The Super Mario Bros. Movie (2023)

The Super Mario Bros. Movie

• Despite the poor reception this has gotten from critics, I fail to see what they think is so bad about this movie. It's certainly nothing generational, but it's still a good time. Some of the dialogue is a bit cheesy, and I think the story is kind of flimsy, though it’s fun to follow along with. It was very simple, with spurts of random scenes that make the movie very enjoyable. I also like the runtime. At an hour and 32 minutes, it’s not too long, but just long enough to give you what you want. I was worried that the movie would start to feel boring if it went on for too long, but this was perfect length. The whole thing is also perfect for any kind of Mario fan, from OG fans, to kids nowadays. It’s enough to give the OG fans a taste of the characters, with enough comedic value to please younger kids. The theater experience was fun, because of the diverse age groups. It was everything from little kids to plenty of adults. Anyways, back to the movie. The animation is some of the best I’ve seen in recent days, with bright vivid colors, smooth movements, and great character designs. All the characters were perfect copies from the Mario games, so it feels very true to the games. I’m not actually the biggest Mario fan or anything, but I spent a huge chunk of my childhood playing Mario Kart Wii, so to see Rainbow Road and all the Karts was very special for me (although Coconut Mall never showed up, so that was disappointing). The soundtrack was awesome, as it takes the original music, and gives a modern and more orchestral feel, which was so beautiful. But, it also incorporates the original 8 bit sound as well. There are also great songs like “Take On Me” and “Mr. Blue Sky”, which only makes the music better. And the sound effects were so great, with the original Super Mario sounds. The cast was stacked (awesome actors like Pratt, Rogen, Black, and Taylor-Joy), and everyone good vocal performances. Overall, it’s a great film for family movie night, with plenty of laughs and action. It's silly and goofy, but it's good. I’d recommend it to all animation fans. This film is officially Berry Approved, so go see it now!