super mario bros movie review embargo

Super Mario Bros. MOVIE Reviews: What Are Critics' First Reactions?

The embargo for critics' social media reactions to The Super Mario Bros. Movie lifted, leading to the first reviews surfacing.

Video game movies have long been held in a rather negative light, but that perception has finally begun to shift after heavily praised adaptations of The Last of Us , Sonic the Hedgehog , and more.

Coming up to bat next is The Super Mario Bros. Movie , bringing with it one of the most surprising, all-star voice cast ever for what has recently been revealed to be a relatively short first movie in, what could be, a new big-screen franchise.

The Super Mario Bros. Movie Early Reviews Released

The first critics' reactions to The Super Mario Bros Movie emerged online, with these early reviews painting a pretty great picture overall for fans of Nintendo's iconic Italian plumber.

Fandango's Erik Davis called the adaptation "the ultimate love letter to every era of Mario," putting particular praise on the humor and Jack Black's Bowser:

"Wahoo! 'The Super Mario Bros. Movie' is the ultimate love letter to every era of Mario. Loved the humor & especially Jack Black’s Bowser. I felt the same way watching the movie as I do playing the games. It’s just joyful. Also, stay for the credits!"

Gizmodo's Germain Lussier "really wanted to like it but did not." He criticized the flick as "overly goofy, bare-bones plot, filled [with] bad jokes:"

"I really wanted to like it but I did not. A few solid scenes capture the spirit of the game but mostly it's an overly goofy, bare-bones plot, filled w/ bad jokes & worse song choices. It looks great but I was more bored & annoyed than entertained."

Kinda Funny's Tim Gettys completely disagreed with any criticism of the music, going as far as to call it the "star of the show:"

"'The Super Mario Bros. Movie' was awesome. Teared up from hype more than once. The music is the star of the show. Nintendo fans are gonna be obsessed. I'm not sure ANY movie in history has ever had THIS MANY easter eggs. AND GOOD ONES!"

Isla Hinck praised the visuals and particularly how Anya Taylor-Joy's Princess Peach "is so cool in it:"

"Yo. 'The Super Mario Bros Movie' is awesome! So fun and so many nods! I loved it! And it's gorgeous! And Peach is so cool in it!"

GameXplain's Andre Segers called The Super Mario Bros. Movie "an utterly delightful thrill ride" that "nearly moved [him] to tears" even with its "somewhat shallow plot:"

"'The Super Mario Bros 'movie is an utterly delightful thrill ride that is as joyful as it is magical. It's a movie that is for Mario fans first, and despite a somewhat shallow narrative, is a blast. Nearly moved me to tears seeing Mario realized so beautifully."

Rendy Jones noted the "top-notch animation" and teased the "loving Easter eggs and cameos." He boiled the overall final product down to being "a Mario movie made by Illumination:"

"The Mario worlds are brought to life with top-notch animation and energetic action that will delight kids and fans. Full of loving Easter eggs and cameos. That said, it’s a Mario movie made by illumination and I’ll leave it at that."

Is the Mario Movie a Slam Dunk Win?

One thing every review seems to agree on is The Super Mario Bros. Movie managed to capture the essence of the franchise, which is certainly a good thing. Clearly, this is a true love letter to Mario that will reward fans with a plethora of Easter eggs - there are, at least, 33 classic characters appearing after all .

Generally, the reviews are in agreement the narrative is somewhat simple and perhaps not the deepest, but that should be of no surprise given its short runtime and young target audience. Clearly, what's there, combined with the humor and many Mario references, has been enough to enthrall most of these select critics.

Although only Jack Black's Bowser and Anya Taylor-Joy's Peach were mentioned in these reviews as standouts, there was, fortunately, no particular criticism given to the rest of the cast. That will come as a relief to many given the widespread fear that an actor like Chris Pratt may not manage to pull off Mario .

Knowing all of this, it certainly seems the Mario movie will thrive with its biggest target audiences of younger children and die-hard fans of the Nintendo franchise.

The Super Mario Bros. Movie hits theaters on April 5.

Super Mario Bros. Movie Off to Disappointing Start on Rotten Tomatoes

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I can vividly remember playing the first Nintendo version of “Super Mario Bros.” when I was just a boy in the ‘80s. It was at a friend’s house, my first buddy to get an NES, and I went home and had a dream about the game. The goofy, jumping plumber has been a part of my entertainment life ever since. I’ve passed my love for the franchise down to my boys, who have all played the stunning “Super Mario Odyssey” to completion more than once. Mario has come a long way since the notoriously awful 1993 version of his adventure starring Bob Hoskins and John Leguizamo , but the new “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” doesn’t reflect the franchise's creativity in the slightest. The latest animated blockbuster from Illumination is their most soulless to date, a film that feels like ChatGPT produced it after data and imagery from the games were fed into a computer. It is “The Chris Farley Show” of family entertainment, mistaking making references to something that was “awesome” for actually making a movie. And it is one of the most drenched-in-desperation animated films I’ve ever seen. “Remember this?!? Remember how much you liked it?!? Please like it again!” I so desperately wanted to see something that sparked the imagination of the kid in me, like that first game, or spoke to the fun I’ve had playing installments across multiple Nintendo platforms. Instead, I got a movie that's as hollow as a trailer, something that willfully avoids anything creative or ambitious. Mario and Luigi deserve so much better.

“The Super Mario Bros. Movie” opens in Brooklyn with the plumbers Mario ( Chris Pratt ) and his brother Luigi ( Charlie Day ) trying to get their new business off the ground. Some Nintendo easter eggs in the background of these initial scenes should produce a small smile from people of my generation, and there's a bit of inspiration structurally, like a clever early shot in which Mario and Luigi race through the city in a side-scrolling manner that mimics the earlier games. There’s also a nod to The Odyssey on a bookshelf in Mario’s room, implying that we’re about to watch a hero’s journey and a reference to the incredible Switch game. What follows doesn’t live up to either inspiration.

In a way that makes little sense, Mario and Luigi find a massive chamber of pipes under Brooklyn, get sucked into one, and end up in the Mushroom Kingdom, which is being threatened by the villainous Bowser ( Jack Black ). The notorious bad guy has found the Super Star he needs to make his final assault on Princess Peach ( Anya Taylor-Joy ) and the residents of her kingdom, including Toad (Keegan-Michael Key). Bowser doesn’t just want power; he wants to make the Princess his bride, singing some truly uninspired songs about his love for her. How on Earth a film like this gets a rock talent like half of Tenacious D and doesn’t let him unleash a few clever Bowser tunes is one of this film’s many mysteries.

Although Luigi lands in the pipeline that drops him immediately in the dark lands and makes him Bowser's prisoner—a dumb decision that sidelines him for an hour—Mario meets Princess Peach, who introduces him to power-ups. And so all the question-mark cubes get a chance to shine as Mario grows, shrinks, and even turns into a raccoon. They eventually recruit Donkey Kong ( Seth Rogen ), race down Rainbow Road, and save the day. That’s not a spoiler if you’ve ever seen a movie.

Fans of this movie will shout from the rooftops that the scripting for something called “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” doesn’t need to be a strength. And, to be fair, there are a few strong settings in terms of design. I enjoyed the choices made by the team in the structure of Donkey Kong Country, and the Rainbow Road “Super Mario Kart” sequence is well-directed. But I would ask why fans of a franchise that has inspired so much love for generations must be satisfied with the absolute minimum regarding storytelling.

There are so few actual decisions made in the construction of this film. It’s just a collection of visual and character references cobbled together to form a 92-minute movie. Take a risk. Just do something . Anything. It got me thinking about the fun spin-offs that could exist, like a “ Mad Max: Fury Road ” version of the “Mario Kart” sequence that gets energy out of non-stop motion. Or a version that unpacks like “The LEGO Movie” that's more sharply aware of its references and world-building—something that even incorporates the player like that movie does in the end. I swear that almost everyone who has played a game like “Odyssey” could come up with something more inventive. Heck, almost any ten minutes of that game is more creative.

It doesn’t help that the voice work is uniformly mediocre too. Chris Pratt can be charismatic with the right material, but it sounds like he pounded this out in three hours in a voice studio. Charlie Day has such an expressive voice, but the movie barely uses him. Seth Rogen is always a welcome presence, and he at least seems to be having some fun. I wish I was too.

With the nostalgia craze merging with the power of Nintendo and Illumination, “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” feels too big to fail. That means we’ll get a sequel, and I expect another cycle of the debate of “critics vs. fans.” I am both. And I want a world where the people who made films for a fan base as devoted as this one don’t take that fandom for granted. This is far from over. I suspect we will get a ton of films from the NES universe, including “Donkey Kong Country” and “The Legend of Zelda” (and let’s not forget “Kid Icarus”). But we need creators who don’t just see these games as products to be referenced but as foundations on which new ideas can be built. That ‘80s kid who dreamed of Mario deserves it.

In theaters today .

Brian Tallerico

Brian Tallerico is the Managing Editor of RogerEbert.com, and also covers television, film, Blu-ray, and video games. He is also a writer for Vulture, The Playlist, The New York Times, and GQ, and the President of the Chicago Film Critics Association.

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Film credits.

