Super Mario Bros. Review

With a new Mario movie on the horizon, I wanted to look back on The Super Mario Bros. Movie and leave my thoughts on how the previous film felt before moving on to the next one. Mario has always been such a familiar character to me because I grew up with the games, so when I first heard that the series was getting an animated film, I felt both excited and a little nervous. I was curious whether the movie would really be able to capture the charm, fun, and colorful energy that made the games so memorable in the first place. After watching it, the best way I can sum up my thoughts is this: it is a perfectly fine movie for light entertainment, but it feels somewhat lacking if you go in expecting a rich or emotionally satisfying story.

The first thing that stood out to me was that this movie works well as a family-friendly film. It is bright, colorful, easy to follow, and filled with familiar characters that make it approachable even for people who do not know the Mario series very well. The story is simple enough that children can enjoy it without any difficulty, and families can watch it together without needing to think too hard about the plot. In that sense, the movie feels very clear about what it wants to be. It is not trying to tell a complicated or deeply emotional story. Instead, it focuses on being a fun, energetic, and accessible adventure that a wide audience can enjoy.

At the same time, I do think adult viewers may find parts of it a little too childish or overly simple. The plot is very straightforward, and many moments unfold in exactly the way you expect them to. There are not many surprises, and the emotional depth of the story is fairly limited. Because of that, people who usually look for strong storytelling, layered characters, or a more meaningful dramatic arc may end up feeling underwhelmed. I personally had a few moments where the movie felt a little repetitive or flat, not because it was terrible, but because the story never really aimed for anything beyond being a basic adventure.

Even so, I would not say the movie was boring overall, especially for people who already have affection for the Mario franchise. One of the biggest strengths of the film is how many small references and familiar elements it includes for longtime fans. If you have played the Mario games before, there are many moments that make you smile simply because you recognize them right away. Those details may not add much depth to the story itself, but they definitely make the experience more enjoyable. For fans, there is a kind of fun in noticing those touches and feeling that the movie understands what people loved about the games.

Another aspect I genuinely liked was the quality of the 3D animation. The character designs are clean and appealing, the movements are lively, and the overall visual style is polished from beginning to end. The backgrounds are especially nice to look at, and the movie does a good job of bringing the Mario universe to life in a way that feels colorful, playful, and visually satisfying. Places like the Mushroom Kingdom are rendered with enough care and detail that just looking at the screen can be enjoyable, even when the story itself is not doing anything particularly impressive. In my opinion, the visuals are one of the strongest parts of the movie.

If someone asked me whether I would recommend this film, I would say yes, but only with certain expectations in mind. I would not strongly recommend it to someone looking for an emotionally powerful animated film or a story with a lot of depth. However, I do think it is worth watching at least once if you are already a fan of the Mario series or if you want an easy, family-friendly movie to enjoy casually. People who know the games will probably get the most out of it because they can appreciate the references and familiar world-building much more. On the other hand, viewers with no particular attachment to Mario may find it decent but not especially memorable.

If I had to give it a score, I would say it is about a 5 out of 10. I would not call it a bad movie, but I would not call it a great one either. It feels average in many ways, and it is the kind of film that is easy to watch once without leaving a particularly strong emotional impression. Still, there is some charm in seeing such an iconic game franchise turned into a colorful animated movie. For fans of Mario, that alone can be enough reason to give it a chance. In the end, this is a movie that relies more on visual appeal, familiar characters, and fan-friendly moments than on story depth, and whether you enjoy it will depend a lot on what you want from it.