'The Super Mario Bros. Movie' at least looks good
Universal
Making a better movie than 1993’s legendary, live-action fail “Super Mario Bros.” is not difficult. It’s like walking calmly into your house instead of smashing your car through the garage.
Besides clearing that bar, though, then what? Looking a lot more like its Nintendo origins, the new “Mario” boasts terrific animation (a big change from the griminess of its predecessor) and eventually feels as exciting as watching someone else play a video game.
Mario (Chris Pratt of “The Lego Movie,” obviously the wrong choice while providing little to hold onto) and Luigi (Charlie Day, better) can’t focus on generating new clients for their plumbing business when they’re swept via pipe into an alternate world in which the evil Bowser (Jack Black) desires both endless power and the hand of Princess Peach (Anya Taylor-Joy, a great choice). When Luigi’s captured, it’s up to Mario, and eventually Donkey Kong (Seth Rogen), to save Luigi and the entire mushroom kingdom. If that’s even what it’s called. I have already forgotten this information, as the basic narrative here is closer to Mario Kart than a complicated adventure that expands and deepens as it goes.
Fortunately, “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” isn’t inspired by the “Transformers” sequels, giving a sense of desperation as it smashes and irritates and calls it entertainment. It’s also really not “The Lego Movie,” though, or “Barbie” or any other far more clever example of turning a toy into a vehicle for engagement, not just procrastination. There are a few laughs, and “Mario” obviously learned from “Lego” in giving Peach more to do and more ability to shut down anyone who objectifies or minimizes her.
But anyone hoping for a triumphant redo of a movie about the classic game might have to really squint to see something special in the script by Matthew Fogel that’s mostly just a road map of one set piece to the next. Maybe start playing it, pause it to get a snack, and if you forget you left the thing frozen, no biggie.
C+
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