The Super Mario Bros. Movie movie poster

The Super Mario Bros. Movie (2023)

Rated PG for action and mild violence.

Chris Pratt as Mario (voice)

Anya Taylor-Joy as Princess Peach (voice)

Charlie Day as Luigi (voice)

Jack Black as Bowser (voice)

Keegan Michael Key as Toad (voice)

Seth Rogen as Donkey Kong (voice)

Fred Armisen as Cranky Kong (voice)

Kevin Michael Richardson as Kamek (voice)

Sebastian Maniscalco as Spike (voice)

Charles Martinet as Giuseppe (voice)

Khary Payton as Penguin King (voice)

Eric Bauza as General Toad (voice)

Michael Jelenic
Aaron Horvath
Matthew Fogel
Eric Osmond

Composer (original Nintendo themes by)

Brian Tyler

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The Super Mario Bros. Movie is currently off to a rough start when it comes to its aggregate review score, as the film has a "Rotten" rating of 54% at the time of this writing. The Super Mario Bros. Movie marks Nintendo's first foray into film since the disastrous launch of the 1993 live-action Super Mario Bros. , which has a Rotten Tomatoes score of 28%, for comparison.

Game to movie adaptations have been on a roll lately, with the Sonic the Hedgehog films being positively received and HBO's adaptation of The Last of Us proving to be a massive hit. With Nintendo and Super Mario creator Shigeru Miyamoto involved with The Super Mario Bros. Movie , many hoped that the film would keep up the trend of high quality game to movie adaptations. Unfortunately, if the early reviews are any indication, The Super Mario Bros. movie falls well short of expectations.

RELATED: The Super Mario Bros. Movie Has An Important Post-Credits Scene

There are 74 reviews for The Super Mario Bros. Movie on Rotten Tomatoes at the time of this writing, so it's entirely possible that the film's aggregate score will still fluctuate in one direction or another. However, it seems likely that it will stay around the 54% mark. Looking at the reviews, it seems many critics were disappointed by the basic plot. Others complained that the film felt like a long advertisement for the Super Mario games . However, the film is not without its positive reviews.

Super Mario Bros. Movie Reviews

Some critics have glowing praise for The Super Mario Bros. Movie , complimenting the musical score, vibrant visuals, sense of humor, and fun factor. Additionally, Chris Pratt's portrayal of Mario seems to have been received mostly well by critics, which may come as a surprise to fans. In any case, it seems if one is already a big fan of the Super Mario franchise the movie adaptation should still be a safe bet, but perhaps those who aren't really into the series may not enjoy it quite as much.

While it's safe to say Nintendo may have wanted better reviews for The Super Mario Bros. Movie , the most important gauge of the film's success will be its box office performance. The Super Mario Bros. Movie could very well wind up being one of the biggest blockbuster releases of the entire year, but it's possible the less-than-stellar reviews may hurt it somewhat. If the film is a success, one has to imagine that more Nintendo game-to-movie adaptations would be in the cards.

The Super Mario Bros. Movie premieres in theaters on April 5.

MORE: Super Mario Bros. Movie: All Video Game Easter Eggs In The Trailers

Source: Rotten Tomatoes

Movies & TV
Super Mario Bros.
Super Mario

The Super Mario Bros. Movie Review

Mario’s cinematic pipe dream comes true..

It took nearly four decades, one spectacular live-action misfire, and dozens of other failed video game adaptations to learn from, but none of it went to waste: Illumination and Nintendo’s Super Mario Bros. Movie finally gives the most iconic character in gaming the onscreen adventure he’s always deserved. Benefitting immensely from the endless creativity of the innumerable game developers, artists, and musicians who’ve made the Mario franchise a pop culture juggernaut, The Super Mario Bros. Movie rockets along with the momentum of a Bullet Bill exploding out of a cannon. The Mushroom Kingdom is realized with incredible detail and reverence, and not even a Paper Mario-thin plot can keep the magic of the games from being lost along the way.

The Super Mario Bros. Movie’s setup is dead simple: while on a plumbing job underneath Brooklyn, brothers Mario (Chris Pratt) and Luigi (Charlie Day) are sucked into the Mushroom Kingdom through a warp pipe and become embroiled in King Bowser’s (Jack Black) plans to steal the Super Star, which would give him the power to take over the Toad-filled domain of Princess Peach (Anya Taylor-Joy). Mario’s Cheep-Cheep-out-of-water journey hits all the predictable beats of the “warrior from another world” narrative, but decades of Mario games ensure co-directors Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic (Teen Titans Go!) have an infinite well of wild scenarios and iconography to pull from to stage inventive action moments, especially once Mario’s gotten a handle of how to properly fly with a Tanooki suit.

The Super Mario Bros. Movie: Nintendo Direct Trailer Stills

The Super Mario Bros. Movie almost always has an inventive in-world solution to whatever problem pops up that relies on something easily recognizable from the games, but never withholds explanation of how that thing works (even if the why goes rightfully ignored.) Whether it’s recreating the path of World 1-1 as Mario and Luigi parkour their way through Brooklyn or the pre-emptive giggle fans will get seeing Mario ingest a blue mushroom instead of a red one during a fight, The Super Mario Bros. Movie manages a great balance of accessibility for general audiences and inside jokes for those of us who’ve dipped in and out of the series over the years.

The Super Mario Bros. Movie’s heavy use of references isn’t a good thing in and of itself, but their inclusion feels justified because they are used in ways that feel relevant and organic to the world. At worst, sequences like the Rainbow Road race can feel a bit tacked on when they don’t fully make the case for being there with any kind of logical reason (being able to sell movie-branded Mario Kart toys doesn’t count), but then logic is not a currency anyone’s expecting The Super Mario Bros. Movie to trade in anyway. The movie trusts its audience isn’t going to care much about why platforms float, or why there are blocks with question marks all over the place full of power-ups that turn people into cats and flamethrowers. Once you’ve already bought in to things like that, giving 10 minutes of the movie up to staging a big-budget Mario Kart race so that a trek from A to B feels a little more lively is an easier pill to swallow.

The Super Mario Bros. Movie’s visual vibrance sets a very high bar for the other animated video game adaptations which will surely follow, be that from Nintendo or another studio. Bowser’s fire-versus-ice siege of the Penguin Kingdom, the expansive fungi vistas of the Mushroom Kingdom, and the lush greenery of the Kongs’ Jungle Kingdom are all super-saturated dreamscapes that coalesce into a bustling world begging to be explored further. Brian Tyler’s bombastic score takes care of the musical side of this equation, perfectly expressing the grandeur and whimsy of the games’ tracks at every turn and mining Koji Kondo’s original orchestrations to great effect. The Mario series has some of the most recognizable music cues in gaming history, and Tyler deploys many of them throughout the action just where you hope they’d drop.

The movie’s mostly excellent use of its source material does contrast with some ill-advised blockbuster animation tropes which can occasionally be grating. Kind of like someone stealing a star from you in Mario Party, the fantastic score makes the pop tracks that are shoehorned in feel lazy by comparison. A little “No Sleep ‘Til Brooklyn” as Mario and Luigi parkour their way through the borough never hurt anyone, but by the time Mario and Peach are being karted around the Jungle Kingdom to A-Ha’s “Take On Me,” you may find the needle drops being a little too much of a snap back to reality. That goes double for the writers being unable to resist the urge to have Donkey Kong himself saying “it’s on like Donkey Kong.” Moments like this - as well as the frequent use of slo-mo to highlight jokes - are a bit too cute, and hint at how easily The Super Mario Bros. Movie could’ve slipped into “generic animated movie” territory had it given way to more of these low-hanging stabs at making sure Uncle Jack has his “I understood that reference!” moment, too.

Which Power-Up Do You Want to See Most in The Super Mario Bros. Movie?

The interminable Discourse surrounding the voice acting in The Super Mario Bros. Movie, as expected, feels totally out of touch with what the cast actually ended up delivering: enthusiastic performances that bring life to the characters, with no real weak link among them. Chris Pratt and Charlie Day’s Mario Bros. are certainly not going to be taking home any commendations from the good people of Brooklyn on their New York accents, but each handily embody their character’s heroism and bravery (hard won though that may be for Luigi). There’s definitely been a flattening of the more cartoonish qualities to the lead characters’ in-game voices - something the movie addresses immediately - but the choice to ground conversations in more a more natural delivery balances well with the fantastical trappings of the Mushroom Kingdom. More than that, it still leaves room for supporting characters like Toad (Keegan-Michael Key), Kamek (Kevin Michael Richardson), and Cranky Kong (Fred Armisen) to be a little kookier and give the ensemble more range. And even though it’s a one-joke character with no impact on the plot, Lumalee’s (Juliet Jelenic, co-director Michael’s daughter) gleeful nihilism lands big laughs every time thanks mostly to the young voice actor’s unerring excitement, which bubbles behind every pitch black observation she makes while locked up with Luigi.

