Studio: Universal
Release Date: June 13, 2023
Rating: PG
Film: 3/5
Plot The movie tells the story of two Brooklyn plumbers who are brothers and best friends: Mario, the brave one with the “let’s-a go” attitude, and the perpetually anxious Luigi, who would prefer to go nowhere. We open with the Super Mario Brothers reckoning with their struggling plumbing business, and wind up in a whirlwind adventure through Mushroom Kingdom. Through their journey, we meet a cast of familiar, lovable characters, ultimately uniting to defeat the power-hungry villain, Bowser. The Super Mario Bros. Movie takes what millions of gamers worldwide have loved for over three decades and levels it up to a new and breathtaking cinematic experience.
My ThoughtsI’m old enough to have played the original Donkey Kong in arcades back in 1981 and it cost me a lot of quarters to get good at the game. A couple of years late he’d get his own game and over the ensuring years has appeared in over 200 more (I was personally shocked when I looked up his history).
This is the second attempt at a feature film and it’s definitely the best of the three, but the bar was set
EXTREMELY low. My wife and I sat down with somewhat high expectations given how our kids felt about the film, but it just didn’t resonate with us. My wife felt like she was watching someone else play a video game (which she hates doing) and that pretty much sums up the film. We follow Mario on his adventure to save his brother and he must pass a number of tasks along the way with help from his friends. There are a few laughs thrown in but this definitely is a film for younger audiences and I’m sure we would have enjoyed it more if we were watching with some younglings.
One positive for the film is that it’s an audio/visual treat to experience, especially in 4K. The detail in the animation is off the charts and the sound design is excellent and is reminiscent to the early days of Pixar with the use of audio queues to enhance the on-screen action.
Video 10/10
Audio 9.5/10 (Dolby Atmos)
Special Features: - Getting to Know the Cast
- Leveling Up: Making The Super Mario Bros. Movie
- The Super Mario Bros. Movie Field Guide
- “Peaches Lyric Video
- Leadership Lessons with Anya Taylor-Joy
Conclusion For kids and adults who have played or have grown up with the Mario character, you’ll definitely enjoy this film much more than my wife did since she had no emotional attachment to the character. Given its positive box office returns and fan reaction, I’m sure this isn’t the last we’ve seen of Mario on film and look for the sequel at some point in the future. As for the 4K disc, it’s reference quality and if you’re a fan of the genre will look and sound great in your collection.
Reference Review System: JVC DLA-RS3100 4K Ultra High-Definition Front Projector
(Calibrated with Portrait Displays CalMAN color calibration software & C6-HDR Meter from Portrait Displays)
Stewart Filmscreen - Firehawk 110” 2.35:1 Screen
Trinnov Altitude 16 Audio/Video Processor
ATI AT527NC Powering Bed Channels
ATI AT524NC Powering Atmos Speakers
Kaleidescape Strato + Server
Panasonic DP-UB820 Ultra HD Blu-ray Player
System Controller: URC MX-990
M&K S-150 THX Ultra (R-C-L Speakers)
M&K SS-150 x4 (Surround Speakers)
Atlantic Technology IC6-OBA x 4 Overhead Speakers
SVS PC-Ultra Cylinder Subwoofer
SVS SB3000
HSU VTF-15H MK2 Subwoofer
M&K Sound X15+ Subwoofer
Mini DSP HD controlling all subwoofers
Audioquest and Monoprice - Audio/Video/Speaker Cabling
PureAV PF60 Power Conditioner
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