Super Mario Bros. Movie: First reactions praise animation, nostalgia factor

Last Updated on April 4, 2023

The first reactions from the Los Angeles premiere of The Super Mario Bros. Movie have come in and it’s looking like you won’t want to warp ahead, with many praising the movie as the best possible take on the classic video game…with due respect to Bob Hoskins and John Leguizamo, of course.

The Super Mario Bros. Movie is shaping up to be a fully realized adaptation that has even moved some viewers to tears. Much of this comes from the nostalgia factor, which is expected. And it seems that viewers should also be on the lookout for some mushroom-sized easter eggs throughout the movie.

However, nostalgia, by definition, won’t work with every viewer, and so The Super Mario Bros. Movie seems to be far more geared towards those that grew up with the video game series. There’s even a post-credits scene which may set up a sequel. In other words, the princess is in another castle…

One of the most talked-about aspects of The Super Mario Bros. Movie has been the casting of Chris Pratt, who didn’t entirely settle the skeptical and die-hard Mario fans when he said, “I’m providing a voice for an animated character, and it is updated and unlike anything you’ve heard in the Mario world before.” But, despite some initial blowback, it looks–or rather sounds–like this could have been an overreaction.

The directors, however, were never concerned over casting Chris Pratt as Mario, saying, “For us, Pratt’s casting made total sense. He’s really good at playing a blue-collar hero with a ton of heart. For the way that Mario is characterized in our film, he’s perfect for it.” Jack Black’s Bowser, however, appears to steal every scene of The Super Mario Bros. Movie. The supporting cast also includes Charlie Day as Luigi, Anya Taylor-Joy as Princess Peach, Keegan-Michael Key as Toad, Seth Rogen as Donkey Kong, and many more.

The Super Mario Bros. Movie warps to theaters on April 5th.

Are you looking forward to The Super Mario Bros. Movie? Do you think the early reviews will be an accurate prediction of the quality of the movie? Let us know what you’re hoping for in the comments section below!