RocShemp

Same for IGN, who gave it a positive review but with some caveats.



This definitely looks like a love letter intended squarely for fans. So I'm sure I'll love it.

Mike86

I mean truthfully I’m not really going to this for the story. It’s more just because it looks like a good time to see the Mario characters come to life. I also don’t mind fan service in a movie like this. To me it makes sense that there would be lots of references with all the history Mario/Nintendo has.

RichC2

It's Mario, the storyline didn't advance past the princess is in another castle until years into the franchise.

Troy Stiffler

I’m hoping it’s a seed to Nintendo properties getting into cinema. It’s Mario in Illumination form. I know exactly what to expect.

Deftones

Good article about how divisive the movie is among critics: https://kotaku.com/super-mario-bros-...ews-1850300138

GoldenJCJ

My kids have never played any of the Mario games (aside from a handful of Mario Cart) and they light up when the ads come on for this. They’re still young (3 and 6) so a deep, complex story won’t hold their attention. This movie is right up their ally and they are super excited to watch it. I’m mostly interested in it for the visuals. I’m also not expecting this to be Inception or anything.

RocShemp

The Questyen

Just got back from it and I really enjoyed it. As a huge fan of the games it was everything I wanted it to be.

TomOpus

Another YouTuber you all hate, Stuckmann, gave it a pretty fair review: Not a great movie but it's fun and that's okay. He would welcome another one.

But he admits he was a big fan of the games.

beavis69

I thought the pacing was a little off, mostly due to the fact that they were trying to throw so many references into the movie (which there were a ton, from characters to music). Overall I enjoyed it enough to look forward to a sequel.

I liked how they explained away the criticism of the lack of an Italian accent (something that was 100% the right decision). Also, of all the voices, Pratts was the one I just couldn't recognize. On the flipside there is no mistaking Seth Rogen as Donkey Kong.

Dan

Got through about 20 minutes of this and then walked out…

because the theater lost power
got a voucher, though.

RocShemp

Love your comic timing.

Hope you get to watch it all the way through later.

Mike86

Saw it tonight with my fiancée. We both absolutely loved it. I can’t see how you can be a Mario/Nintendo fan and not have a big smile on your face watching it.

I mean yeah the storyline is fairly basic but it’s really all it needed to be in my opinion. Also I liked the voice cast including Chris Pratt who I had my concerns about. He did a good job. Jack Black was also fantastic as Bowser. Really all the cast was good.

Definitely will be buying the 4K UHD and will watch it again many times I’m sure.

Inhumans99

A work colleague of mine said he saw this film on Wednesday night and his theater was packed. He loved it, and said there were plenty of Easter Eggs for super fans (or even fans like myself, who played up to SMB 3 and kind-of just stopped playing console games since then).

He also said that the film was a fairly fast watch, as it is only about 1 hour 40 minutes including credits, so he agreed with me that it does not wear out its welcome.

Even pre-covid, I was not a huge theater goer, and since Covid you can count the number of times I have been in a theater on 1 hand. Between this and Dungeons and Dragons, I am chomping at the bit to see these films when they hit home video/cable/streaming, and I am not waiting because I refuse to give my hard earned money to theaters or something like that, nope, just the unexciting reason that I wait because I just do not drag myself to a theater all that often.

Still, great to hear this will be a fun watch when I get around to viewing the film.

Mike86

Yeah, it’s a good length. Since it’s more aimed at kids it doesn’t need to be two hours or more and it flows well. Moves along fast enough to be entertaining and no real lulls in my opinion.

beavis69

I had alot of fun picking out what game the music was coming from. Can't remember the scene, I think it was a cell phone tone, but the gamecube start sound played. I also think I heard the music from Final Fantasy from when you finish a fight, but can't figure out why that would make it in.

RichC2

This was estimated to make $141m - $144m for the 5 days (Weds thru Sun) all the way through this morning. But I guess the afternoon rush changed that and it's now looking like $195m for the 5 days. Both 3 days ($137m) and 5 day are Illumination bests.

Deftones

Figured this would crush. Adults with nostalgia for Mario stuff will want to see this. Kids now know who Mario is and will want to see this. Basically had a built in base of fans of all ages.

Jeremy517

I guess I'll be the contrary opinion. I'm a big fan of the games, and I probably got a lot more of the references than most people will, but simply having references in a movie doesn't make it entertaining to me. I didn't care for it.

DJariya

I just got back from a matinee that was quite full with families and their kids. I thought it was good bordering on just okay. It's beautifully animated and looks great in Dolby. But, there was really no story. It was simply just nostalgic with a lot of wink wink easter eggs if you know the games. Pratt did not bother at all as the voice of Mario. I thought he was fine as was Charlie Day as Luigi. I don't know why that was even an issue and stupid John Leguizamo, who starred in the shitty 90s movie is boycotting it. There are some cute moments. I liked the Toads. They were funny.

There really wasn't anything spoilery to talk about. It was a 90 minute animated video game. If you don't have small kids who may want to see this or simply have no nostalgia for the game, then this is probably not for you.

I did stay for both post credit scenes. The 1st one was pretty funny. I guess the 2nd one was kind of a tease for a sequel.

Goldberg74

Right there with you, DJariya, it was beautiful but just okay.

I took my 14 yo son with me to see it and about halfway through the movie, I leaned over and told him, “I want to play this movie.”

On the way home we talked about we’d convert the different areas into levels and “play” this out.

There were times I laughed out loud, and the audience went nuts when near the beginning, when Toad and Mario approach the castle and ask to see the princess, the guard cheekily replies, “the princess is in another castle.”

🤣🤣🤣 That was great.

I’d watch it again on video but not in the theater.

Dan

Agreed, and that’s one reason I didn’t like Ready Player One.

Took my kid to this today after the failed attempt yesterday.
It was fine. Even as short as it was, they could have trimmed another 10-15 minutes without really losing anything.

Not saying I didn’t enjoy it; I had a good time overall. I liked Charlie Day as Luigi more than I liked Pratt as Mario, but honestly every role should have been done by legitimate voice actors, not famous actors doing voices, even though I fully understand why that trend will never stop. Even Jack Black, funny as he is, just reverts to, uhh, Jack Black-isms, particularly those singing bits.
That said, my kid is now obsessed with his Peaches song

A+ to the existentially morbid star thing, though.

printerati

This is as dull and as kiddie as I was expecting, although it is visually spectacular. I didn’t care for its takes on Peach, Toad, or Donkey Kong, or how it shoehorned stuff like kart racing into the story. My 12-year-old (who remains a big fan of the games, and has been looking forward to the movie for years) enjoyed it slightly more than I did, but was similarly disappointed with the story and the handling of some of the characters.

Mike86

I guess I’m easy to please. Kind of surprised at the harsh reactions here.

clemente

That's pretty much it. It's pretty much a kids movie with bright colors and constant movement and an Easter egg movie for hardcore Mario fans.

If you're just familiar with Mario and want a something that engages you on any other level, you're going to be a bit bored.

It's okay, but I'm not going to be rushing to rewatch this ever again.