Mario and Luigi

Mario Bros has been a favorite for a lot of us who grew up in the ’90s. It’s a beloved game that has had many versions and spin-offs and for a lot of us who became parents, became a much-awaited ‘passing on of the baton’ as we introduced Mario and Luigi to the next generation.

I know it was a big deal for us when we let our now 5-year-old play a version of the game this past year. It’s become something of a rite of passage– you aren’t into games if you haven’t played a Mario.

It’s no wonder that from gaming consoles, Mario leaped unto our TVs for a fun cartoon Super Show. Then, in the 1990’s it became a movie. To be honest, it was lackluster and left fans with a bad taste in their mouths. Rotten mushrooms perhaps? But now, finally, the brothers get the proper big screen treatment they deserve with the new animated Super Mario Brothers Movie. It took 30 years before we got the brothers back up on the big screen and I must say it is worth the wait. They did it right this time.

Mario (Voiced by Chris Pratt)

The two main headliners of the movie really need no introduction. Probably the most famous plumbers in history, Mario and Luigi are fan favorites, and have been consistently entertaining gamers and non-gamers alike since the 1980s.

Chris Prat and Charlie Day play the titular siblings, and lead an all-star cast including Anna Taylor-Joy as the steadfast Princess Peach, Jack Black as the evil but misunderstood Bowser, and Keegan Michael Key as the bubbly mushroom-man, Toad.

The film is as bright and colorful as you’d expect, with expansive worlds and fun, memorable characters. The story takes you from Brooklyn, New York to The Mushroom Kingdom and many places in between. There are plenty of recognizable elements from the game, more than enough to please any serious fan. The iconic mushrooms of course are present, as well as other power ups that are sure to make you cheer when you recognize them.

The people behind the movie clearly did their research and stuck close to the lore of the video games, pulling from many sources. Mario and Luigi will always be the center of any of their stories but this time, Bowser, Toad and Peach are standouts as well. Thankfully, you don’t feel any of the recent forced Hollywood inclusivity or femme power. Instead, you just relish in each characters nuances and enjoy every minute.

Mario and Princess Peach

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For us fans, it is a smorgasbord of easter eggs. The music alone filled our hearts with joy.

Everything was pure nostalgic fun. That may in fact be the movie’s only weak spot. If you have played the games throughout the years, many of the references and in-jokes make perfect sense. If you are however, simply a casual gamer who has played maybe one or two Mario
games through the years or maybe even a non-gamer who knows of Mario and his bunch in passing, the movie doesn’t do much to flesh the story out. All in all however, for newbies, it is pure entertainment. A true family flick.

So get yourself ready to watch a SUPER fun flick. But be prepared... you may end up craving for mushroom pasta after!! Let’s-a-go!!