The Super Mario Bros. Movie: Wahoo! Nintendo's hero redeemed 30 years after one of the worst films ever
The Super Mario Brothers Movie (PG, 92mins) Directed by Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic ****
The first Hollywood movie directly based on specific video game characters was very nearly the last.
Not only did 1993’s live-action Super Mario Bros. lose money at the box-office, it has a reputation for being one of the worst movies Tinseltown has ever created.
Stars Bob Hoskins, John Leguizamo and Dennis Hopper have also detailed the nightmarish shoot over the years, which included on-set injuries, a bickering husband-and-wife directorial duo and no one in particular having any idea what was really going on.
So, even though 30 years have now past, one could be forgiven for approaching this animated take on essentially the same plot with a degree of caution. Could this be 2023’s answer to the notorious bad The Emoji Movie?
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Thankfully, the answer is “hell no”.
Screenwriter Matthew Fogel might have a somewhat spotty record having penned sequels to Minions, The Lego Movie and Big Momma’s House, but directors Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic bring the same wit and sparkle here that the former managed in the quite brilliant Teen Titans Go! To the Movies.
Having drained their life savings to advertise branching out on their own (via a hilarious ‘80s TV-style commercial), New York brothers Mario (Chris Pratt) and Luigi (Charlie Day) almost immediately find their reputation in tatters after a canine catastrophe ruins their first job.
Labeled as “Brooklyn’s favourite failures” by their old boss and given little support from their own family,
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