“The Super Mario Bros. Movie’ Review: Chris Pratt gives the legendary gamer a charming entrance to the big screen

Widely regarded as one of the greatest video game franchises of all time, Super Mario Bros. is an iconic cross-generational success that has gone through many iterations to always keep up with the times. One area where it failed miserably was the 1993 live-action film version, starring Bob Hoskins and John Leguizamo as Mario and Luigi, Brooklyn plumbers who embark on a fantastical adventure. It was a critical and commercial flop, although it managed to gain a cult following in the decades that followed.

Cinematic though The Super Mario Bros. Movie – The new animated film collaboration between Nintendo and Illumination 00 is a family winner, perfectly sized for the big screen, and one that’s faithful enough not to scare off legions of fans, young and old. Animation is the way to go, and directors Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic along with writer Matthew Fogel make it charming, if not on par with Illumination favorites Minions, singing, the secret lives of pets And Despicable Me. It’s a star name that works well for 90 minutes, just enough to send kids off to play the real thing once they get home. The smartest part is how this screen version feels in many ways like playing the game, with the smartest parts taking the characters through long and winding situations that players will recognize.

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A Japanese anime version of Super Mario 1987 was probably the first, or at least one of the first, film adaptations of video games, modest as that hour-long effort was. This time all the bells and whistles are in place with an all-star cast that includes Chris Pratt as Mario and the irrepressible Charlie Day as younger brother Luigi, two plumbers from New York’s Lower Borough from an Italian family who may not appreciate their talent knowledge . as much as they should. When they find themselves in a crisis situation that requires a quick fix for burst water pipes on the street, they are instead swept through the maze of those pipes and spilled into another world, just like when Alice went down the rabbit hole.

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When Mario lands in the colorful and friendly Mushroom Kingdom, something terrible awaits brother Luigi as he is dragged into the Darklands, where the reigning king of Koopas, the fearsome giant turtle Bowser (Jack Black), threatens him with death in his quest to Become Princess Marry Peach (Anya Taylor-Joy) to conquer her mushroom kingdom and rule the world. Fortunately, Mario is on the case and is joined by cheerful resident Toad (Keegan-Michael Key), who befriends him and introduces him to the princess. They team up to stop Bowser and save Luigi. Donkey Kong eventually joins them (of course), amusingly voiced by Seth Rogen, an eager and seasoned citizen of the Jungle Kingdom and Kong Army, led by his jaded father, Cranky Kong (Fred Armisen). In a battle of life and death, Mario must prove his worth to everyone before they join forces for the ultimate battle that has become a staple of this type of entertainment these days.

It’s all extremely personal and full of laughs, if not berserk humor. Having the likes of Black and Rogen in the cast definitely ups the ante with some subversive humor, and they all seem to be enjoying this stay which is definitely ready for sequels as Mario and Luigi are about to to start a new play in her long career. The CGI animation is brilliantly composed for vivid colors with the ominous Dark Lands, and the film is immensely supported by a punchy and lilting musical score by Brian Tyler. As a testament to the filmmakers’ efforts to stay true to their source, there’s even room for Charles Martinet, the original voice of the video games Mario and Luigi for the last three decades.

Producers are Illumination’s Chris Meledandri and creator of Mario and Nintendo representative and colleague Shigeru Miyamoto. Universal brings it to theaters on Wednesday.