Jack Black’s Bowser feels like the standout vocal performance as the actor’s trademark bombast fits well with the Koopa King’s outsized sense of self. Bowser’s thirst for power isn’t explored in any serious way: he wants to take over the Mushroom Kingdom because he’s a bad guy and that’s what bad guys do - apparently he missed the point of that group session in Wreck-it Ralph. But Black’s Bowser is frightening, impetuous, and desperate for attention at times, and those frequent mood shifts lend his scenes unpredictability. Jables’ Bowser even performs a ballad in Peach’s honor which feels like a safe-for-work Tenacious D b-side, a descriptor I can’t imagine will upset any fans of Black’s musical chops.

The Super Mario Bros. Movie is constantly and joyfully entertaining, and that’s crucial because it lacks any meaningful thematic throughline outside of “we can do anything when we work together!” That lesson feels like an obligated afterthought considering Mario and Luigi spend the majority of this movie separated - not because of any emotional fracture between them early on, but by pure happenstance (warp pipes are crazy!) The brothers mostly agree on everything, and both are quick to enlist the help of allies when the time comes, so the little effort that went into that aspect of the story goes very much amiss. This feels especially frustrating considering the pair of brief flashbacks which give us insights into the characters’ childhoods. Both of these short scenes manage a comparatively touching tone, and hint at better avenues the story could’ve explored to make Mario, Luigi, and Peach feel more fully formed.

The Super Mario Bros. Movie is a fireball of animated fantasy. Mario, Luigi, and Peach’s adventure delights with its infectious energy and smart implementations of video game callbacks, and the top-shelf animation renders the Mushroom Kingdom as an Oz-like wonderland that begs to be explored in the inevitable sequels that will follow. The assembled voice cast puts a unique spin on each of their characters, but undercooked emotional arcs don’t get the same attention as the aesthetics, something not helped by a paint-by-numbers plot that bafflingly keeps Mario and Luigi away from each other for half the movie. Illumination and Nintendo set out to deliver a Mario movie that anyone could enjoy, and that anyone with even a passing knowledge of the games could get lost in - they’ve undeniably succeeded on both fronts.

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The Super Mario Bros. Movie First Reactions: Entertaining But Formulaic Family Fun

The Super Mario Bros. Movie is shaping up to be cinematic comfort junk food.

By Darryn Bonthuys on April 3, 2023 at 6:10AM PDT

Ahead of its release later this month, the social media embargo has lifted for The Super Mario Bros. Movie, and as expected, Illumination's adaptation of the beloved Nintendo IP is winning many critics over. A combination of family-friendly storytelling, slick visuals, slick animation, and a (mostly) solid cast of celebrity voice actors is proving to be a strong combination, and for longtime fans of the franchise, there's no shortage of Easter eggs either.

Most of the positive buzz describes the film as a love letter to the entire Mario series, and several critics have noted that composer Brian Tyler has crafted a powerful score for the film. Illumination's animation has also been praised, and the Mario brothers have great--but brief--chemistry with each other as they find themselves transported to the Mushroom Kingdom. For the cast, Jack Black's Bowser and Charlie Day's Luigi are the highlight of the film according to critics, while Chris Pratt gives a solid --but not remarkable--performance as Mario. Overall, you can probably expect this Mario movie to be better than the 1993 film.

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Now Playing: The Super Mario Bros. Movie Official Teaser Trailer

While the red carpet premiere had plenty of positive things to say about the film, a few other critics pointed out some of the weaker aspects of the movie. A kids film at heart, don't expect a complex plot as this movie aims to be a crowd-pleasing adaptation. Expect a formulaic story, one that plays to Illumination's crowd-pleasing strengths.

The Super Mario Bros. Movie opens on April 5 and it's expected to be a box office blockbuster that could become one of the highest-grossing video game movies ever. It'll need to beat Warcraft's global box office haul of $439 million if it wants to take top spot, and if successful, you can expect more from Nintendo and Illumination as The Super Mario Bros. Movie ends with a post-credits scene that sets up a sequel .

#SuperMarioBrosMovie ’s embargo is up. The Mario worlds are brought to life with top-notch animation and energetic action that will delight kids and fans. Full of loving Easter eggs and cameos. That said, it’s a Mario movie made by illumination and I’ll leave it at that. pic.twitter.com/95Sh1gjI6o — Rendy Jones (@rendy_jones) April 2, 2023

Wahoo! #TheSuperMarioBrosMovie is the ultimate love letter to every era of Mario. Loved the humor & especially Jack Black’s Bowser. I felt the same way watching the movie as I do playing the games. It’s just joyful. Also, stay for the credits! pic.twitter.com/ZcKn17E3PO — Erik Davis (@ErikDavis) April 2, 2023

The #SuperMarioMovie : I really wanted to like it but I did not. A few solid scenes capture the spirit of the game but mostly it's an overly goofy, bare-bones plot, filled w/ bad jokes & worse song choices. It looks great but I was more bored & annoyed than entertained. pic.twitter.com/D3CnNvbaaN — Germain Lussier (@GermainLussier) April 2, 2023

#SuperMarioBrosMovie is NOT great. That being said it’s PERFECT. I haven’t felt like this for an animated movie since THE 2014 LEGO MOVIE . Stunning animation, and music by Brian Tyler. It’s gonna be BIG. Give me the Cinematic Universe! 10/10 pic.twitter.com/D6cqjLBOHJ — deo.🎬 (@frickyuu) April 2, 2023

Can’t stop smiling after watching the #SuperMarioBrosMovie premiere! It’s everything I hoped for and more. We’ll have a vlog and a special podcast out next week! — Krysta Yang (@breath0air) April 2, 2023

The Super Mario Bros. Movie was awesome. Teared up from hype more than once. The music is the star of the show. Nintendo fans are gonna be obsessed. I'm not sure ANY movie in history has ever had THIS MANY easter eggs. AND GOOD ONES! pic.twitter.com/CxvDvPzTnQ — Tim Gettys (@TimGettys) April 2, 2023

#SuperMarioBrosMovie REVIEW: HILARIOUS & MAGICAL DELIGHT. A charming adventure with the Nintendo plumbing duo, full of FUN cameos that’ll drain your warp pipes. This isn’t just another video game movie, it’s one of the BEST family films ever! A fitting end setting up what’s next pic.twitter.com/X8hRkznjqj — Atom (@theatomreview) April 2, 2023

The Super Mario Bros movie is an utterly delightful thrill ride that is as joyful as it is magical. It's a movie that is for Mario fans first, and despite a somewhat shallow narrative, is a blast. Nearly moved me to tears seeing Mario realized so beautifully 🥹 #SuperMarioMovie — André (@AndreSegers) April 2, 2023

The #SuperMarioBrosMovie is a VERY FUN ride, filled with references & Easter Eggs. Unfortunatley, while there’s LOTS of cool “stuff” in here, it’s thin & formulaic narratively. Also, not enough screentime with Mario & Luigi together. Fans will have a good time. #SuperMarioMovie pic.twitter.com/d0k7SaODhT — Dave Lee (@daveleedwnundr) April 2, 2023

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First Impressions Of The Super Mario Bros. Movie Have Arrived And They’re Pretty Positive

Not mushroom for improvement?

The Super Mario Bros. Movie has had its big premiere in the US, meaning early impressions from those lucky enough to attend have started flooding on social media, and the verdict so far is incredibly positive.

While in-depth reviews aren’t coming until later in the week (we’ll have our own for you right here when the review embargo lifts), social media reactions paint a picture of a love letter to the entire history of Mario video games stacked with gags and references and great performances from the cast (Jack Black’s Bowser seems to be a favourite).

You can take a look at some of the Twitter reactions (both positive and negative) to the movie below:

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Wahoo! #TheSuperMarioBrosMovie is the ultimate love letter to every era of Mario. Loved the humor & especially Jack Black’s Bowser. I felt the same way watching the movie as I do playing the games. It’s just joyful. Also, stay for the credits! pic.twitter.com/ZcKn17E3PO — Erik Davis (@ErikDavis) April 2, 2023

The Super Mario Bros. Movie was awesome. Teared up from hype more than once. The music is the star of the show. Nintendo fans are gonna be obsessed. I'm not sure ANY movie in history has ever had THIS MANY easter eggs. AND GOOD ONES! pic.twitter.com/CxvDvPzTnQ — Tim Gettys (@TimGettys) April 2, 2023

