Overall Score: 4.6 / 5 This movie really could be rated with a perfect score. I just felt like, being my second movie review, I didn't want to give it a perfect 5, so I took a little away for some really small things. Overall, I was impressed with the movie and the way it really did a good job bringing the kid out in me. It was phenomenal. The way they added in all of the references in a smooth manner like Mario Kart and Super Smash Bros. This movie is pretty much as good as it gets. Now go see it! Criteria 1: sound score Score: 5 / 5
The sound score for this movie was perfect. I seriously do not believe they could have done anything with the sound to enhance the experience for me. There were so many sound effects that stayed true to the game while bits of the background music were also inspired by the music from the games. You could clearly hear the homage. On top of that, they added blockbuster hits to pivotal parts of the movie, completely delivering on the experience they promised throughout the whole movie. Criteria 2: special effects | animation Score: 4 / 5
The animation of the movie was spectacular. Finely detailed, down to the stitches in their caps, the animations were more than impressive, and they also delivered on the experience of the whole story. Adding perfectly timed sequences to enhance the scenes. The only ding I will give it is -0.9 because they didn't make my boy Mario thicc. Criteria 3: story Score: 4 / 5
This is the only part in the movie that I felt could maybe have been better, but I'm not totally sure how. Most of the criticism online is from people hating on the story, but the story was good. It's not the typical hero-saves-the-princess; in fact, the princess is really the heroine here. Also, Mario was saving Luigi while Peach was working to save her kingdom. It was fluid and cohesive. It made sense and was inspiring. I didn't give it a 5 because it didn't make me question my reality or anything like that, but it was still terrific. Criteria 4: acting Score: 5 / 5
Man, they really chose all of the right people for this film. Keegan-Michael Key was GREAT as Toad. He was funny and charming. Charlie Day really captured the essence of Luigi, and Chris Pratt wasn't a bad Mario. I loved the way they explained his lack of an accent. Anya Taylor-Joy was great as Princess Peach and really brought her to life. Finally, JACK FREAKING BLACK killed it as Bowser. He was AMAZING. I loved the way he brought the character to life and really made you kind of love him even though he was definitely the bad guy. Criteria 5: world building Score: 5 / 5
Let me start by saying that the latest video game-to-movie adaptations are showing a ton of promise. This movie did such a good job staying true to the content. The plot was pulled directly from one of the games. There were multiple scenes where they had subtle things pulled from the games, like the jump Mario does in Super Mario 64 that ends in a big flip or the outstretched arms as he reaches his top speed while running. The "real-world" was new to me. I'm not sure if that is from the lore or not. I love the games, but I can't say I've been really invested in the lore before. But even if this is a new addition to the lore, it wasn't bad. It still fit and didn't take away from the immersion of the movie. They did a really good job using it to add other references like Mario playing a game on the NES, and it made the Mario universe feel even more expansive and alive. The world building in this movie was top-notch, and it will leave fans of the game series feeling satisfied and fulfilled But that's just my opinion, and here is why it matters:...
Comments