destroying the Mushroom kingdom. The whole thing makes the story come across as being a giant advertisement for every Mario Brothers game ever created. It would not be the first time a major motion picture has done, such. Case in point is Carolco Pictures’ 1989 movie, The Wizard. That movie, which was led by then child star Fred Savage, was little more than an advertisement for Super Mario Brothers 3, which was brand new at the time. Keeping that in mind, it makes the use of all the Mario Brothers games in this case come across as just as much of a glorified advertisement. If not for a story that actually manages some relatability and believability, that aspect would otherwise have made this movie just as forgettable as The Wizard and even Super Mario Brothers.
Keeping in mind the pros and cons noted here, the story featured in The Super Mario Brothers Movie helps the movie just as much as it hurts the presentation. While the story is a mixed bag, the bonus content featured with the movie’s home release is a little more concrete. The cast interviews for example actually offer an interesting overarching theme, that of the control that the cast was given over their performances. That willingness of the movie’s creative heads to let the cast do their own thing definitely plays into the appeal their performances bring to the movie. This will be discussed shortly. The multi-part bonus feature in which the cast and crew discuss how the movie was made makes for its own share of engagement and entertainment. That is because of the discussions of how seriously the crew took making every aspect, from the look of the movie to the music to the general sound effects. The in-depth discussions on those matters is sure to keep viewers just as engaged as the cast interviews which offer the noted surprising overarching concept talks. The engagement and entertainment offered through these two noted bonuses builds on the pro side of the movie’s story. The result is that the primary and secondary content does just enough to make the movie worth watching at least once.
Building even more on the positive viewing experience ensured by the movie’s primary and secondary content is the collective work of the cast. As noted previously, the movie’s main cast members each note during their interviews that the movie’s creative heads gave them a pretty long leash, letting them put their own touch to the characters and their performances thereof. The result is that each performance proves believable and engaging in its own right. Despite the outcry that happened over star Chris Pratt for instance, Pratt actually proves himself enjoyable as he takes on the role of Mario. Case in point, he does not try to overplay Mario’s Italian accent for instance. It would have been so easy for him to go overboard, but thankfully, he was more subtle in his performance, and it made things work. What’s more, his timing, especially in the story’s more comedic moments is expert in its own right. On a similar note, fellow cast member Anya Taylor-Joy (The New Mutants, The Queen’s Gambit, The Witch) gives Princess Peach just enough edge to make her a positive addition to the cast. In a time when the likes of Barbie, Taylor Swift and Beyonce are taking the world by storm, this strong, confident female lead is sure to appeal to so many female audiences. Just like it would have been easy for Pratty to over do certain aspects of his performance, it would have been so easy for Taylor-Joy to over do her confident performance, making Peach a farce of herself but thankfully she is just confident and strong enough to make her a character for whom viewers are sure to root. On yet another note, even Seth Rogen, who voices Donkey Kong in this outing, does well as he brings out the famous primate’s cocky personality. He makes it easy to love and hate DK all at the same time. Between her work, that of Pratt and that of the rest of the cast, the whole of the cast’s work does so much to offer engagement and entertainment throughout the movie. When that engagement and entertainment is considered along with the positive side of the movie’s story and the smaller positive impact of the movie’s bonus content, the whole therein makes the movie overall a presentation that while maybe not memorable, still worth watching at least once and finally an adaptation of the Mario Brothers games finally done right.
Universal and Illumination’s recently released adaptation of the Super Mario Games, The Super Mario Brothers Movie, is an interesting new offering from the famed studios. It is not a perfect presentation but is still worth watching. That is due in part to its story. The story actually boasts some heart as it depicts Mario as an everyday hero who just wants his family to be proud of him and his brother. They end up being proud of course. At the same time, the incorporation of so many Mario Brothers games to make the story play out also makes the story seem like it is little more than a giant 93-minute advertisement for said games. Even with that in mind, the story still works a heck of a lot better than its 1993 predecessor. The bonus content that accompanies the movie in its home release add a little more substance to the presentation with the background that it offers. The cast’s work rounds out the movie’s most important elements. That is because the cast makes its performances so believable. Each item examined here is important in its own way to the whole of the movie’s presentation. All things considered they make The Super Mario Brothers Movie a presentation that while imperfect, is an improvement on its predecessor that is a rare reboot worth watching.
The Super Mario Brothers Movie is available now. More information on this and other titles from Universal is available at:
Website: https://universalpictures.com
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More information on this and other titles from Illumination is available at:
Website: https://illumination.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/illuminationent
Twitter: https://twitter.com/illumination
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