Thirty years ago, SUPER MARIO BROS. Was brought to the screen in a bizarre live-action version starring Bob Hoskins, John Leguizamo, and Dennis Hopper. That film, which bore absolutely nothing to the game in question, was and still is a total embarrassment all around, and understandably disappointed many longtime fans of the game. Despite developing a cult following, its failure was still impactful enough to discourage the Japanese game company from engaging with future film productions.
Now, Nintendo has teamed up with Universal's Illumination Studios of all companies to provide an all-new adaptation - this time computer animated, and much more in line with what everyone would expect from SUPER MARIO. The plot is pretty much what you would expect from the likes of these games: Mario (voiced by Chris Pratt), and Luigi (Charlie Day), are struggling to make a reputation for themselves and open a thriving business. When a water main bursts in Brooklyn, the brothers head down to the sewers to repair it, only to be sucked into a warp pipe. During transmission, the two are separated. Mario ends up in the colorful, Oz-like Mushroom Kingdom ruled by resourceful Princess Peach (Anna Taylor-Joy) and inhabited by cuddly mushroom-shaped inhabitants called Toads. Luigi, meanwhile, is captured by the megalomaniacal Koopa King, Bowser (Jack Black), who has recently stolen the power star from a kingdom of penguins. His goal: to conquer the Mushroom Kingdom and take the princess as his bride. Peach is already plotting a resistance against Bowser, planning to enlist the aid of the Kongo Tribe in order to have any chance. Aided by a chatty but loyal Toad (Keegan-Michael Key), Mario teams up with Peach, hoping to rescue his brother. But in order to win the respect of the Tribe, he must first contend with Donkey Kong (Seth Rogen).
If the above sounds simplistic, it is. Yet SUPER MARIO's lasting appeal doesn't thrive on storytelling; it thrives on engrossing, fun gameplay in colorful, lively worlds. All things considered, the story it tells, predictable (and Paper Mario thin -- pun intended) though it may be, works in favor of this feature.
Which is not to say that THE SUPER MARIO BROS. MOVIE is a perfect film. It has its faults, chief among them the decision to feature occasional pop songs on the soundtrack at various points. Although the songs in question are from the 80's, I still find this incredibly distracting, as it clearly reeks of marketing tactics. It's all the more unfortunate that so many animated films in the west today suffer from this problem. Worse still, it interrupts the momentum from the far superior musical score. I can't help but wonder if the movie would be better off without those songs. Excluded from this is are the admittedly cheesy but iconic "Mario Brothers Rap" from SUPER MARIO BROS. SUPER SHOW and a brief 30-second musical number by Bowser who (badly) belts out, rock-style (read, screeches) about his unrequited love for Peach. Those two moments are complimentary to the mood of the film and totally fine.
The world of SUPER MARIO is full of colorful, eccentric characters and for the most part script writer Matthew Fogel (THE LEGO MOVIE) does an admirable job of infusing Mario, Luigi, and company with distinctive personalities. Particularly commendable is the decision to upgrade Peach from a damsel in distress to a competent, strong, capable woman not afraid to stand up to the bullying Bowser. Not only is this an improvement over the original material, it is also refreshing to see this character being more of an active participant rather than having to be rescued all the time. That she serves primarily as Mario's mentor and friend instead of a love interest is refreshing.
On the other hand, the film's rapid pace causes for a lot of character arcs to be rushed, and so we get to see little progress of character development. This is especially problematic for the adversarial relationship between Donkey Kong and Mario, who start off as enemies and then become allies. It happens much too suddenly without much buildup. An extra half hour of additional scenes wouldn't have hurt to provide the appropriate impact. (Even at 92 minutes, the film feels too short.)
This same problem also extends to several brief flashbacks involving Mario, Luigi and Peach as toddlers. Getting to know Mario and Luigi's family is a solid idea, but because they're only in a few scenes, we barely get to know them well. Likewise, it is hinted that Princess Peach comes from the real world, but the plot only hints at it instead of building on it, which is a bit disappointing for viewers expecting a fully-fleshed out plot.
All this said, the overall difference between the infamous 93 version and this one is night and day. Unlike the dreary, dark, dystopian city in the former, the atmosphere, characters, and worlds are all identical to their video game counterparts. Reportedly, Nintendo and creator Shigeru Minamoto were much more hands-on about the project and it shows. The warp pipes, question blocks with power-ups, Peach's castle, and even Bowser's rocky flying fortress are all rendered in meticulous detail. As much as I've grown to resent computer animation these days, I have to give credit to the animation staff at Illumination Studios for their work on this film. And considering that most of the MARIO games resemble 3D CG movies, the aesthetic is appropriate for this movie.
