The Super Mario Bros. Movie | Universal/Illumination | April 5, 2023 | Chris Pratt is Mario, Charlie Day is Luigi, Anya Taylor-Joy is Peach | The most profitable movie of 2023

[Krissykins]

39 minutes ago, kayumanggi said:

 

Will that translate to big china box office? 

[thajdikt]

Early scores from France is also good, 3,9 on allocine but still very early days so could change quickly

[Ipickthiswhiterose]

2 hours ago, wildphantom said:

being brutally honest though, the Super Mario games are as much a part of people’s DNA as Star Wars.  For those bystanders that have never really played video games, oh well - you missed out. They didn’t make this for you. 
 

I am absolutely delighted they haven’t pandered to those that don’t ‘know Mario’. Why waste time on them and miss out on being a one-off blast aimed at the millions of people that are into it.  Usually these things are watered down and I’m so pleased it hasn’t been. 

 

 

As for point one I'm inclined to say "hogwash" but it has a caveat to it. Star Wars has near total cultural coverage in the areas where it has it. Mario has nowhere near that coverage in those areas but the overall span is worldwide including huge swathes of Asia making it internationally a bigger property. That's not the same thing.

 

As for the "they didnt' make this for you"....no, and that's fine. But the point is don't moan and whine when people who don't care about the property point out that it has nothing to offer them, and that that makes it a somewhat limited film in terms of grading it....which *doesn't have anything to do with whether you like or or not or are allowed to like it because yes you're allowed to like it anyway even if it doesn't stand up*.

 

And the final result is a pile of braying about "victory over critics" regardless of the fact this movie was going to make a ton of money anyway. Because you're (conceptual you, not literally you) not allowed to just like something, you have to DEMAND that the critics VALIDATE your liking it with the stamp of declaring it to be good. It has to be turned into a conflict, into a cultural fight.

Edited April 5, 2023 by Ipickthiswhiterose

[KP1025]

Just got back from my screening. As a big fan of the Mario games, I enjoyed it but not as much as I hoped. Don't want to spoil anything in the story, but I wasn't fond of some of the creative choices and probably wouldn't rewatch it again until it's on streaming. The humor was very hit or miss for me, although the kids in the audience responded well. By far the best part for me was seeing the beautifully animated fantasy world of Mario on the big screen, as well as all the easter eggs and remixed tracks from the games. Once the initial nostalgia high wears off, the flaws in the movie do become more noticeable. 

[Hatebox]

2 hours ago, PrinceRico said:

The problem is not that it don’t appeal to them. It’s the movie itself may not be good 

yes, that’s my point. It’s most likely a quality issue, not a ‘they’re the wrong demographic’ issue. Everyone under 50 has a strong chance of being a Mario videogame fan. The original really is that old. 
 

 

Edited April 5, 2023 by Hatebox

[Ipickthiswhiterose]

My final say on this is that I can't help but wonder if those currently engaged on social media and the Youtubes in discussions of "It's been made for fans of the property and those who aren't fans of the property should just butt out and don't have a valid say"

 

.....extended the same attitude towards the Twilight and Fifty Shades of Grey franchises, and will extend the same attitude towards the Little Mermaid.

 

I mean, if they aren't big fans of the property, I'm sure they've never commented on them, felt they had nothing valuable to say about them, and certainly wouldn't even dream of allocating a status of good/bad to them.

Edited April 5, 2023 by Ipickthiswhiterose

[wildphantom]

11 minutes ago, Ipickthiswhiterose said:

 

 

As for point one I'm inclined to say "hogwash" but it has a caveat to it. Star Wars has near total cultural coverage in the areas where it has it. Mario has nowhere near that coverage in those areas but the overall span is worldwide including huge swathes of Asia making it internationally a bigger property. That's not the same thing.

 

As for the "they didnt' make this for you"....no, and that's fine. But the point is don't moan and whine when people who don't care about the property point out that it has nothing to offer them, and that that makes it a somewhat limited film in terms of grading it....which *doesn't have anything to do with whether you like or or not or are allowed to like it because yes you're allowed to like it anyway even if it doesn't stand up*.

