Daniel Gallipoli | Contributing Writer
I don't think I'm alone in saying I was incredibly skeptical about this movie. How could I not be? It's a joy to hear the one of your favorite and most iconic video game characters is getting his own movie, but with the history of video game movies and the reputation of Illumination being... well, what they are, I was very nervous as I sat down in the theatre.
To address the obvious: yes, this movie is for kids (for the most part). It has a simple to follow plot with tried-and-true family-friendly adventure movie themes. It is, at its core, a very accurate interpretation of Mario games—made to satisfy a wide audience, but not in a bad way whatsoever. I didn't expect anything Oscar-winning, but that didn't decrease my enjoyment one bit.
This movie is a shining example of what it means to be a "love letter" to something. It is jammed with references to Mario and Nintendo in general, each frame packed with blink-and-you'll miss it Easter eggs for everyone from the kids who have only played Mario Kart to the adults who have been playing since the first World 1-1, and everyone in between.
You can tell that this movie was made with so much love from Nintendo and Illumination, and everyone else involved. It brims with care in every scene. Every voice actor kills it; Jack Black's Bowser steals every scene he's in, Chris Pratt was surprisingly good, Day's Luigi, Taylor-Joy's Peach, Rogan's Donkey Kong... standing ovations to them all! And Brian Tyler's score is a perfect blend of new, exciting themes and instant classics from Mario's iconic library of music (Koji Kondo is, of course, deserving of all the credit for composing such quintessential pieces).
92 minutes after the lights dimmed, my fears had been mitigated. I am pleased to say that The Super Mario Bros. Movie nails its goal at being an enjoyable, nostalgia-filled odyssey through the Mushroom Kingdom!
Rating: 8/10
Watch The Super Mario Bros. Movie in theatres now.