No one can accuse the folks behind the animated origin story “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” (Universal) of false advertising. The film does just exactly what it says on the tin.
That may be good news for devotees of the landmark video games in which the siblings of the title are featured. For those in search of stand-alone cinematic value, however, co-directors Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic’s adaptation comes up short.
As scripted by Matthew Fogel, the instantly forgettable proceedings are at least free of any genuinely objectionable elements. Yet the chases and showdowns to which most of the brief running time is devoted might frighten little ones. So, too, might the jeopardy in which the story’s sympathetic characters frequently stand.
Some of the earliest sequences of the adventure are easily its best. In real-world Brooklyn, brothers Mario (voice of Chris Pratt) and Luigi (voice of Charlie Day) enjoy a degree of congenial mutual attachment that insulates them from the bleak prospects of the plumbing business they’ve recently started.
Having introduced us to the duo’s colourful, if not always supportive, larger family-Charles Martinet, who voiced both Mario and Luigi in the franchise’s original format, plays their less-than-nurturing dad, Guiseppe-Fogel whisks us off to an alternate universe where things deteriorate rapidly from the audience’s point of view.
While being magically and unwillingly transported thither, Mario and Luigi become separated. Mario lands in the upbeat Mushroom Kingdom, ruled over by fetching Princess Peach (voice of Anya Taylor-Joy). Luigi, however, ends up in the dark domain of Bowser (voice of Jack Black), an evil turtle who is not only scheming to conquer Peach’s territory but to marry her as well.
True to form, Mario loyally sets out to rescue Luigi. Along with showcasing their solidarity, the screenplay fleetingly highlights the value of persistence and teamwork. Yet, the initial touches of humour and clever use of music aside, what transpires on screen amounts to little more than frantic action for its own sake and a dutiful run-through of the games’ environments and activities.
Chris Pratt told ExtraTV about the ‘promising’ vision behind the film. “The movie really honours the video game. It honours the world of Mario,” he said. “It honours the characters and it is very promising as to what we could expect over the next 10 years, like an entire universe of these types of movies. They’re super nostalgic-it’s really fun and Illumination knows what they’re doing.”
A previous screen version, 1993’s “Super Mario Bros.,” was not a box-office or critical favourite, but this movie has proved an instant hit. The Super Mario Bros. Movie has set a new record for its genre, opening with an estimated $377.6m worldwide.
Picture: OSV News photo/Universal