Despite relatively positive social media reactions, the fact that the full review embargo only lifted the day before The Super Mario Bros. Movie hit theaters had fans worrying that the animated video game adaptation may not be up to snuff, and, so far, it seems those concerns may have been warranted.
The first reviews are in, and with 99 verdicts counted, the movie currently sits at a disappointing 54% on Rotten Tomatoes (audience score is a much better 98%, however).
Though the critics who did like it really seemed to enjoy it, the negative reviews point to lame, unfunny jokes, a nonsensical story, and, yes, awful voice acting from the cast.
The visuals did come in for a lot of praise, however, and it sounds like fans of the classic Nintendo games will be very happy with the amount of Easter Eggs sprinkled throughout the vast animated world.
Major IP-driven family films tend to be largely critic-proof, and Mario still looks set for one of the best box office openings of the year. The latest predictions point to the movie climbing as high as $225 million ($125M+ in U.S./Canada, and another $100M+ overseas).
Marvel Studios' Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania is the current 2023 boss with $225.3M, but most analysts seem to feel that the moustachioed plumbers will surpass that total.
Do you plan on catching the Mario movie over Easter weekend? Drop us a comment down below.
About The Author:
Mark Cassidy is a writer, photographer, amateur filmmaker, and Rotten Tomatoes-approved critic from Dublin, Ireland.