What's really fun about this movie are the numerous shout-outs to classic Nintendo games sprinkled throughout the film. This is done seamlessly and cleverly, including a glorious Mario Kart style race across a glittering rainbow, arguably the most spectacular scene in the movie. There are also numerous occasions where we see various shots which ingeniously look like they could come out of NEW SUPER MARIO BROS., including one at the beginning of the movie as well as an "obstacle course" complete with mechanical Pirahna Plants, and various platforms. Other such "easter eggs" only last for several seconds and are easily missed. If anything, this movie merits repeat viewings to spot them all.
The same feeling is evoked in Brian Tyler's terrific score, which seamlessly includes classic melodies from the games. The composer behind these legendary tunes, Koji Kondo, reportedly worked with Tyler. Anyone who is a fan of video game music will have a field day listening to this score; as with the visuals, the real joy comes from recognition.
The vocal performances (supplied by big name stars; a common practice for western animated films, love it or hate it) fare well for the most part. Chris Pratt was a rather curious choice to play Mario in the eyes of many, especially since the character's Italian-accented falsetto supplied by Charles Martinet has been heard in every Mario game to date. But previous incarnations of this plumber have cast him with a Brooklyn accent (notably the late Lou Albano in THE SUPER MARIO BROS SUPER SHOW). Pratt supplies a toned down accent for Mario, but despite that, he still manages to make the role his own, providing a surprisingly good turn. (Martinet does provide a nice cameo in the film.) Charlie Day's Luigi, a more ideal choice, is terrific from the start, and the chemistry between him and Pratt sells the relationship between the two brothers. Anna Taylor-Joy gives a somewhat husky but still cool and confident voice to Peach; Seth Rogan, while primarily using his own voice for Donkey Kong, nonetheless injects a lot of boastful swagger to the role. Jack Taylor is a real hoot as Bowser, effortlessly stealing all his scenes with imposing vigor. The other voices fare well with the possible exception of Fred Armisen as Cranky Kong. He's not bad by any means, but his Cranky voice doesn't quite fit the character at least in my opinion.
As mentioned earlier, THE SUPER MARIO BROS MOVIE won't rank on anyone's list of greatest animated features, but it's not even trying to. What it aspires to be is harmless, clean fun, and a faithful adaptation of a classic video game franchise. Aside from occasionally dodgy song choices and rushed character arcs, this film still succeeds at being both. Kids will easily enjoy this movie, but the real target audience are the millions of gamers who have grown up playing these games over the years. That this film manages to be enjoyable at all is a real credit to the team and especially to directors Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic. The absence of scatalogical humor (an unfortunate trademark in many family-friendly CG movies nowadays) is also a plus. All in all, THE SUPER MARIO BROS. MOVIE succeeds at what it aspires to be, even if it doesn't rank on the list of all time greatest animated films. Whether it's the best videogame movie of all time is up for debate, but warts and all, I had a blast both times I saw it.
Now, Nintendo has teamed up with Universal's Illumination Studios of all companies to provide an all-new adaptation - this time computer animated, and much more in line with what everyone would expect from SUPER MARIO. The plot is pretty much what you would expect from the likes of these games: Mario (voiced by Chris Pratt), and Luigi (Charlie Day), are struggling to make a reputation for themselves and open a thriving business. When a water main bursts in Brooklyn, the brothers head down to the sewers to repair it, only to be sucked into a warp pipe. During transmission, the two are separated. Mario ends up in the colorful, Oz-like Mushroom Kingdom ruled by resourceful Princess Peach (Anna Taylor-Joy) and inhabited by cuddly mushroom-shaped inhabitants called Toads. Luigi, meanwhile, is captured by the megalomaniacal Koopa King, Bowser (Jack Black), who has recently stolen the power star from a kingdom of penguins. His goal: to conquer the Mushroom Kingdom and take the princess as his bride. Peach is already plotting a resistance against Bowser, planning to enlist the aid of the Kongo Tribe in order to have any chance. Aided by a chatty but loyal Toad (Keegan-Michael Key), Mario teams up with Peach, hoping to rescue his brother. But in order to win the respect of the Tribe, he must first contend with Donkey Kong (Seth Rogen).
If the above sounds simplistic, it is. Yet SUPER MARIO's lasting appeal doesn't thrive on storytelling; it thrives on engrossing, fun gameplay in colorful, lively worlds. All things considered, the story it tells, predictable (and Paper Mario thin -- pun intended) though it may be, works in favor of this feature.
Which is not to say that THE SUPER MARIO BROS. MOVIE is a perfect film. It has its faults, chief among them the decision to feature occasional pop songs on the soundtrack at various points. Although the songs in question are from the 80's, I still find this incredibly distracting, as it clearly reeks of marketing tactics. It's all the more unfortunate that so many animated films in the west today suffer from this problem. Worse still, it interrupts the momentum from the far superior musical score. I can't help but wonder if the movie would be better off without those songs. Excluded from this is are the admittedly cheesy but iconic "Mario Brothers Rap" from SUPER MARIO BROS. SUPER SHOW and a brief 30-second musical number by Bowser who (badly) belts out, rock-style (read, screeches) about his unrequited love for Peach. Those two moments are complimentary to the mood of the film and totally fine.
