Nintendo's latest entry into film is "The Super Mario Brothers Movie." The name alone doesn't inspire confidence about the quality of the film. Directed by Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic, this embarrassing adaptation follows the journey of Mario, Princess Peach, and Toad the Mushroom as they try to save Luigi (Mario's clumsy brother) from the clutches of the villain Bowser, a large, spiked, bright green turtle with a shell, horns, draconic and doglike features, fangs, taloned fingers, three-clawed toes on each foot, red eyes, and a tuft of red hair.
"The Super Mario Bros. Movie" is a deeply flawed and disappointing adaptation of the beloved video game series. Despite the stunning visuals, the film ultimately fails to capture the charm, magic, and whimsical nature that fans have come to expect from the games. The characters in the film feel flat and one-dimensional. For example, Mario is depicted as weak and can only rely on power-ups, whereas in the game, he can complete anything. This leaves longtime fans of the game upset. Peach was overall the worst in the movie, as she was depicted as a god-like character who needs no help ever. She is perfect and flawless in every way, the queen of a kingdom with no problems. This leaves the audience with no opportunity to learn more about her fascinating backstory. Furthermore, Bowser's uncanny obsession with Peach was funny for the first 10 minutes; after that, it was boring. The only redeeming quality was the voice acting from Jack Black, a sensational actor.
One of the biggest issues with "The Super Mario Bros. Movie" is its disjointed and confusing storyline. Starting in Brooklyn, New York, Mario and Luigi's plumbing business is in trouble, and their family is disappointed. In desperation to succeed, they show up to the flooded Brooklyn sewers in a deranged attempt to fix them. Instead, they find the Mushroom Kingdom through a green tunnel. This alone makes the film feel like it's straying too far from the original source material.
One final saving grace of the film is the humor. The scenes in which DK assaults Mario over and over are the best part of the film.
Overall, "The Super Mario Bros. Movie" falls short of expectations and fails to do justice to the iconic video game franchise. Fans of the games may be left feeling disappointed and let down by this lacklustre adaptation, which ultimately fails to capture the essence of the beloved source material.