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Cinemablend
Cinemablend
Entertainment
Heidi Venable

The Super Mario Bros. Movie Has Screened, See What People Are Saying About Chris Pratt’s Video Game Adaptation

The Super Mario Bros. Movie

Excitement is high for The Super Mario Bros. Movie, and it’s not just the video game enthusiasts who have been looking forward to hearing Chris Pratt and the rest of the star-studded cast bring the well-known characters to life. Conversations about another movie to follow the 1993 live-action flop started years ago, and now the wait is finally over, with Illumination’s animated film set for a slightly early release this Wednesday, April 5. The movie screened April 1 in Los Angeles, and those who have seen the movie have hit Twitter with their reactions.

In addition to Chris Pratt as Mario, The Super Mario Bros. Movie stars Charlie Day as Luigi, Jack Black as Bowser, Anya Taylor-Joy as Princess Peach, Keegan-Michael Key as Toad and Seth Rogen as Donkey Kong. There was a bit of backlash after Pratt was cast in the main role, and the actor said he understands and is grateful for the passionate fanbase, but he implores fans to see the movie before they make any final judgments. There are now plenty of people who have seen the movie, so let’s see what they’re saying. 

One critic loves what the leading man did with Mario, and he says the movie hits some major nostalgic notes for those who grew up playing the video games, tweeting

Another viewer rates it a 10 out of 10, tweeting that they haven’t been this excited about an animated movie since The Lego Movie

The Dallas Film gives a high score as well, rating it a 9 out of 10. This viewer and several others are advising fans to be sure to stay through the credits: 

Atom goes so far as to call The Super Mario Bros. Movie “one of the BEST family films ever,” and says Jack Black and Chris Pratt are great in their roles -- but it’s Charlie Day as Luigi who is the highlight. Check out the full thread: 

Video game fans were hoping for some Super Mario Easter eggs, and it sounds like the movie doesn’t disappoint. Erik Davis of Fandango calls the movie “the ultimate love letter to every era of Mario”: 

Seth Rogen’s confirmation regarding Donkey Kong’s entrance song already has fans buzzing, and Tim Gettys of Kinda Funny says the music is the star of the show and that Nintendo fans are going to be obsessed: 

He isn’t the only audience member who had an emotional reaction to seeing the animated film on the big screen. André Segers of GameXplain called the movie a blast, despite a somewhat shallow plot. Segers says: 

Mike Manalo of The Nerds of Color also touches on some minor criticisms, saying the jokes don’t always land, and he wishes Luigi had played a bigger role. However, The Super Mario Bros. Movie perfectly captures the spirit of Mario, and Jack Black steals the show — a true feat given the talented cast. The critic tweets: 

The reactions to the flick are overwhelmingly positive, and even the viewers who pointed out some issues like a shallow plot seem to have enjoyed the movie overall. It definitely sounds like a crowd-pleaser, especially for those who love the games. It sounds like some are already hoping for more and, in that case, we’ve got some characters we need to see in the sequel

The Super Mario Bros. Movie hits theaters Wednesday, April 5, and be sure to check out our schedule of 2023 new movie releases to see what else is coming soon. 

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