(Also I don’t need to say this but just because it’s pertinent…I’ve played and loved basically every single Super Mario game, owned every Nintendo system, never bought a Sega out of loyalty and used to have a Zelda room in my house. So, yeah, huge Nintendo hater.) — Germain Lussier (@GermainLussier) April 2, 2023 googletag.cmd.push(function() { if (!isMobile){ var headerBiddingSlots = []; headerBiddingSlots.push(googletag.defineSlot('/6773/o.press-start/zibs', [300, 250], 'ad-repeater-middle-143994--desktop') .setTargeting('site', ['press-start']) .setTargeting('pos', ['2']) .setTargeting('post', ['143994']) .setTargeting('cat', ['news']).setTargeting('cat1', ['nintendo']).setTargeting('cat2', ['2023']).setTargeting('cat3', ['04']).setTargeting('cat4', ['03']).setTargeting('cat5', ['first-impressions-of-the-super-mario-bros-movie-have-arrived']).addService(googletag.pubads())); var sendAdServerRequest = failsafeHandler( function(slots){ googletag.pubads().refresh(slots); }, headerBiddingSlots ); pbjs.que.push(function() { pbjs.rp.requestBids({ callback: sendAdServerRequest, gptSlotObjects: headerBiddingSlots }); }); setTimeout(sendAdServerRequest, 3500); googletag.display('ad-repeater-middle-143994--desktop'); }else{ var headerBiddingSlots = []; headerBiddingSlots.push(googletag.defineSlot('/6773/m.press-start/zibs', [[320, 50],[320, 100],[300, 250]], 'ad-repeater-middle-143994--mobile') .setTargeting('site', ['press-start']) .setTargeting('pos', ['2']) .setTargeting('post', ['143994']) .setTargeting('cat', ['news']).setTargeting('cat1', ['nintendo']).setTargeting('cat2', ['2023']).setTargeting('cat3', ['04']).setTargeting('cat4', ['03']).setTargeting('cat5', ['first-impressions-of-the-super-mario-bros-movie-have-arrived']).addService(googletag.pubads())); var sendAdServerRequest = failsafeHandler( function(slots){ googletag.pubads().refresh(slots); }, headerBiddingSlots ); pbjs.que.push(function() { pbjs.rp.requestBids({ callback: sendAdServerRequest, gptSlotObjects: headerBiddingSlots }); }); setTimeout(sendAdServerRequest, 3500); googletag.display('ad-repeater-middle-143994--mobile'); } });

#SuperMarioBrosMovie REVIEW: HILARIOUS & MAGICAL DELIGHT. A charming adventure with the Nintendo plumbing duo, full of FUN cameos that’ll drain your warp pipes. This isn’t just another video game movie, it’s one of the BEST family films ever! A fitting end setting up what’s next pic.twitter.com/X8hRkznjqj — Atom (@theatomreview) April 2, 2023

I’ve seen #SuperMarioBrosMovie three times now and I can say it is exactly what you’d expect in the best way possible. So much fan service/Easter eggs and was made with every audience imaginable that has ever loved Mario thoughtfully considered pic.twitter.com/d23PPnxxQm — Jimmy Tickles (@NickEdwardEvans) April 2, 2023

The premiere of The Super Mario Bros. Movie was recently brought forward very slightly (after having suffered delays) to a date of April 5th, and you can pre-book your tickets at most Aussie cinemas now. The marketing for the movie has already been massive, with LUSH crossovers , Uniqlo t-shirt lines and whole murals at local shopping centres.

As previously announced, the film is being produced in collaboration between Shigeru Miyamoto/Nintendo and Chris Meledandri/Illumination and will feature a star-studded cast including Chris Pratt, Anya Taylor-Joy, Jack Black, Charlie Day, Seth Rogen, Keegan-Michael Key and Charles Martinet. Take a look at the most recent (and final) trailer below:

For the first time, the iconic global entertainment brands Illumination and Nintendo join forces to create The Super Mario Bros. Movie, a new, big-screen adventure starring one of pop culture’s most prominent plumbers of the past four decades. Based on the world of Nintendo’s Mario games, the film invites audiences into a vibrant, thrilling new universe unlike any created before in an action-packed, exuberant cinematic comedy event.

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‘The Super Mario Bros. Movie’ Review: Sheer Animated Fun, and the Rare Video-Game Movie That Gives You a Prankish Video-Game Buzz

The second time's the charm for Mario on film, as Chris Pratt, Anya Taylor-Joy and a delectably villainous Jack Black voice a digital fairy tale that connects.

By Owen Gleiberman

Owen Gleiberman

Chief Film Critic

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The Super Mario Bros. Movie - Variety Critic's Pick

Reviewed at AMC Lincoln Square, April 3, 2023. MPA Rating: PG. Running time: 92 MIN.

Production: A Universal Pictures release of an Illumination, Nintendo, Universal production. Producers: Chris Meledandri, Shigeru Miyamoto.
Crew: Directors: Aaron Horvath, Michael Jelenic. Screenplay: Matthew Fogel. Editor: Eric E. Osmond. Music: Koji Kondo, Brian Tyler.
With: Chris Pratt, Anya Taylor-Joy, Charlie Day, Jack Black, Keegan-Michael Key, Seth Rogen, Fred Armisen, Sebastian Maniscalco, Charles Martinet, Kevin Michael Richardson.

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‘the super mario bros. movie’ review: zippy animated version breathes new life into beloved video game.

Chris Pratt, Anya Taylor-Joy, Charlie Day, Jack Black, Keegan-Michael Key and Seth Rogen are among stars providing the voices for this new screen adaptation of the iconic Nintendo franchise.

By Frank Scheck

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Mario Chris Pratt, Princess Peach Anya Taylor-Joy, and Toad (Keegan-Michael Key) in Nintendo and Illumination’s The Super Mario Bros. Movie

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Movie Review
The Super Mario Bros. Movie is the new gold standard for video game films

From its cheesy nostalgia plays to its breathtaking and imaginative visuals, Universal’s new Mario movie is everything a video game adaptation should be.

By Charles Pulliam-Moore , a reporter focusing on film, TV, and pop culture. Before The Verge, he wrote about comic books, labor, race, and more at io9 and Gizmodo for almost five years.

Share this story

A man wearing a full body suit that makes him look like a fuzzy yellow cat and crouching on a steel beam in the middle of a colosseum.

The most delightful part of Nintendo’s entire Mario franchise is how — despite all their decades of conflicts in various video games — Mario, Bowser, Peach, and the rest of their crew have really always been a troupe of actors putting on whimsical stage plays for a captive audience. That idea alone isn’t exactly what defines Universal and Illumination’s new The Super Mario Bros. Movie from co-directors Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic. But much in the same way Super Mario Bros. 3 ’s ending invited players to think about and appreciate it as being more than just a video game, The Super Mario Bros. Movie plays like a magical celebration of how this franchise has evolved.

For years after Nintendo’s first live-action Super Mario Bros. movie debuted in theaters and immediately bombed at the box office, it seemed as if the studio wanted nothing more than to leave the entire endeavor in the past and steer clear of trying to make movies. But one of the more intriguing things about Universal’s new feature — a co-production between Nintendo and Illumination — is how effectively it manages to weave together so many iconic elements from the franchise’s bigger outings, like the ’90s movie, Mario Kart , and the Donkey Kong games, into a story that’s equal parts nostalgic and reflective of the franchise’s future.

In addition to being generally good guys who know a thing or two about pipes, The Super Mario Bros. Movie ’s Mario (Chris Pratt) and Luigi (Charlie Day) are also introduced as Brooklynites and small business owners trying to make a name for themselves in the film’s opening scenes. As adults and the two youngest members of their surprisingly large family, both of the Mario bros. know how crushing it can be to come home every day to nothing but incessant criticism. But at the heart of Mario and Luigi’s bond is also the mutual understanding that, so long as the two of them stick together, there’s little they can’t accomplish.

An image from The Super Mario Bros. Movie

That attitude’s what gets the brothers up every morning and inspires them to go out into the world in search of bill-paying gigs. But it’s also why they’re both so game when they unexpectedly get sucked into the adventure of a lifetime by way of a mysterious green pipe hidden somewhere deep in New York City’s sewer system.

Because it’s so dense with painstakingly crafted details meant to spark joy from the jump, it’s hard to pinpoint exactly when The Super Mario Bros. Movie ’s intangible magic — the general feeling, rather than the movie’s actual magic — first kicks in. But as the Mario bros. jump, flip, and twirl their way across town on foot in an early action sequence styled after the classic Mario side scrollers, you can immediately get a sense of just how serious the movie is about translating the essence of its source material into something that feels familiar but also like its own distinct quantity.

This ends up being the case with most of The Super Mario Bros. Movie ’s complex set pieces, which doesn’t come as a surprise given Illumination’s track record and Nintendo’s reputation for being extremely protective of its brands. What does come as something of a shock, though, is how genuinely inoffensive (which is to say “not off-putting”) Pratt and Day’s takes on Mario and Luigi are — a concern the movie addresses head-on with some solid gags and a textual explanation as to why Mario occasionally sounds like he might have spent some time in Pawnee, Indiana.

As much information about the Mario bros. as the film lays out before they’re isekai-ed across the galaxy, it’s far, far more reserved about others like Bowser (Jack Black) and his sorcerer Kamek (Kevin Michael Richardson), who serve as hammy villain foils to the Mushroom Kingdom’s Princess Peach (Anya Taylor-Joy) and her loyal subject Toad (Keegan-Michael Key.)

If you’ve played through games like Super Mario World or Super Mario Odyssey , then the general shape of The Super Mario Bros. Movie ’s plot will be obvious from the moment you first hear why Bowser’s so hell-bent on getting his hands on a certain star-shaped MacGuffin. The movie works, though, because as it’s building toward its logical and very traditional Mario kind of ending, it uses every possible opportunity it has to make its various fantastical worlds feel like living, breathing, organic places that you’d want to spend hours exploring if they were parts of an open-world video game. It’s cool as hell every single time someone’s outfit transforms after they ingest mushroom power-ups, but it’s things like being able to see each of the individual seeds on a fire flower’s face flicking like a candle that really make you appreciate how hard the movie’s working to get things “right.”

