Movie Debate #145: The Super Mario Bros. Movie

[Reed Rothchild | 9,544]

[Brickman | 3,990]

It’s alright. On my scale I’d say a 7 but on Reed’s a 5 matches my thoughts. 

It is a decent movie and has lots of great Easter eggs to look out for. I think they should have got someone else besides Chris Pratt for the voice of Mario though. A very average performance.

Jack Black helped that movie tremendously and it seems to be the main thing kids remember when we talk about the movie. Especially the Peaches song.

The animation was absolutely amazing. The team did a great job with the worlds.

[The Count | 527]

5/10. The voices kinda threw me, but Jables was incredible as usual. Meh.

[docile tapeworm | 4,200]

It was fun.

[Gloves | 11,789]

Haven't seen it, doubt I will tbh.

[fox | 1,667]

It was just ok, more like a 90 min version of the 80s cartoon but with the visuals getting a big boost.  There are some nice music cues and Jack Black seems to be having a blast.

It isn’t a bad movie, just kind of bare bones.  You could have had something else going on it the story, or fleshed out the characters more.  If not that, then really punch up the comedy, get more jokes in there besides Mario falls down.

You only have the nostalgia you bring with you.  It is more interested in selling you on the Mario brand without adding much to it.

I'll add that some of needle drops are kind of baffling.  Why use a bunch of inappropriate pop songs when the score leans more on classic Mario and DK tracks?  If the kids want to watch it, I'll rewatch it, but there were a lot better animated films this year.

[Dr. Morbis | 2,089]

EDIT- I guess I should add: SPOILER ALERT - for anyone who hasn't seen it yet and may be planning to...

 

This was a really weird movie in the sense that you could almost see the tug-of-war playing out between woke Hollywood and traditional Japanese sensibilities with the roles of the characters: one scene has the Princess destroying an obstacle course that Mario is supposed to prove his worth with but ends up failing hard at, then in the very next scene she says that he has to go and challenge DK (why wouldn't she do it - she's just proven herself to be physically superior to Mario in that world in every way?!?  Oh yeah, having a 900 pound gorilla beating the shit out of a little blonde girl wouldn't be quite as "funny" as watching Mario being repeatedly punched in the face).

Then, later on, she single-handedly frees herself from Bowser's minions and encapsulates Bowser in ice, but then a few scenes later she is standing helpless with a couple of koopalings casually holding back her arms, and she makes no attempt to escape and help the Mario Bros as they are saving the day right in front of everyone.  I can only imagine the amount of back and forth and rewrites the two sides had to go through to come to this Jekyll & Hyde sort of common ground...

Anyway, TLDR:  Pretty fun movie to take the kids to, and all the little references for adults to look out for are cool, but nothing really special about it: 6/10

Edited December 31, 2023 by Dr. Morbis

[fcgamer | 4,727]

5 hours ago, Dr. Morbis said:

EDIT- I guess I should add: SPOILER ALERT - for anyone who hasn't seen it yet and may be planning to...

 

This was a really weird movie in the sense that you could almost see the tug-of-war playing out between woke Hollywood and traditional Japanese sensibilities with the roles of the characters: one scene has the Princess destroying an obstacle course that Mario is supposed to prove his worth with but ends up failing hard at, then in the very next scene she says that he has to go and challenge DK (why wouldn't she do it - she's just proven herself to be physically superior to Mario in that world in every way?!?  Oh yeah, having a 900 pound gorilla beating the shit out of a little blonde girl wouldn't be quite as "funny" as watching Mario being repeatedly punched in the face).

Then, later on, she single-handedly frees herself from Bowser's minions and encapsulates Bowser in ice, but then a few scenes later she is standing helpless with a couple of koopalings casually holding back her arms, and she makes no attempt to escape and help the Mario Bros as they are saving the day right in front of everyone.  I can only imagine the amount of back and forth and rewrites the two sides had to go through to come to this Jekyll & Hyde sort of common ground...

Anyway, TLDR:  Pretty fun movie to take the kids to, and all the little references for adults to look out for are cool, but nothing really special about it: 6/10

Is Peach on testosterone? 

[Dr. Morbis | 2,089]

9 hours ago, fcgamer said:

Is Peach on testosterone? 

Only when it's required for the plot...

[PII | 1,886]

Best part was Bowser singin and playin the piano like Dr. Rockso = unintentional humor is the best humor.

 

[Hammerfestus | 3,852]

It’s cute.  The kids love it. Do you know that thanks to this movie I got to sleep until 730 this morning?  Fuck yeah.

[JamesRobot | 5,804]

Had it at an 8 based on my initial impressions but knocked it down to a 6 after thinking about it.  I really did enjoy it and there was plenty of cool references for all generations of Mario fans.  I'll watch it whenever the kids put it on.  

Jack Black really brings me out of it with the Peaches song though.  Just terrible.

[G-type | 2,482]

What little story it had was pretty forgettable. As a cinematic representation of the Mario games, it checked the boxes. I saw it on cable but probably wouldn't watch it again intentionally.