Rating: 4.5/5 stars

“Jumpman” also known as Mario, is one of the most iconic faces in pop culture and video games as a medium. He is “the” mascot when it comes to Nintendo. The red-hatted, overall-wearing Italian plumber has had many adventures and now he has hit the big silver screen with “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” which opened in theaters on April 5. 

Mario was created by the legendary Shigeru Miyamoto (“The Legend of Zelda” series) who was very hands-on with the project from day one. Nintendo paired up with Illumination (“Despicable Me”) in order to bring the charming game franchise to life after 38 years of running and jumping. For the most part, this film will bring a smile and a tear or two to those who grew up with the chubby, Italian man. 

The story is as basic as it gets for a Mario-related adventure. The Mario Brothers; Mario (Chris Pratt, “Guardians of the Galaxy”) and Luigi (Charlie Day, “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia”) are sucked into a mysterious warp pipe while on the job and become separated. 

It turns into a journey for Mario to save his brother, Luigi, from the clutches of King Bowser (Jack Black, “School of Rock”). Mario befriends a mushroom friend who goes by Toad (Keegan-Michael Key, “Wendell & Wild”) and a princess called Princess Peach (Anya Taylor-Joy, “The Menu”). Together, the group must not only rescue back the green-clad cowardly brother, but stop Bowser from conquering the Mushroom Kingdom. 

The plot is nothing special, but it does not have to be. The world is fun enough and vibrant with characters recognizable and lovable that will keep eyes glued to the screen. Illumination did not use the typical animated movie budget, and really made everything pop on screen. There are big set pieces and varying environments mixed with shockingly great action choreography and it is a true spectacle. The Mushroom Kingdom feels alive and realized, with rules and limitations and a Mario fan would dream of living there. 

Speaking of bringing things to life, the soundtrack is one that elevates the world and film to even more enjoyability. The soundtrack features classic ‘80s songs, as it is an obligatory factor for animated movies to have now, although it does fit better with Mario since he originated in the ‘80s. 

The real shimmering gold comes from the sweeping theatrical renditions of classic Mario soundtracks composed by Koji Kondo (“The Legend of Zelda” series). Every minute or so, a smile will grow as iconic pieces of music are in every scene along with dozens of easter eggs. Thousands of easter eggs are scattered throughout the 90-minute film and a lot of them can slide right under a regular movie-goer’s nose which makes them even more special to a true fan, and does not take away from the film itself. 

The humor is not the most gut-bustingly funny stuff, although it does warrant a few laughs out loud. Zero fart jokes are also present in the movie, which is a first for any Illumination kid’s movie which already brings it up another step. Overall, “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” is one for the fans. If someone who spent their whole lives playing Mario or even just played a few games sees this movie, it will bring tears to their eyes. Otherwise, this is a turn the brain off kind of movie where it can just be simply enjoyed.

Image from Illumination via YouTube