At times, it almost feels like Illumination might have gone overboard in terms of dotting its i’s and crossing its t’s for a movie that moves incredibly fast and consistently has the air of something that’s been crafted with children prone to rewatching the same thing in mind. But it’s just as easy to interpret those things about the film as signs of how much more immersive and engaging Nintendo plans for its Mario theme park and future games to be.

Watching The Super Mario Bros. Movie , it’s impossible not to imagine what it might be like to one day play a game as visually rich running on hardware that puts current-gen Nintendo Switch to shame. That’s probably (part of) the reason the movie exists. But as big-budget commercials for video games and consoles go, The Super Mario Bros. Movie ’s going to be undefeated for quite some time.

The Super Mario Bros. Movie also stars Seth Rogen, Fred Armisen, Sebastian Maniscalco, and Charles Martinet. The movie’s slated to hit theaters on April 5th.

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The Super Mario Bros. Movie

Where to watch.

Watch The Super Mario Bros. Movie with a subscription on Netflix, rent on Fandango at Home, Prime Video, or buy on Fandango at Home, Prime Video.

What to Know

While it's nowhere near as thrilling as turtle tipping your way to 128 lives, The Super Mario Bros. Movie is a colorful -- albeit thinly plotted -- animated adventure that has about as many Nintendos as Nintendon'ts.

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Audience reviews, cast & crew.

Aaron Horvath

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First Mario Bros. Movie Reactions Say It Brings Fan Service, But Not Much Else

The film’s social media embargo ended last night to coincide with its red carpet premiere, and impressions seem to be mostly positive. The animation, its faithfulness to the games appear to be the highlights, along with the score from film composer Brian Tyler. And if those things matter to you, several impressions have noted it contains a good amount of easter eggs and fan service.

Conversely, folks such as our own Germain Lussier , have called it out for having a weak narrative and leaning a little too hard on the kiddie humour that runs through Illumination films, so that’s also something to consider. As far as the voices go, Black’s take on Bowser has been getting talked up the most, though it sounds like Luigi’s a close second and Pratt does a solid job with Mario.

The Super Mario Bros movie does not disappoint! A fun & delightful time at the movies the whole family can enjoy. A definite crowd pleaser. Jack Black as Bowser was perfect casting and was my favorite character on screen. One of the best animated movies I have seen in a long… — University Film Review (@UniversityFilms) April 2, 2023

#SuperMarioBrosMovie REVIEW: HILARIOUS & MAGICAL DELIGHT. A charming adventure with the Nintendo plumbing duo, full of FUN cameos that’ll drain your warp pipes. This isn’t just another video game movie, it’s one of the BEST family films ever! A fitting end setting up what’s next pic.twitter.com/X8hRkznjqj — Atom (@theatomreview) April 2, 2023

Wahoo! #TheSuperMarioBrosMovie is the ultimate love letter to every era of Mario. Loved the humor & especially Jack Black’s Bowser. I felt the same way watching the movie as I do playing the games. It’s just joyful. Also, stay for the credits! pic.twitter.com/ZcKn17E3PO — Erik Davis (@ErikDavis) April 2, 2023

Unlike most blockbusters, Super Mario Bros. is coming out in the US on Wednesday, April 5 rather than starting its theatrical run on Friday the 7th. Midweek releases can do well in theatres, and coming out a few days ahead of the weekend can help spread word of mouth for Thursday night and weekend showings. Having a 92-minute runtime probably doesn’t hurt, either.

#SuperMarioBrosMovie ’s embargo is up. The Mario worlds are brought to life with top-notch animation and energetic action that will delight kids and fans. Full of loving Easter eggs and cameos. That said, it’s a Mario movie made by illumination and I’ll leave it at that. pic.twitter.com/95Sh1gjI6o — Rendy Jones (@rendy_jones) April 2, 2023

#SuperMarioBrosMovie is NOT great. That being said it’s PERFECT. I haven’t felt like this for an animated movie since THE 2014 LEGO MOVIE . Stunning animation, and music by Brian Tyler. It’s gonna be BIG. Give me the Cinematic Universe! 10/10 pic.twitter.com/D6cqjLBOHJ — DE🅾️ (@frickyuu) April 2, 2023

The #SuperMarioBrosMovie is a VERY FUN ride, filled with references & Easter Eggs. Unfortunatley, while there’s LOTS of cool “stuff” in here, it’s thin & formulaic narratively. Also, not enough screentime with Mario & Luigi together. Fans will have a good time. #SuperMarioMovie pic.twitter.com/d0k7SaODhT — Dave Lee (@daveleedwnundr) April 2, 2023

Look for our review of The Super Mario Bros. Movie in the next couple of days.

Want more Gizmodo news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel , Star Wars , and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV , and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who .

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‘The Super Mario Bros. Movie’ Review: This Ain’t No Game

A famed video game character side-scrolls once again to the big screen in this bland, witless and flagrantly pandering animated comedy.

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Mario, with bright blue eyes and a brown mustache, is peering at some machinery.

By Calum Marsh

One thing every great Mario game has in common, from 2D classics like Super Mario World to seminal 3D installments like Super Mario 64 or the recent Nintendo Switch masterpiece Super Mario Odyssey, is a certain effortless charisma. No convoluted backstory, no sardonic attitude, no pretension whatsoever: just easy, straightforward video game fun, elevated by splashy visuals, tight controls and an attention to detail that borders on perfectionism.

Illumination and Universal’s “The Super Mario Bros. Movie,” the second attempt at a big-screen adaptation of the game franchise after the woefully unsuccessful “ Super Mario Bros. ” (1993), gets many things about Mario right, often painstakingly so. The Mushroom Kingdom, the magical land in which the film is largely set, looks pretty much exactly like the Mushroom Kingdom of the games. Fireflowers, super stars and question mark boxes all look, sound and function like they’re supposed to, and when the notoriously vexing blue shell makes a fan-baiting appearance, it spins, crashes and explodes in a way precisely faithful to the source material. Even Mario (a grating, unctuous Chris Pratt), who doesn’t sound like the Mario of the games, still manages to invoke trademark catchphrases like “it’s a-me” and “let’s a-go.”

But while the details are meticulous, the attitude is all wrong, trading the simple, unaffected charm that has served the character so well since his introduction in 1981 for a snarky and fatuous air that leans hard on winking humor and bland, hackneyed irony. This is Mario in the Marvel mold: every line a punchline, every gag an arcane meta reference for the nerds who can’t get enough of that sort of thing. Served some spaghetti with mushrooms, Mario winces and says he hates mushrooms. Because in the game he’s always eating mushrooms, you see. Sound like fun yet?

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Everything We Know

Everything we know about the super mario bros. movie, we break down all the details, including who made it, who's in it, what the story might be, and what this could mean for the future of video game adaptations..

TAGGED AS: movies

Video game adaptations sure are leveling up this year, if you’ll forgive the pun. HBO’s take on The Last of Us got the year off to a good start, but this spring, the most iconic video game character of all will be making the jump (pun also intended) to the cinema. The Super Mario Bros. Movie , from Illumination and Universal Pictures in collaboration with Nintendo, will stomp into theaters on April 5, 2023.

If you have questions about The Super Mario Bros. Movie , allow us to answer them as if we were punching a big floating “?” block. Let’s-a go!

The Cast is Mostly A-List Actors

Chris Pratt, Charlie Day, Anya Taylor-Joy, and Jack Black

(Photo by Jon Kopaloff, Phillip Faraone, Samir Hussein, Kevin Winter/Getty Images)

Nintendo announced the cast of The Super Mario Bros. Movie in September 2021, with Super Mario creator Shigeru Miyamoto revealing the news during a Nintendo Direct event — one of the gaming company’s regularly streamed preview presentations. Mario is a man of few words in the games; Charles Martinet has voiced the character since 1992, but “It’s-a me, Mario!” isn’t quite enough dialogue to fill a feature-length script. A new, more talkative voice actor was required.

But when Miyamoto revealed that Mario would be voiced by Chris Pratt , there was some outcry. The Guardians of the Galaxy and Jurassic World star has done voice work before — he’s quite good in The LEGO Movie and Onward — but there were criticisms that he was overexposed as an actor and that his Mario voice would probably just end up sounding like… Chris Pratt. Your mileage may vary on the first point, but when trailers for the movie came out, it was confirmed that Mario does indeed sound like Chris Pratt in this film. Meanwhile, Martinet will still feature in the film in what’s been described as surprise cameos.

Toad and Princess Peach in The Super Mario Bros. Movie (2023)

(Photo by Universal Pictures)

The rest of the cast is less controversial. Anya Taylor-Joy , star of The Witch , The Northman , and Netflix’s The Queen’s Gambit , voices Princess Peach. The movie, as with more recent games in the Mario series, gives Peach more agency as a capable leader of Mushroom Kingdom rather than just relegating her status to a damsel in distress. Charlie Day of It’s Always Sunny in Philidelphia , Pacific Rim , and The LEGO Movie (in which he co-starred with Pratt) plays Luigi, Mario’s younger, green-clad brother. Day’s on-screen persona tends to lean towards the manic, which should be a good fit for Luigi. Jack Black voices Bowser, Mario’s archenemy and frequent kidnapper of Princess Peach. Based on early reactions to the trailers, Black’s take on King Koopa looks poised to be a highlight of the film, as he’s imbuing the character with a good mixture of menace, bluster, and comedy.

