Nintendo returns the Mario brothers to the big screens after decades. The Super Mario Bros. movie was teased earlier this year and released in theaters on April 5. The first movie released in 1993 but shares its differences in comparison to the 2023 release. Mario, along with other Nintendo franchises, are nostalgic to many. One of their most famous franchises, Pokemon, has had several movies, animated series and video games since its debut in the nineties. Mario as well has had its fair share of screen time, gaining video game adaptations and animated shorts.

The recent release is an animated hour-and-a-half adventure featuring Mario (voiced by Chris Pratt) and his brother Luigi (voiced by Charlie Day) who work together to save the Mushroom Kingdom from the evil Bowser and his army. This version is much more approachable to children because of its animated nature, but can be enjoyed by Nintendo fans of all ages. 

Mario and Luigi discover a magical pipe under the streets of Brooklyn, New York. Both are sucked through the pipe and are separated as Luigi is transported to Bowser’s kingdom while Mario lands in the Mushroom Kingdom. Mario befriends Toad and Princess Peach as they come together to defeat Bowser’s plan to overtake the Mushroom Kingdom and save Luigi.

Many viewers and fans speculate a future sequel featuring the rival brothers, Wario and Waluigi, and the other characters within the franchise not pictured in this film. Upon watching the movie, many fans wanted more out of the animation. Recent critics have deemed this movie 7.4/10 on IMBD, 59% on Rotten Tomatoes, and 46% on Metacritic. The movie was overall very enjoyable especially when the TikTok hit “Peaches,” sung by Jack Black, as Bowser came on. Have fun getting that out of your head.