A Successful Weekend for the Mario Brothers

(from left) Mario (Chris Pratt) and Luigi (Charlie Day) in Nintendo and Illumination’s The Super Mario Bros. Movie, directed by Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic.

Kevin Caffrey, Writer

The Super Mario Bros. Movie opened on April 5th in theaters worldwide. The film grossed 377 million dollars in its opening weekend alone, making it the biggest opening weekend for an animated film ever. The record was previously held by Frozen 2.

The film featured a star-studded cast, which was truly the highlight of the entire film. Anya Taylor Joy (Princess Peach), Charlie Day (Luigi), and Seth Rogen (Donkey Kong) all do exceptionally well in their respective characters. Each managed to bring their own charm that made these beloved characters recognizable and fun to watch. Furthermore, Chris Pratt has managed to surprise everyone by turning in a truly good performance as the titular plumber. Many expected a voiceover that was phoned in and unremarkable, but Pratt manages to pull off the role of Mario easily.

However, the movie’s true standout is its villain Bowser, played by the infectious Jack Black. Black brings his unmistakable voice and sense of humor to the evil king of the “Koopas.” While every other actor uses their own natural speaking voice for this film, Black embodies Bowser with a unique growl that entertains and serves the character.

The film was visually stunning, with the same cartoonish designs and realistic textures that Illumination Studios is known for. Furthermore, on every inch of the screen, there was another Easter Egg (Quite ironic considering how close the film’s release was to Easter Sunday) to either the Mario franchise or another Nintendo game.

Although the film lacked the emotional maturity or depth that one might expect from a Disney or Pixar film, it still managed to be 90 minutes of sheer fun that is sure to entertain anyone from the ages of 1 to 100.