Keegan-Michael Key ( Key & Peele , Wendell and Wild ) voices Toad, Peach’s dutiful but oft-hapless assistant. Seth Rogen voices Donkey Kong, who was technically Mario’s first villain when they both made their debut in the 1981 arcade game, but they’ve since become allies — or at least acquaintances who go-kart and party together. Fred Armisen voices Cranky Kong, an elderly and, well, cranky member of Donkey Kong’s family. Comedian Sebastian Maniscalco voices Foreman Spike, a relatively obscure Mario character who made his debut as Mario and Luigi’s boss in the 1985 game Wrecking Crew . Kevin Michael Richardson , a veteran voice actor, lends his pipes to the role of Kamek, Bowser’s magic-using right-hand man — err, koopa — and Khary Payton voices the Penguin King, the monarch of a chilly land that Bowser conquers.

The Plot Does Not Seem to Be Based on Any One Mario Game

Mario, Princess Peach, and Toad in The Super Mario Bros. Movie (2023)

Typically speaking, the Super Mario games are not known for having deep, complex plots. There are exceptions — the Paper Mario series of RPGs are fairly lore-dense — but for the most part, the mainline platformer games are pretty bare-bones: Mario must find peach and defeat Bowser. The spin-off games are devoid of a plot. (Mario and Bowser and Co. race go-karts because of… reasons?) The Super Mario Bros. Movie , based on the trailers, seems to be adding a little more context to the basic premise while also drawing in lots of video game Easter eggs.

Bowser is attempting to conquer the world, as one does, and once he obtains a Super Star (the sort that makes Mario temporarily invincible in the games), he has the power he’ll need to do so. Only Mario — who it appears is a newcomer to Mushroom Kingdom — stands in his way. As a character, Mario is said to be an Italian plumber from New York City, but most games don’t really engage with his supposed real-world background or hometown. He just jumps around and plays golf and tennis in Mushroom Kingdom. It seems like the movie’s Mario hails from a place that’s more like our real world and less fantastical than Mushroom Kingdom, but it’s unclear exactly where he’s from.

Upon arriving in Mushroom Kingdom, Mario meets Toad and is taken to Princess Peach, who attempts to train Mario in order to face off with Bowser. There are Yoshis, a Super Smash Bros. -like duel with Donkey Kong, and a Mad Max -esque chase down Rainbow Road, a classic course from the Mario Kart games.

This Is Not the First Mario Movie

John Leguizamo and Bob Hoskins as Luigi and Mario in Super Mario Bros. (1993)

(Photo by ©Buena Vista Pictures)

There have actually been two movies based on Mario before this one. In 1986, the anime film Super Mario Bros.: The Great Mission to Rescue Princess Peach! opened in Japan. It’s notable for being the first film ever that was based on a video game, though it technically shares the honor because Running Boy: Star Soldier’s Secret , another video game adaptation, came out on the very same day. The plot follows Mario as he’s sucked into the video game he’s playing, an early example of what’s now known as the isekai genre.

Western audiences are probably more familiar with 1993’s live-action Super Mario Bros. , which is either a cult classic or one of the worst films ever made, depending on who you ask. Starring Bob Hoskins and John Leguizamo as the titular Bros. and Dennis Hopper as Bowser, the film drastically altered the basic Mario story, reimagining King Koopa as a highly evolved dinosaur from a parallel world that first formed when a special meteor hit the earth. It’s a mess, albeit one that’s not without its charms, but its commercial and critical failure is reportedly part of the reason it’s taken so long for Nintendo to allow more film adaptations. Nintendo worked with Universal Parks & Resorts to build Mario-themed lands at Universal’s theme parks, and that relationship helped lead to the upcoming feature film.

Talk of a new movie began in the mid-2010s and production began in earnest in 2018 when Shigeru Miyamoto and Illumination founder Chris Meledandri were confirmed as co-producers. The film is directed by Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic ; Horvath oversaw Teen Titans Go! to the Movies , while The Super Mario Bros. Movie marks Jelenic’s feature film debut.

The Super Mario Bros. Movie Could Be Just the Beginning

Donkey Kong in The Super Mario Bros. Movie (2023)

Nintendo saw some big-screen success in 2019 with the release of Pokémon Detective Pikachu , a live-action adaptation of a Pokémon spin-off game. Should The Super Mario Bros. movie be a success, there will probably be even more adaptations, and Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa has said as much. There are already (unconfirmed) reports that Illumination is prepping a Donkey Kong spin-off, but there are so many Nintendo IPs that could easily become movies. The Legend of Zelda ? Metroid ? Star Fox ? Fire Emblem ? And imagine them all coming together in an Avengers -style crossover (too much?). It could be the start of a new wave of video game adaptations, one that could finally disprove the conventional wisdom that all video game adaptations are bad.

The Super Mario Bros. Movie opens in US theaters on April 5, 2023, and it will open in Japan shortly afterward on April 28.

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The Super Mario Bros. Movie - Review

Mario’s cinematic pipe dream comes true..

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The Super Mario Bros. Movie

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The super mario bros. movie, common sense media reviewers.

Colorful adventure is a bit more violent than the games.

The Super Mario Bros. Movie Poster: Lots of colorful Mario characters stand in front of the movie's title

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Perseverance, teamwork, and courage are important.

Mario stands up for himself and his brother when i

Mario and Luigi are White, of Italian descent. The

Fantasy animated action violence: missiles being s

Mario and Bowser both express romantic interest in

Insulting, bullying language used to humiliate and

Based on the hugely popular Nintendo video game/en

True to the game, Mario eats magical mushrooms tha

Positive Messages

Positive role models.

Mario stands up for himself and his brother when it comes to villains and those who bully others, and he doesn't let teasing or mean comments get the best of him. When it comes to achieving his goals, he puts in hard work and never stops trying. He also shows great courage when it comes to taking on a new world and obstacles. Princess Peach is brave, proactive, and relentless when it comes to defending her land and the creatures in it, putting their needs before her own. Mario and Peach have different goals but work together to achieve them.

Diverse Representations

Mario and Luigi are White, of Italian descent. The movie's take on their over-the-top Italian accents is that they're just for show, but Mario's time with his family reinforces some Italian American stereotypes. Though most of the actors who voice Mario's family are of Italian descent, Mario himself -- Chris Pratt -- is not. The movie's magical worlds feature almost all non-human creatures, but three Black actors voice key characters. Princess Peach is a skilled, brave female leader who leads an army to defend her kingdom. But as fierce and courageous as she is, she's the only female character in any of the lands and is portrayed as a love interest for both Bowser and Mario. In Brooklyn, a wealthy Black couple hire the Mario Bros. for a plumbing job. The creator and some film executives are Japanese.

Did we miss something on diversity? Suggest an update.

Violence & Scariness

Fantasy animated action violence: missiles being shot, fingers being crushed in a piano, talk of ritual sacrifices, chases in which characters are in peril. Extreme falls. Character put into intense pain through magic (they're never physically touched). One scary sequence plays like a horror movie, with skeleton zombies that have glowing red eyes chasing a terrified character, crawling out from the ground and eventually capturing him. Dog attack. Spaceship has horns and glowing red eyes. A menacing villain burns down a kingdom and threatens or attempts to kill positive and/or adorable characters. Mean, bullying behavior. Explosions. Adorable character is the voice of doom, making dark comments with the voice of a young child. Bowser's one-sided interest in marrying Peach is at the heart of the plot, and he uses violence against another to coerce her to agree to marry him.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

Sex, Romance & Nudity

Mario and Bowser both express romantic interest in Princess Peach. Some characters joke with Mario that she would never go out with him.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.

Insulting, bullying language used to humiliate and put down main characters includes "idiot," "shut up," "stupid," "worthless," and "you're a joke." The ableist term "crazy" is used to describe a character.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.

Products & Purchases

Based on the hugely popular Nintendo video game/entertainment franchise. The story weaves together various iterations of the video game and is essentially a commercial for the property. Extensive merchandising in conjunction with the film.

Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

True to the game, Mario eats magical mushrooms that give him temporary power.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that The Super Mario Bros. Movie is based on the hugely popular Nintendo video game/entertainment franchise . Mario (voiced by Chris Pratt ) and Princess Peach ( Anya Taylor-Joy ) team up for a quest that involves elements from several of the games, including Donkey Kong , Mario Kart , Super Mario 3D World , and more. The movie is a bit edgier than the games when it comes to cartoon violence, scares, and bullying. Expect missiles, explosions, a well-landed punch, and a plan to make "ritual sacrifices." While Mario and Peach are brave, they and other characters are often visibly panicked and are in constant peril from villain Bowser, who burns down the walls of a kingdom and issues deadly threats to those in his way. Some kids may be frightened by a scene in which Luigi is chased by zombie skeleton turtles with glowing red eyes that creep out of the ground en masse and eventually capture him. The Mario Bros. also hear a lot of insults and are the targets of bullying behavior by a former employer and get teased by family members ("idiot," "stupid," "shut up," etc.). And, of course, there are those magic mushrooms. But ultimately themes of perseverance, courage, and teamwork are clear. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails .

