How good did the Super Mario Bros. movie turn out? It’s complicated.
The Super Mario Bros. movie has been in theaters since April 5, 2023 and has been hotly debated even before its launch. Straight the casting by Chris Pratt in the role of the plumber dressed in red and blue caused heated tempers. But it can’t get any worse than the previous live-action film from 1993, right? Or??
At least, many critics are currently not in agreement. Super Mario Bros. ratings really go in all directions, while viewership paints a very different picture. The average scores on established review portals are currently as follows:
- Rotten Tomatoes: Critic Score of 54 percent vs. Audience Score of 98 percent
- Metacritic: Critics’ score of 49 points vs. Audience’s score of 78 points
By the way, you can read our film review of Super Mario Bros. here:
Super Mario Bros.: The international ratings at a glance
You can find out how far the critics’ ratings actually differ in the following table. We have collected a few press reviews from the most prominent and important sites. Take a look for yourself:
What the critics are saying about Super Mario Bros.
Christopher Cruz from Rolling Stone definitely had fun with Super Mario Bros. and is particularly impressed by the visual power of Super Mario Bros.:
The visual effects are a feast. (Super Mario Bros.) is a cotton candy wrapped mindfuck that seems to be inspired by George Lucas’ school of imagery. The visual violence is dense, every location brings a manic energy and this combined with the speed of the film makes it impossible to absorb everything the film shows. The Easter Eggs have Easter Eggs. The film is made to be watched over and over again.
Frank Scheck Hollywood reporters shows similar enthusiasm towards Super Mario Bros. Of course, according to his film criticism, the story doesn’t win a flower pot, but that’s not what matters to him when it comes to the cinema experience:
While Matthew Fogel’s screenplay won’t win any awards, it sets a fitting foundation for the 90-minute mayhem that follows. (…) The plot couldn’t be simpler and character development is obviously not a priority. Considering (Charlie) Day’s fantastic performance as Luigi, it’s a shame the character doesn’t appear at all for much of the runtime.
Peter Bradshaw from The Guardians sees the whole matter much more critically. In the eyes of the critic, Super Mario Bros. is just as disappointing as the first movie from 1993 and falls short, especially in comparison to the Lego movies:
Unlike the brilliant Lego movies, (Super Mario Bros.) insists on not being remotely ironic or funny (…).
John Nugent from Empire also punishes Super Mario Bros., but can at least gain one or the other positive aspect from the screen spectacle:
Beautifully animated and as faithful and loving as the money printing scam of a large corporation can be. Still, (Super Mario Bros.) doesn’t even come close to what it’s like to play the games themselves.
Have you seen the Super Mario Bros. movie yet? If so, let us know how much you liked it in the comments. If not, let us know if you even want to see the movie and what your hopes and expectations are towards Super Mario Bros!
