The Super Mario Bros. Movie Review – 1-Upping The Rest

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In 1993, the Super Mario Bros. made their big-screen debut through a live-action adventure starring Bob Hoskins, John Leguizamo, and Dennis Hopper. While that film has garnered a cult following in the decades since its theatrical release, it does little to truly pay homage to Nintendo's flagship franchise in the ways all the best film adaptations aspire. Fast forward 30 years, and Universal, Illumination, and Nintendo have finally delivered a cinematic adventure starring the iconic fraternal duo that is joyful, fun, exciting, and, perhaps most importantly, respectful of the source material.

Warning:  While I try to remain as spoiler-free as possible, certain elements of the narrative and characters are mentioned throughout this article.

The Super Mario Bros. Movie toes a difficult line, balancing an origin story with the actual meat of a meaningful adventure. Mario and his brother Luigi are plumbers in Brooklyn when they get sucked into a mysterious pipe and arrive in the Mushroom Kingdom. Meanwhile, Bowser has begun his conquest en route to Princess Peach's castle. The setup is obvious and has certainly been done before, but it effectively sets the stage for the subsequent thrill ride of an adventure.

As soon as Mario and Luigi arrive in the Mushroom Kingdom, the adventure progresses with near-flawless pacing. Though a few areas stick out as moments where the story pumps the brakes, it moves forward before it comes to a screeching halt and drags. Fun action sequences consistently give way to major setpiece moments, which in turn often set up fun gags. The 92-minute runtime flew by, and while I was surprised to have already arrived at the final confrontation, I love that the film doesn't overstay its welcome.

Whether