Where to Watch

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Community Reviews

Parents say (64)
Kids say (101)

Based on 64 parent reviews

Fun Loving Movie Minus any Agenda

Great movie for families super fun, goofy and no politics, what's the story.

In THE SUPER MARIO BROS. MOVIE, Brooklyn plumbers Mario (voiced by Chris Pratt ) and his younger brother, Luigi ( Charlie Day ), fall down a mysterious portal and wind up separated inside a magical world. Mario lands in the Mushroom Kingdom, which is ruled by Princess Peach ( Anya Taylor-Joy ), who's strategizing how to prevent her land from being conquered by the nefarious Bowser ( Jack Black ). When Mario realizes that Luigi has likely been taken prisoner by Bowser, he and Peach team up to save his brother and her people.

Is It Any Good?

Nintendo fans will feel like they grabbed a Super Star while watching this brightly colored magical adventure, which mashes several Mario games up into a full storyline. But for viewers who are less familiar, sitting through The Super Mario Bros. Movie may feel like watching a second grader play a Mario game: It's cute, but you can't help thinking about all the other things you could be doing with your time. Making movies based on video games that have beloved characters and a built-in fan base seems like a natural choice, but not many do it well (exceptions include Sonic the Hedgehog and Detective Pikachu ), and The Super Mario Bros. Movie doesn't depart from that norm.

While it is fun to see the brothers in their "real life" environment in Brooklyn -- working as plumbers and living at home with their big Italian family -- as well as how the filmmakers incorporate elements of the games, the film isn't funny or creative enough to satisfy most teens or adults. Moreover, the child-friendly animation style is a tad misleading, as directors Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic up the scare factor, making Bowser and his minions more terrifying than they need to be. There's plenty of excitement, nonstop action, and colorful images, but this project as a whole doesn't exactly level up.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about how the cartoon action in The Super Mario Bros. Movie compares to that of others you've seen. Does this kind of violence have more or less impact than what's in live-action movies?

What moments did you recognize from the games? If you're a fan of the games, create your own story about Mario, Luigi, and Princess Peach.

Talk about the behavior Mario and Luigi experience in Brooklyn. Is Spike bullying them? Is there a difference between that and how Mario's family speaks to the brothers? What's the difference between bullying and razzing, if there is one? What should you do if someone is trying to put you down?

How do Mario and Peach demonstrate perseverance, courage , and teamwork ? Why are these important character traits and life skills? Do you think video games teach you perseverance? Why, or why not?

Movie Details

In theaters : April 5, 2023
On DVD or streaming : June 13, 2023
Cast : Chris Pratt , Anya Taylor-Joy , Charlie Day
Directors : Aaron Horvath , Michael Jelenic
Inclusion Information : Female actors, Latino actors
Studio : Universal Pictures
Genre : Family and Kids
Topics : Princesses, Fairies, Mermaids, and More , Brothers and Sisters
Character Strengths : Courage , Perseverance , Teamwork
Run time : 92 minutes
MPAA rating : PG
MPAA explanation : action and mild violence
Last updated : December 5, 2023

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

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'The Super Mario Bros. Movie' Red Carpet Premier & Review Embargo?

Hello all! So, we all know that 'The Super Mario Bros. Movie' April 5th release date is approaching fast. I was surfing through the web to see any red carpet & review embargo news for this film. I haven't seen any as of yet. So, what is your guess when the review embargo drops for this film?

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‘The Super Mario Bros. Movie’ Review: A Power Up of Nostalgia

I don’t think The Super Mario Bros. Movie is just the most anticipated animated movies of the year; I think this is one of the overall most anticipated films of the year.

The Super Mario Bros. Movie is a fun flick for families and Nintendo junkies alike. The film is based on the original Nintendo game “Super Mario Brothers,” and it tells the origin story of how the Brooklyn brothers Mario (Chris Pratt) and Luigi (Charlie Day) end up in the Mushroom Kingdom. They go against Bowser (Jack Black), join up with Princess Peach (Anya Taylor-Joy) and Toad (Keegan-Michael Key), and embark on a whole journey together.

The water main in Brooklyn is busted, and as they go below street level, they fall into a utilities room that seems to have been abandoned for quite some time. They find a mysterious tube, walk into it, get sucked through this magical portal, and end up being separated. Luigi ends up in the Dark Kingdom, while Mario ends up in the Mushroom Kingdom. Mario says, “Hey, I gotta find my brother,” and he meets Toad. Toad says, “Oh, you should talk to the princess.” So they go meet the princess, and she says, “Oh, we’re about to be destroyed by Bowser, and I need to go find another army, so let’s do a journey together.” It’s a simple story line but like a good plumber, it gets the job done.

The thing I appreciated most about this film is that it didn’t offend my nostalgia. In today’s world, that apparently has to be said. There have been so many movies that reimagine the original source material for modern audiences and end up turning it into something that isn’t even close to what I grew up loving. Or even worse, they use this as an opportunity to lecture me with the subtlety of a frying pan getting smacked over my head.

I don’t appreciate it, but this wasn’t that. Rest assured, you can go into The Super Mario Bros. Movie and realize that they really did try to keep everything together. They tried to keep the characters kind of the same. If I had kids, I would take them to this, and it would just be a fun, light-hearted time at the movies. It’s a little long, but overall, a positive experience.

The creators of this film really expected basically everybody going into it to be at least at a basic level of Mario understanding. You don’t have to be a fanatic who has played every game; even just watching your siblings play through one of the original games is enough. The filmmakers expect you to know about the characters and the worlds. They expect you to be overjoyed with all of the Easter eggs they throw into this, (and believe me, there are a lot of Easter eggs!). Coming out Easter weekend—how poetic.

In a way, the movie feels a bit contained. It felt like the writer (Matthew Fogel) had a list of all the worlds, characters, and major memories and aspects of the games that he wanted to include and basically pieced them all together. Kind of like one of those junior prom invites where they take all the candy bars, make a message out of it, and put it on a poster board. Like, “I would feel like a ‘Hundred Grand’ and there would never be any ‘Snickers’ as we walked in together for the junior prom.” I mean, all the words make sense, but that’s just not how we talk, you know? It kind of felt like that while watching it.

It did not necessarily feel forced but just lacked a lot of natural flow to the story. I would say it was 100% true to the lore of the games, which is good but also the safe thing. I’m sure they had the heads of Nintendo looking down on them like, “Mess this up, and we will crush you.” But going back to the junior prom invitation, it just kind of lacked cohesion and felt like a check-box storyline.

I think they were kind of going off what the The LEGO Movie did, which totally worked for them because it’s LEGO. It’s like what they do—they throw all the LEGO in a box, and whatever storyline comes out is what comes out. They kind of tied everything together with the live-action ending, which they didn’t have with this. Nintendo had already been down the live-action route with Mario once before in the 90s, and must have decided, “No, we’re not doing that.”

I’d say all of the characters completed a story arc in a satisfying way, but if you have played the games, then it was also pretty predictable. But at the same time, the animation was done in such a way that there were times where I felt genuine suspense. I got totally caught up in the score as well. I feel like the composer had so much fun taking some of these core memory melodies and making them more thematic and theatrical. He did a great job, and I was highly impressed with that. It was a fun feeling every time, once again, nostalgia.

Every couple of minutes, I felt like Chris Pratt did a good job with his voice acting. It didn’t sound overtly like Chris Pratt. He tried to have some type of a character voice, so you didn’t really think, “Oh, that’s Chris Pratt,” when he’s talking, which is so important, especially for such an iconic character. You don’t want to be looking at this character thinking, “That’s Chris Pratt.”

It was a similar feeling with Bowser. I didn’t quite know who it was at first, but then when I saw in the credits that it was Jack Black, I was like, “Oh yeah, of course it was Jack Black.” With Bowser, I felt like they did a good job at setting up the boss-level expectations of him at the very beginning. He just comes in and destroys stuff, but I felt like toward the middle, they played more toward the kiddos with a more jokey Bowser. I don’t know if I liked that or not. It definitely left you with the impression that this guy’s crazy.

Then there was Seth Rogen playing Donkey Kong. I’m just going to say I’ve never been a huge Seth Rogen fan, but now I’m over it. He is the epitome of Seth Rogen playing Donkey Kong, who is also trying to be Seth Rogen, and I just don’t like it.

Now, Princess Peach. There were rumors that originally the screenwriter was trying to make her more of a boss woman or boss girl to the point where it was almost her taking over the script and becoming the main character of the “Super Mario Brothers” movie, which Nintendo was not a fan of. I appreciated that they stepped in and said, “No, we’re not going to do this, and we’re going to leave Peach as she is.” But the thing is: she is a bit of a boss girl in the fact that she basically has no flaws or weaknesses.

When you’re creating a story, you don’t ever want any character to be only one-sided and only have strengths. I felt like she only had strengths, to the extent that they were almost afraid to give women weaknesses at all. There’s a give and take to every relationship, and if one person has all the strengths and isn’t the mentor, then it’s just like, “Why am I here?” If the other person is perfect, then why don’t they just do it?

