Going to the movie theater as a child was always one of my favorite activities. The smell of popcorn and the excitement of the lights lowering is such a nostalgic feeling for me. Ever since the pandemic hit, the movie theater industry has taken a hit. Lots of theaters have closed down nearby and it feels like fewer movies make it to the big screen now that streaming services like Disney+ exist. Living in Amherst, however, has been great, thanks to the presence of a Cinemark in Hadley; the town over.
Unlike most people, I appreciate arriving at the movies early so that I can watch all of the previews. A few months ago, I saw The Super Mario Bros. Movie trailer and I was thrilled. Growing up, I used to love all things Mario: Mario Kart, Mario Party, Mario Galaxy, Super Mario Bros., etc. Playing Wii with my friends and playing games on the DS were very enjoyable moments of my childhood. I had marked the movie’s release on my calendar in December and excitedly awaited for it to hit the screen in the spring.
I would like to preface and say that animated movies targeted towards a younger audience are honestly my favorite type of movies. When I am asked about my favorite movie genre, I feel embarrassed to admit that, but at the end of the day, watching lighthearted kids’ movies is so comforting to me. Therefore, I would say that I am rather qualified to critique the film.
I was totally expecting Wreck-It Ralph vibes from this movie after watching the trailer, but The Super Mario Bros. Movie could not have been any more different than what I expected. For the most part, I thought the voice acting was rather well done (which I know is highly contradicted on social media). The elements of the movie were exciting, with Easter eggs and references to other Nintendo elements such as the Donkey Kong kingdom and the GameCube. The musical score was entertaining, and I loved how they ended up keeping Princess Peach as one of the main protagonists, as opposed to locking her away as they do in the games. However, overall, I felt that the movie fell flat.
Don’t get me wrong — the movie was cute, but it was rather short, and due to its runtime, I felt as though the plot wasn’t as developed as it could have been. The movie was around an hour and a half long (which was good because I didn’t have to miss out on the scenes to take a bathroom break), but the movie was very rushed and predictable. I didn’t feel as though there was a huge climax or any scenes that stirred anticipation. I would still recommend watching the movie to hear “Peaches” and witness the nostalgia that the movie brought, but as someone who was actively excited for the movie premier, I must say I was a bit disappointed. One tip of advice for anyone who does decide to see the movie: there are two end-credit scenes that are worth the wait.
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