Super Mario Bros. (1993)
43%RT Audience Score: 29%
Awards & Nominations: 2 nominations
Super Mario Bros. has been a topic of debate among critics for decades, with some labeling it as one of the worst films ever made, while others praise its eccentricities and psychotronic qualities. However, as a highly intelligent and verbose critic, I must say that this film is a prime example of a missed opportunity. Despite the valiant efforts of Bob Hoskins and John Leguizamo, the film falls short in its execution, with disjointed narrative and tonal dissonance. While it may have its moments of entertainment, it ultimately fails to capture the essence of the beloved video game franchise. In the end, Super Mario Bros. is a cautionary tale of what can happen when a film fails to take risks and instead settles for mediocrity.
Super Mario Bros. has been called one of the worst films ever made, but let’s be real, it’s a classic in its own right. Sure, the plot is all over the place and the costumes are a bit ridiculous, but that’s what makes it so entertaining. Plus, Bob Hoskins and John Leguizamo make a pretty great duo as the iconic plumbers. It’s not a masterpiece, but it’s definitely worth a watch for some good old-fashioned nostalgia and a few laughs. Just don’t take it too seriously.
Production Company(ies)
ARTE Ariel Films, Arsam International,
Distributor
NA
Release Type
Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
EUE/Screen Gems Studios – 1223 N 23rd Street, Wilmington, North Carolina, USA
MPAA / Certificate
Rated PG for sci-fi action, mild language and sensuality
Year of Release
1993
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Color:Color
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Sound mix:Dolby Digital
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Aspect ratio:1.85 : 1
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Runtime:NA
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Language(s):English
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Country of origin:United States
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Release date:Release Date (Streaming): Jun 3, 2003
Genre(s)
Fantasy
Keyword(s)
starring Bob Hoskins, John Alberto Leguizamo, Dennis Hopper, Samantha Mathis, Fisher Stevens, Richard Edson, directed by Rocky Morton, produced by Jake Eberts, Roland Joffé, written by Parker Bennett, Terry Runte, Ed Solomon, genre, fantasy, box office performance, budget, reviewed by Mark Caro, Carrie Rickey, Michael Wilmington, Jeff Shannon, Kim Newman, Eddie Harrison, Zaki Hasan, Charles Pulliam-Moore, David Hogan, Jorge Loser, MPAA rating, Super Mario Bros., Brooklyn plumbers, Princess Daisy, King Koopa, Goombas, dinosaur world, special effects, novelty, video game adaptation, origin story, psychotronic cinema
Worldwide gross: $20,915,465
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $43,446,758
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,400
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 4,737,923
US/Canada gross: $20,915,465
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $43,446,758
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,133
US/Canada opening weekend: $8,532,623
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $17,724,435
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 716
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $48,000,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $99,708,249
Production budget ranking: 409
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $53,692,892
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): -$109,954,383
ROI to date (est.): -72%
ROI ranking: 1,818
John Leguizamo – Luigi Mario
Dennis Hopper – King Koopa
Samantha Mathis – Princess Daisy
Fisher Stevens – Iggy
Richard Edson – Spike
Director(s)
Rocky Morton
Writer(s)
NA
Producer(s)
Jake Eberts, Roland Joffé
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
2 nominations
Academy Awards
All Critics (43) | Top Critics (12) | Fresh (12) | Rotten (31)
I prefer a film that takes risks over inane projects. [Full review in Spanish]
July 14, 2019
Adrián Álvarez
Espinof
TOP CRITIC
Like their video-game counterparts, co-stars Bob Hoskins and John Leguizamo somehow manage to weave their way past threatening obstacles and escape with their dignity.
April 17, 2019 | Rating: 2/4
Mark Caro
Chicago Tribune
TOP CRITIC
Scenery rushes by, noise blares, characters pop up wearing new costumes that they couldn’t possibly have had time to change into as they eluded their adversaries.
May 30, 2013 | Rating: 1.5/4
Carrie Rickey
Philadelphia Inquirer
TOP CRITIC
Ultimately, it’s one more stop in the arcade, beckoning, waiting to soak up time and money.
May 30, 2013 | Rating: 2/5
Michael Wilmington
Los Angeles Times
TOP CRITIC
Unfortunately, the highlights are sporadic.
May 30, 2013 | Rating: 2.5/4
Jeff Shannon
Seattle Times
TOP CRITIC
Game over, man.
April 7, 2010 | Rating: 2/5
Kim Newman
Empire Magazine
TOP CRITIC
…Super Mario Brothers is an origin story, but adds so much detail that any joy of seeing Mario fly is negated by heavy plotting and far too much time spent watching Hopper/Koopa chew the scenery…
June 21, 2021 | Rating: 3/5
Eddie Harrison
film-authority.com
Although the theatrical release is perhaps too narratively disjointed and tonally dissonant to qualify as ‘good,’ it so proudly brandishes its bonkers, go-for-broke aesthetic, one hesitates to label it entirely ‘bad’ either.
June 15, 2021
Zaki Hasan
IGN Movies
Hoskins and Leguizamo… are able to sell themselves as the plumbers in large part because of the obvious fact that they both understood the movie was only taking itself but so seriously.
September 29, 2020
Charles Pulliam-Moore
io9.com
I don’t honestly believe it deserves its reputation as one of the “worst films ever made”, but I still wouldn’t bother with this one…
May 27, 2019 | Rating: 2/5
David Hogan
hoganreviews.co.uk
Its eccentricities make it tremendously entertaining. [Full Review in Spanish]
April 17, 2019
Jorge Loser
El Mundo (Spain)
Super Mario Bros is not a good movie, but it is psychotronic cinema of the first order.
April 17, 2019 | Rating: 3/5
Jesus Palacios
Fotogramas…
Plot
Can you make a movie out of a video game? That’s the question that is answered by this film. Mario Mario and Luigi Mario, two hard working plumbers find themselves in an alternate universe where evolved dinosaurs live in medium hi-tech squalor. They find themselves the only hope to save the Earth from invasion.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Bob Hoskins and John Leguizamo star as the iconic video game characters Mario and Luigi.
Rocky-Morton.jpg