The filmmakers did a good job of making sure Peach didn’t take over the film, but I still feel like they could have done better by giving her a need for Mario. In the story of the games, you are always trying to rescue the princess. But apparently, in the negotiation, she’s not going to be the boss girl, but she’s also not going to be saved. They can’t have her actually be in Bowser’s captivity and need to be saved. Instead, they put all the weaknesses on Luigi, making him incompetent in all things. They don’t give him his moment until the very end when they say, “Good job, you stood up for something.” But they didn’t build it very well. Everyone needs to have strengths and weaknesses. Everyone needs to be needed. They had Luigi be the one that needed to be saved, while Peach is like, “Fine, I’ll come along with you,” which is not how the story goes.

In the end, they weren’t 100% true to the lore and the story suffered slightly because of that. But overall, the voice acting was good. You’re watching this movie, and you see all these different things like level one, level two. You see so many Easter eggs, so for someone who is just a die-hard Nintendo junkie fan, this is going to be wonderful and exciting. Even for someone who is just a casual fan or a fan from childhood, it’s enjoyable.

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COMMENTS

Round Up: The Reviews Are In For The Super Mario Bros. Movie, And They
Image: Nintendo / Illumination. The review embargo is up and opinions on The Super Mario Bros. Movie have popped up across the internet.. While it seems that many gamers and hardened Mario fans ...
Super Mario Bros. MOVIE Reviews: What Are Critics' First Reactions?
The embargo for critics' social media reactions to The Super Mario Bros. Movie lifted, leading to the first reviews surfacing.. Video game movies have long been held in a rather negative light, but that perception has finally begun to shift after heavily praised adaptations of The Last of Us, Sonic the Hedgehog, and more.. Coming up to bat next is The Super Mario Bros. Movie, bringing with it ...
The Super Mario Bros. Movie movie review (2023)
"The Super Mario Bros. Movie" opens in Brooklyn with the plumbers Mario (Chris Pratt) and his brother Luigi (Charlie Day) trying to get their new business off the ground.Some Nintendo easter eggs in the background of these initial scenes should produce a small smile from people of my generation, and there's a bit of inspiration structurally, like a clever early shot in which Mario and ...
The Super Mario Bros. Movie is Off to a Rough Start
Published Apr 4, 2023. Link copied to clipboard. The Super Mario Bros. Movie is currently off to a rough start when it comes to its aggregate review score, as the film has a "Rotten" rating of 54% ...
The Super Mario Bros. Movie Review
Verdict. The Super Mario Bros. Movie is a fireball of animated fantasy. Mario, Luigi, and Peach's adventure delights with its infectious energy and smart implementations of video game callbacks ...
The Super Mario Bros. Movie First Reactions: Entertaining ...
By Darryn Bonthuys on April 3, 2023 at 6:10AM PDT. Ahead of its release later this month, the social media embargo has lifted for The Super Mario Bros. Movie, and as expected, Illumination's ...
The First Mario Bros. Movie Impressions are Relieved It's Good
The film's social media embargo ended last night to coincide with its red carpet premiere, and impressions seem to be mostly positive. ... Look for our review of The Super Mario Bros. Movie in ...
First Impressions Of The Super Mario Bros. Movie Have Arrived And They
The Super Mario Bros. Movie has had its big premiere in the US, meaning early impressions from those lucky enough to attend have started flooding on social media, and the verdict so far is incredibly positive. While in-depth reviews aren't coming until later in the week (we'll have our own for you right here when the review embargo lifts ...
'The Super Mario Bros. Movie' Review: Gives a Prankish Video ...
'The Super Mario Bros. Movie' Review: Sheer Animated Fun, and the Rare Video-Game Movie That Gives You a Prankish Video-Game Buzz Reviewed at AMC Lincoln Square, April 3, 2023. MPA Rating: PG.
'The Super Mario Bros. Movie' Review
Chris Pratt, Anya Taylor-Joy, Charlie Day, Jack Black, Keegan-Michael Key and Seth Rogen are among stars providing the voices for this new screen adaptation of the iconic Nintendo franchise.
Super Mario Bros. Movie review: the new gold standard for video game
The Super Mario Bros. Movie is the new gold standard for video game films. From its cheesy nostalgia plays to its breathtaking and imaginative visuals, Universal's new Mario movie is everything ...
The global review embargo for THE SUPER MARIO BROS MOVIE. will lift on
The global review embargo for THE SUPER MARIO BROS MOVIE. will lift on Tuesday, April 4 at 2 PM CT. mobile.twitter. ... Super Mario Bros. (1993) had a $45 million budget, theatrical release, promotional tie ins, and big stars. They're not really comparable. Reply more replies.
The Super Mario Bros. Movie
Movieclips: Best Songs: Sing, Minions, Super Mario Bros. and More Movieclips: Best Songs: Sing, Minions, Super Mario Bros. and More 33:13 The Super Mario Bros. Movie: Exclusive Featurette ...
First Mario Bros. Movie Reactions Say It Brings Fan Service, But Not
The film's social media embargo ended last night to coincide with its red carpet premiere, and impressions seem to be mostly positive. ... Look for our review of The Super Mario Bros. Movie in ...
The Super Mario Bros. Movie
While working underground to fix a water main, Brooklyn plumbers Mario and brother Luigi (Charlie Day) are transported down a mysterious pipe and wander into a magical new world. But when the brothers are separated, Mario embarks on an epic quest to find Luigi. With the assistance of a Mushroom Kingdom resident Toad (Keegan-Michael Key) and some training from the strong-willed ruler of the ...
'The Super Mario Bros. Movie' Review: This Ain't No Game
Illumination and Universal's "The Super Mario Bros. Movie," the second attempt at a big-screen adaptation of the game franchise after the woefully unsuccessful "Super Mario Bros." (1993 ...
Everything We Know About The Super Mario Bros. Movie
The Super Mario Bros. Movie Could Be Just the Beginning (Photo by Universal Pictures) Nintendo saw some big-screen success in 2019 with the release of Pokémon Detective Pikachu, a live-action adaptation of a Pokémon spin-off game.Should The Super Mario Bros. movie be a success, there will probably be even more adaptations, and Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa has said as much.
The Super Mario Bros. Movie
The Verdict. The Super Mario Bros. Movie is a fireball of animated fantasy. Mario, Luigi, and Peach's adventure delights with its infectious energy and smart implementations of video game callbacks, and the top-shelf animation renders the Mushroom Kingdom as an Oz-like wonderland that begs to be explored in the inevitable sequels that will ...
Does anyone know when the review embargo on the Movie is ...
Good question. I believe the embargo depends a lot on how they think the movie will be reviewed. If they think it will be reviewed poorly, they will make it day of release. Though day of release isn't guaranteed to mean they think it will review poorly but it would suggest it. I think moving the release date up for a Wednesday shows they are ...
The Super Mario Bros. Movie Movie Review
Our review: Parents say ( 63 ): Kids say ( 100 ): Nintendo fans will feel like they grabbed a Super Star while watching this brightly colored magical adventure, which mashes several Mario games up into a full storyline. But for viewers who are less familiar, sitting through The Super Mario Bros. Movie may feel like watching a second grader play ...
The global review embargo for THE SUPER MARIO BROS. will lift on
The global review embargo for THE SUPER MARIO BROS. will lift on Tuesday, April 4 at 2 PM CT. GIF. ... This must of been Nintendo's decision because they usually drop the review embargo for their games a day or two before release date. 6. Héctor Andrés Toro Marquéz
'The Super Mario Bros. Movie' Red Carpet Premier & Review Embargo
Hello all! So, we all know that 'The Super Mario Bros. Movie' April 5th release date is approaching fast. I was surfing through the web to see any red carpet & review embargo news for this film. I haven't seen any as of yet. So, what is your guess when the review embargo drops for this film? Hello all! So, we all know that 'The Super Mario Bros ...
'The Super Mario Bros Movie' Profits
Not only is The Super Mario Bros Movie the highest-grossing Illumination movie of all time with $1.36 billion at the global box office, but it's also the most profitable at $559M, besting ...
The Super Mario Bros. Movie
The Super Mario Bros. Movie is a 2023 American animated adventure comedy film based on Nintendo's Mario video game franchise. Produced by Universal Pictures, Illumination, and Nintendo, and distributed by Universal, it was directed by Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic and written by Matthew Fogel. The ensemble voice cast includes Chris Pratt, Anya Taylor-Joy, Charlie Day, Jack Black, Keegan ...
'The Super Mario Bros. Movie' Review: A Power Up of Nostalgia
The Super Mario Bros. Movie is a fun flick for families and Nintendo junkies alike.The film is based on the original Nintendo game "Super Mario Brothers," and it tells the origin story of how ...

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‘The Super Mario Bros. Movie’ Review: Sheer Animated Fun, and the Rare Video-Game Movie That Gives You a Prankish Video-Game Buzz

Owen Gleiberman

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Reviewed at AMC Lincoln Square, April 3, 2023. MPA Rating: PG. Running time: 92 MIN.

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Frank Scheck

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From its cheesy nostalgia plays to its breathtaking and imaginative visuals, Universal’s new Mario movie is everything a video game adaptation should be.

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The Super Mario Bros. Movie - Review

The bombastic score perfectly expresses the grandeur and whimsy of the games' tracks.

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