And breathe. The Mario movie is fine. Maybe it's good, even. While we talk a big game about the curse of video game adaptations being broken by Castlevania (or was it Detective Pikachu? Or Sonic the Hedgehog? Maybe Arcane? Perhaps it was The Last of Us...), the fact is whenever a video game is lined up for the Hollywood treatment, we hold our breaths a little. But The Super Mario Bros. Movie delivers a cosy, bouncy adventure through the Mushroom Kingdom that knows when to pelt the audience with references great and small, and when to let the characters speak for themselves.
The movie's biggest strength does not come from Mario at all, but from Illumination, the studio behind the movie. Illumination is best known for Despicable Me and the Minions, as well as Secret Life of Pets and Sing. A lot of the cartoonish antics and controlled silliness that makes those movies popular is present here. In an early scene, the brothers are fixing a leaky faucet, only to be interrupted by an angry dog, and we see the studio’s classic hat on a hat on a hat on a hat approach to slapstick. This is pulled back once we get to the Mushroom Kingdom, but the spirit of it is always there.
Illumination's odd penchant for needle drops is also here. I'm not sure A-Ha's Take On Me fits with a Mario Kart montage, but it was strangely charming to see Mario and Luigi run through a makeshift platforming section of New York to the Beastie Boys' No Sleep 'Till Brooklyn.
Speaking of Mario Kart, based on the trailers we had seen I was worried this would turn into a Mario Kart movie, and I wasn't sure what to make of that. However, while a couple of major set pieces are built around it, the movie knows when to put the gimmick aside and move on to new things. Likewise, there has been talk of Charlie Day wanting a Luigi's Mansion spin-off, but the scenes where he is alone in this already channel that imagery. There is a clear affection for the Mario series as a whole here, with all its weird and wonderful tie-ins, and ultimately, I think that's all people ask for in an adaptation like this.
It's hard to argue with the run-time either. At just over 90 minutes, there's no unnecessary filler or indulgent plodding. It crams references in there without feeling too forced, ranging from the surface level 'your princess is in another castle' to some deep cuts from Mario and Nintendo as a whole. Since the characters spend a lot of time separated, when they all gather together pacing can become a little choppy, but all in all it's a neat little package.
Now we come to the big talking point - the Mario voice. I like it. I liked it from the first reveal, I liked it in subsequent trailers, and I still like it now. Pratt has a natural charisma that lends itself to being a leading man, and the Brooklyn accent is clear throughout. It's a Mario voice, even if it's not your Mario voice. I think the trailers have been desperate to include some typical Mario phrases ('Let's a-go' does not appear in the Donkey Kong scene as it does in the trailer), and as a result has tried too hard to push Pratt's version as authentic when the movie itself is far more relaxed. Donkey Kong is just Seth Rogen's voice, and that works fine too.
Pratt and Day (as well as Pratt and Rogen) have great chemistry as a double act, and even though they spend a chunk of the movie apart, the warmth the pair share when together is key to the movie's success. Perhaps surprisingly, Jack Black doesn't steal the show either. The energetic star has set a high bar for himself as the funniest thing in most of his movies, but he feels a little limited by the script which is unsure whether Bowser is menacing with a tender side, a blundering idiot, or a cute little goofball at heart. He also has musical numbers which, though they make good use of Black's musical talent, feel a little out of place.
Rounding out the cast is Anya Taylor-Joy as Princess Peach. She's a little stilted at first, maybe even awkward as the regal and flat version of Princess Peach we've seen through the decades, but offers a much steelier performance once we see Peach shed that pomp to become a fighter. Many have jumped to conclusions from the trailers, thinking Mario will be the schleppy loser and Peach the fearless female warrior who can do no wrong, but it's far more balanced than that. Mario gets to be the hero and Peach gets to play the damsel, but she can also fight for herself, and it makes for a great interpretation of her character that doesn't betray her roots. Still, Daisy feels like a notable absence since she's been ahead of the curve on strong female characters for a while.
The place where Peach shines as a character the most is in the movie's platforming sections. Peach has what amounts to a Mario Maker machine in her castle grounds that allows her and Mario to practise their traversal skills, and the animation as they double jump, slide under obstacles, and smash through blocks is phenomenal. This might not be the best video game movie ever, but it is by far the best translation of a video game mechanic I have seen on the big screen. It nails the fluidity, technical complexity, and comedy of Mario's platforming in a way that still makes it interesting for complete outsiders to see. This section alone is worth the price of admission.
Ultimately, there are two types of people who are going to want to see The Super Mario Bros. Movie: children, and adults who still love the things they loved when they were children. The kids will enjoy the playfulness and colour palette Illumination brings, and the adults will be impressed with its reverence for Mario as a whole. It's the latest in a long line to break the video game adaptation curse - just please put Daisy in the sequel.
TheGamer attended a press screening for this review. Score: 3.5/5