The Super Mario Bros. Movie {movie review}

We’re always on the lookout for a great movie for family movie night. Recently, The Super Mario Bros. Movie hit theatres and several of my kids had the chance to see it. They came home raving about it and we’re so excited that it’s now available on Digital, DVD, Blu-Ray and 4K so we can enjoy it all together at home! Read on for their favourite parts of the movie!

I received a copy of this DVD in exchange for this review; all opinions expressed remain my own. This post contains affiliate links; as an Amazon associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Super Mario Bros. Movie synopsis

The movie tells the story of two Brooklyn plumbers who are brothers and best friends: Mario, the brave one with the “let’s-a go” attitude, and the perpetually anxious Luigi, who would prefer to go nowhere. We open with the Super Mario Brothers reckoning with their struggling plumbing business, and wind up in a whirlwind adventure through Mushroom Kingdom.

Through their journey, we meet a cast of familiar, lovable characters, ultimately uniting together to defeat the power-hungry villain, Bowser. The Super Mario Bros. Movie takes what millions of gamers worldwide have loved for thirty-five years and levels it up to a new and breathtaking cinematic experience.

As I said, we all loved this movie. The Super Mario Bros. Movie bring together the great story and animation we expect from Illumination, classic video game characters, and some great voice actors. Jack Black plays Bowser and rocks a love song for Princes Peach. Chris Pratt (whom we love as Starlord in Guardians of the Galaxy) is Mario himself. Vancouver actor and comedian Seth Rogen stars as Donkey Kong.

Teen likes it for…

Sunshine (my 15-year-0ld) saw The Super Mario Bros. Movie in theatres with a friend from school. She says, “It was really funny. I liked Princess Peach, because she managed to jump around and fight in a dress, and do so more gracefully than Mario. She also had a bunch of cool costume changes.” She said it has elements from all the Super Mario games she’s played (at friends’ houses), such as Mario Kart, Super Mario, and Smash Bros.

As a mom of four daughters, we do enjoy watching movies where women are no longer waiting to be rescued, but are going out and getting things done themselves. Princess Peach is a true leader who puts her toads first and is beloved by them. As Sunshine said, she ably defeats the obstacle course, demonstrating her physical abilities, but she’s also kind and intelligent as well.

Tweens like it for…

Jade (age 10) and Pearl (age 7) saw this movie in theatres with their dad. Like their older sister, they are huge fans of Princess Peach. (Coming from a home with mostly girls, we like any girl power onscreen.) Jade says, “Because the princess finally doesn’t sit around in a castle all day, and actually helps.” She also thought the powerups were cool and the animation was really good.

She added that Mario was cute because he was round. He also looks good as a cat—apparently certain power-ups turn him into various animals. There’s also some great catchy music in The Super Mario Bros. Movie which they began singing for me (my girls can hear a song once and be belting it out for the rest of the week).

Pearl said her favourite character was the mushroom named Toad. He’s funny. She also whispered in my ear that Bowser loves Princess Peaches, but her older sister had already played that YouTube clip for us.

Parents like it for…

We really appreciate the clean, family-friendly movies that Illumination delivers. The Despicable Me and Minion movies, as well as Sing and Sing 2, are family favourites here. Now we can add The Super Mario Bros. Movie to that collection, without having to warn younger siblings not to repeat language they’ve heard in the movie or worry about them seeing anything inappropriate.

The Super Mario Bros. Movie is fun for all ages. It’s a perfect film for families to enjoy together — which is a sadly uncommon thing these days. It’s a Mario game brought to life on screen, which is all that fans wanted in the first place. The film has an infectious energy from beginning to end. It’s funny, colorful, and has a positive message to impart to viewers young and old. ~ Thomas Salerno, Voyage Comics

To find out more about The Super Mario Bros. Movie, follow @supermariomovie on Facebook, Twitter, and TikTok or search #SuperMarioMovie. You can check out the movie trailer or buy / stream it for your family. You can also find The Super Mario Bros. Movie on Amazon.