Review: The Super Mario Bros. Movie (2023)

The Super Mario Bros. franchise is a beloved video game series that has been entertaining people of all ages since 1985. The series features the titular character Mario, a plumber who goes on adventures to rescue Princess Peach from the villainous Bowser.

The Super Mario Bros. Movie, released on April of 2023, is an animated film based on the video game franchise. The movie is being produced by Illumination, the same studio behind popular animated films such as Despicable Me and The Secret Life of Pets. The movie is being directed by Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic, who previously worked together on the animated series Teen Titans Go!.

The Super Mario Bros. Movie will feature a star-studded cast, including Chris Pratt as Mario, Anya Taylor-Joy as Princess Peach, and Jack Black as Bowser. The cast also includes Seth Rogen, Keegan-Michael Key, and Fred Armisen, among others. Some critics have praised the voice acting, particularly Chris Pratt as Mario and Anya Taylor-Joy as Princess Peach. However, others have criticized the film for being bland, witless, and pandering. But the movie has a 96% rating audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. While the film has some entertaining moments, it may not be for everyone. It’s great for families with young children and those that love the Super Mario Brothers franchise.

The movie follows Italian-American brothers Mario and Luigi as they start a plumbing business in Brooklyn. Their father disapproves of Mario’s decision to leave his steady job under his antagonistic ex-employer Spike and believes he’s dragging Luigi down with him. After seeing a significant manhole leak on the news, Mario and Luigi go underground to fix it, but are sucked into a Warp Pipe and separated. Mario lands in the Mushroom Kingdom, ruled by Princess Peach, while Luigi lands in the Dark Lands, ruled by the evil Koopa king Bowser. Bowser seeks to marry Peach, and will destroy the Mushroom Kingdom using a Super Star if she refuses. He imprisons Luigi to blackmail Mario into helping him find the Super Star. Mario teams up with Peach and an anthropomorphic mushroom named Toad to find Luigi and stop Bowser from taking over the Mushroom Kingdom.

The Super Mario Bros. Movie (2023) has a strong moral message about brotherhood, sacrifice, and working together to overcome evil. The movie follows Italian-American brothers Mario and Luigi as they start a plumbing business in Brooklyn. Their father disapproves of Mario’s decision to leave his steady job under his antagonistic ex-employer Spike and believes he’s dragging Luigi down with him. The brothers travel through the Mushroom Kingdom with Princess Peach and Toad to find Mario’s missing brother and save the world from a ruthless fire-breathing Koopa named Bowser. The film stresses Mario’s unwavering love for his younger brother, Luigi. With a star-studded cast and a talented production team behind it, the movie is sure to be a treat for anyone who loves Mario and his adventures.