Nostalgia. It’s a feeling that can be bittersweet to some and amazing to others. For those who grew up playing the Super Mario games, this movie takes the audience on a journey through their childhood with easter eggs such as old retro games and references to the older retro games, like Wrecking Crew. No matter which generation the crowd is a part of, this film appeals to all with the sense of nostalgia of being able to identify which characters have which powerups and the details of key moments.

The movie starts with what was seen in the teaser trailer: Bowser’s island floats over the Snow Kingdom. Kamek and the Koopas step down on the ground of snow first as they introduce Bowser as he walks to the front of the army and demands the gates of the Snow Castle be opened. They’re open, but the Snow Kingdom is not going down without a fight. Penguins are behind the gate and attack to defend their home, but they’re small and their snowballs have almost no effect on the opposing army whatsoever. After a quick beatdown by Kamek, Bowser gets his hands on the Super Star. Comparing the film version and teaser trailer version of this scene, you can see and hear that the line was changed, which was an unnecessary change from “Now who’s gonna stop me!?” to “And now, no one can stop me!”. There are some changes from the trailers to the released film and all it takes to spot them is a keen eye.

While the movie has been poorly rated by movie critics with less than 60% on Rotten Tomatoes, it has been highly rated by the audience with a rating of over 95%, not to mention the fact that this movie has made over $500 million worldwide. In less than a week, it has become the #1 movie of 2023 so far this year, surpassing Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantamania, which made around $474 million.

The Super Mario Bros Movie came out in theaters on April 5 in the United States, and it will release in theaters in Japan on April 28. If Japan supports the film as much as the United States did, the Super Mario Bros Movie can make its way to be a part of the $1 billion Film Club, joining movies like The Dark Knight, Avengers: Endgame, and even Titanic.

All in all, the film is a huge success and a great choice for friends and family to enjoy. The best way to describe the Super Mario Bros Movie: it’s a nostalgic roller coaster that you’d want to ride over and over again. There are some minor complaints, like line changes, but other than that, the movie was well-executed and worth watching. Rating the Super Mario Bros Movie on a scale from 1-10, this film receives a 9/10.