The world of SUPER MARIO is full of colorful, eccentric characters and for the most part script writer Matthew Fogel (THE LEGO MOVIE) does an admirable job of infusing Mario, Luigi, and company with distinctive personalities. Particularly commendable is the decision to upgrade Peach from a damsel in distress to a competent, strong, capable woman not afraid to stand up to the bullying Bowser. Not only is this an improvement over the original material, it is also refreshing to see this character being more of an active participant rather than having to be rescued all the time. That she serves primarily as Mario's mentor and friend instead of a love interest is refreshing.
On the other hand, the film's rapid pace causes for a lot of character arcs to be rushed, and so we get to see little progress of character development. This is especially problematic for the adversarial relationship between Donkey Kong and Mario, who start off as enemies and then become allies. It happens much too suddenly without much buildup. An extra half hour of additional scenes wouldn't have hurt to provide the appropriate impact. (Even at 92 minutes, the film feels too short.)
This same problem also extends to several brief flashbacks involving Mario, Luigi and Peach as toddlers. Getting to know Mario and Luigi's family is a solid idea, but because they're only in a few scenes, we barely get to know them well. Likewise, it is hinted that Princess Peach comes from the real world, but the plot only hints at it instead of building on it, which is a bit disappointing for viewers expecting a fully-fleshed out plot.
All this said, the overall difference between the infamous 93 version and this one is night and day. Unlike the dreary, dark, dystopian city in the former, the atmosphere, characters, and worlds are all identical to their video game counterparts. Reportedly, Nintendo and creator Shigeru Minamoto were much more hands-on about the project and it shows. The warp pipes, question blocks with power-ups, Peach's castle, and even Bowser's rocky flying fortress are all rendered in meticulous detail. As much as I've grown to resent computer animation these days, I have to give credit to the animation staff at Illumination Studios for their work on this film. And considering that most of the MARIO games resemble 3D CG movies, the aesthetic is appropriate for this movie.
What's really fun about this movie are the numerous shout-outs to classic Nintendo games sprinkled throughout the film. This is done seamlessly and cleverly, including a glorious Mario Kart style race across a glittering rainbow, arguably the most spectacular scene in the movie. There are also numerous occasions where we see various shots which ingeniously look like they could come out of NEW SUPER MARIO BROS., including one at the beginning of the movie as well as an "obstacle course" complete with mechanical Pirahna Plants, and various platforms. Other such "easter eggs" only last for several seconds and are easily missed. If anything, this movie merits repeat viewings to spot them all.
The same feeling is evoked in Brian Tyler's terrific score, which seamlessly includes classic melodies from the games. The composer behind these legendary tunes, Koji Kondo, reportedly worked with Tyler. Anyone who is a fan of video game music will have a field day listening to this score; as with the visuals, the real joy comes from recognition.
The vocal performances (supplied by big name stars; a common practice for western animated films, love it or hate it) fare well for the most part. Chris Pratt was a rather curious choice to play Mario in the eyes of many, especially since the character's Italian-accented falsetto supplied by Charles Martinet has been heard in every Mario game to date. But previous incarnations of this plumber have cast him with a Brooklyn accent (notably the late Lou Albano in THE SUPER MARIO BROS SUPER SHOW). Pratt supplies a toned down accent for Mario, but despite that, he still manages to make the role his own, providing a surprisingly good turn. (Martinet does provide a nice cameo in the film.) Charlie Day's Luigi, a more ideal choice, is terrific from the start, and the chemistry between him and Pratt sells the relationship between the two brothers. Anna Taylor-Joy gives a somewhat husky but still cool and confident voice to Peach; Seth Rogan, while primarily using his own voice for Donkey Kong, nonetheless injects a lot of boastful swagger to the role. Jack Taylor is a real hoot as Bowser, effortlessly stealing all his scenes with imposing vigor. The other voices fare well with the possible exception of Fred Armisen as Cranky Kong. He's not bad by any means, but his Cranky voice doesn't quite fit the character at least in my opinion.
As mentioned earlier, THE SUPER MARIO BROS MOVIE won't rank on anyone's list of greatest animated features, but it's not even trying to. What it aspires to be is harmless, clean fun, and a faithful adaptation of a classic video game franchise. Aside from occasionally dodgy song choices and rushed character arcs, this film still succeeds at being both. Kids will easily enjoy this movie, but the real target audience are the millions of gamers who have grown up playing these games over the years. That this film manages to be enjoyable at all is a real credit to the team and especially to directors Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic. The absence of scatalogical humor (an unfortunate trademark in many family-friendly CG movies nowadays) is also a plus. All in all, THE SUPER MARIO BROS. MOVIE succeeds at what it aspires to be, even if it doesn't rank on the list of all time greatest animated films. Whether it's the best videogame movie of all time is up for debate, but warts and all, I had a blast both times I saw it.