Poor Luigi – he’s not as brave, smart or popular as his brother Mario. After all, it’s always been Super Mario Bros… not Super Luigi Bros. Initially, the 2023 animated film The Super Mario Bros. Movie, directed by Aaron Horvath, Michael Jelenic and others, continues the disparity. Luigi totes the heavy plumbing equipment behind Mario. A flashback shows a boy Mario coming to Luigi’s defence when the latter gets picked on. However, this film also tantalises the viewer with the prospect of Mario’s tall, awkward, skinny green shadow coming into his own.
Against the advice of family members, the brothers have given up a cushy demolition job to pursue their dream by opening a plumbing business in Brooklyn. When they inadvertently get sucked into a different universe, Mario (Chris Pratt) gets transported to a vibrant kingdom with giant mushrooms, toad figures and the beautiful Princess Peach (Anya Taylor-Joy). Luigi (Charlie Day) ends up in a dark wasteland full of threats. And of course, Luigi doesn’t have nearly as much screen time as Mario.
Mario and Princess Peach set out to save Luigi and stop Bowser (Jack Black) from taking over this universe. This brutish, fire-breathing turtle thinks the princess will marry him because he stole a magical star that gives him power. It’s a reasonable assumption, but this is a children’s movie – the princess has zero interest in Bowser. Despite his spikes, horns and heavy-metal headquarters, Bowser comes out of his shell when alone. This is best exemplified in a melodramatic albeit entertaining piano-accompanied ballad (highlighted by Blackesque vocal antics) in which huge images of the princess’s head float in the background.
The film makes up for its rudimentary plot (i.e. stop the bad guy and save Luigi) with stunning animation (including a chase scene that takes place on a rainbow and a reckless first-person POV ride), contemporary dialogue, humour and plenty of action. Despite her princessy wardrobe replete with pink dress and tiara, Princess Peach surprises with un-princesslike behaviour. She is a woman of action, and her conversations with Mario are rapid and unsentimental.
Mario also encounters another classic video game character: Donkey Kong. Though the two have an adversarial relationship, they learn that they have a similar motivation. A favourite minor character is an imprisoned star whose hopeless statements contrast with its echoing, high-pitched vocals, joyous movements and bright blue light.
Perhaps the film’s greatest asset is its use of the Super Mario Bros. imagery that links generations of video game players: green pipe portals, colourful spotted mushrooms, floating platforms, lava and many others.
Mario’s biggest strength (or is it a weakness?) is that he doesn’t know when to quit. Much of the film involves him and his allies taking a beating, then hitting the power-up squares and eating the mushrooms they provide to obtain a temporary special power: getting bigger and stronger, transforming into some kind of animal hybrid, and sometimes mutating into something less desirable. It’s the underdog turned powerhouse that kids have enjoyed since Popeye popped his first can of spinach. And surely there’s a part of us as adults that love it as well. Douglas J. Ogurek ****
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