Super Mario Bros: The Movie It has become a blockbuster. With $427 million earned in just five days since its arrival on the big screen, broke various box office records in North America. Which included the best debut of 2023 and the biggest win on a Wednesday premiere.
But the phenomenon has spread to the rest of the world, especially Mexico and Latin America, where the film has occupied the top positions in audience preferences. At the same time, it has become a phenomenon of popularity on social networks and fan forums that has exceeded all expectations.
However, the critics were harsh in their analysis of the success of Super Mario Bros: The Movie. With just 57% positive reviews on Rotten TomatoesVarious media called it “simple and superficial.” At the same time, they accused the producer illumination of using winks and references to hide a soft script, full of inconsistencies and without much appeal. All apart from the massive support in movie theaters that the feature film has received, already considered one of the great successes of the year.
Cinema for a new generation
The truth is that the success of Super Mario Bros: The Movie proves an obvious point. The character and the context of her are part of the mass culture in such a profound way that the adaptation has become an immediate collective phenomenon. Despite its possible weaknesses as a film production, the big screen version of the beloved universe has conquered its fans. Something he has achieved thanks to his careful recreation of the source material and his attention to detail in the elements that made him famous.
What makes such a noticeable difference in judging the success of Super Mario Bros: The Movie? Why does the point of view between critics and viewers seem increasingly different in the cinema? The answers could be related to how the cinematic experience has become a much more universal collective event than it was in previous decades.
At the same time, with how he delves into art, entertainment and show business today. Opinion on series, movies and all kinds of content is in the hands of a broader audience. Thanks to the influence of social networks and their considerable reach, the analysis of the most popular productions has completely changed.
The success of Super Mario Bros: The Movie belongs to his fans
Currently, film criticism does not only concern specialized media. Some days ago, CNN published an article in which he analyzed the impact of social networks on film criticism and analysis. The text reflected on the influence of new forms of marketing and how they have led to the analysis of massive content no longer just for experts.
Since the firing of critic Todd McCarthy from Variety until the cancellation of the iconic At the Movies of the chain abc. All are indications of the loss of influence of the traditional way of approaching cinematographic content. Which points to a new critical dimension of the success of productions such as Super Mario Bros: The Movie.
One that brings the audience and their experience to the fore. From the massive recommendations from tiktokers and Twitter users around the world, to the conversations on forums and online platforms. The success of Super Mario Bros: The Movie It has become a viral event since the day it was released. Especially since the plot – which tries to summarize the 59 versions of the game – appeals to several generations of players. Launched on the market in 1997, it is the most successful product of Nintendo. One who has turned Mario already Luigi into icons that even transcend the world of video consoles.
A universally beloved character
In 2017, the late Shinzo Abe, then Prime Minister of Japan, made clear the character’s level of importance in world culture. To the promote futures Summer Olympics in Tokyowore the red cap with the m in front and the work clothes of Mario. It didn’t need anything else, it was obvious that the Nintendo character is a symbol of Japan and its culture.
It is difficult for a fictional figure to reach such a level of recognition. But, in reality, the saga is much more than a set of successful games. In the year 2022, it was calculated that at least 3.2 billion people had enjoyed the experience on consoles. The most recent game in the saga, Super Mario Odyssey, went on sale in 2017 and sold 25 million units. Which demonstrates the impact of the brand on a whole new generation of players.
Super Mario Bros: The Movie has brought that success to movie theaters. Appealing to nostalgia and paying tribute to the game in a tribute that has included the players, the film has become an emotional experience. Directors Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic used the power of the reference to create a story that fans, even casual ones, found elements to relate to. A triumph of argument that is making history.