 

And the final result is a pile of braying about "victory over critics" regardless of the fact this movie was going to make a ton of money anyway. Because you're (conceptual you, not literally you) not allowed to just like something, you have to DEMAND that the critics VALIDATE your liking it with the stamp of declaring it to be good. It has to be turned into a conflict, into a cultural fight.

 

I’m not moaning or whining about anything. I think we’re on the same page though. 
 

We differ in how culturally ingrained Mario is however, as I think it does resonate close to Star Wars levels, at least in terms of recognition and people that have at least played a bit of a Mario game. I say that as a Star Wars looney who is leaving for Star Wars Celebration tomorrow in London. 
 

Maybe not to the oldest of generations, but we’re talking about a significant number of people all over the world. 
 

I still think this was the bravest of options alienating those that aren’t into Mario and making it for those that are. That is unusual for this kind of thing, and I think it’s something that should be celebrated. You’re right though. A critic that it means nothing to has to be objective, and that’s what I think we’re seeing in the review split. 
 

 

 

[ThePhasmid]

The animation looks stunning, but it appears to suffer the same fate as the original Mario Bros. film. Adapting a platformer with a thin story into a film that can engage an audience is an uphill battle for any screenwriter. I will definitely see it for the visuals alone. I'm just disappointed they haven't cracked the code with this series yet. I'm sure younger less assuming audiences will devour this, though. It looks like pure eye candy, and I heard the second half is breezy with some enjoyable action sequences.

[kayumanggi]

1 hour ago, Krissykins said:

Will that translate to big china box office? 

 

We'll see in the coming days. The opening, apparently, is not big.

Edited April 5, 2023 by kayumanggi

[kayumanggi]

@Krissykins

 

 

[KP1025]

20 minutes ago, kayumanggi said:

@Krissykins

 

 

 

It's worth noting that the five other movies in the Top 6 in China right now have Maoyan scores similar to or even higher than Mario, so the effect of positive WOM will probably be lessened and spread out more evenly among the competition.

Edited April 5, 2023 by KP1025

[kayumanggi]

3 minutes ago, KP1025 said:

 

It's worth noting that the five other movies in the Top 6 in China right now have Maoyan scores similar to or even higher than Mario, so the effect of positive WOM will probably be lessened and spread out more evenly among the competition.

 

That is correct. As a consolation to Hollywood, this is a better opening than SHAZAM! FOTG and D&D: HAT.

[superduperm]

Illumination releases a movie.

 

Critics think movie is average.

 

Audience movie is actually intended for thinks movie is good.

 

I am shocked, I tell you! We definitely don’t have years of data showing this is exactly what was going to happen with another Illumination movie! 😱

Edited April 5, 2023 by superduperm

[JustLurking]

1 hour ago, superduperm said:

Illumination releases a movie.

 

Critics think movie is average.

 

Audience movie is actually intended for thinks movie is good.

 

I am shocked, I tell you! We definitely don’t have years of data showing this is exactly what was going to happen with another Illumination movie! 😱

Not one person here thought audiences would dislike the film regardless of whether the critics are right on this being a crappy film or not. You are talking to absolutely no one right now.

[superduperm]

4 minutes ago, JustLurking said:

Not one person here thought audiences would dislike the film regardless of whether the critics are right on this being a crappy film or not. You are talking to absolutely no one right now.

Historically, every movie Illumination has released has been rated average by reviewers and good by the audience.

 

This movie is being rated average by reviewers and good by the audience so far.

 

Yet this forum and Reddit were shocked Pikachu face to find out that this didn’t get a certified fresh on Rotten Tomatoes nor is it being trashed by the audience. Which is literally every Illumination movie ever.

 

That is my point.

[JustLurking]

6 minutes ago, superduperm said:

Historically, every movie Illumination has released has been rated average by reviewers and good by the audience.

 

This movie is being rated average by reviewers and good by the audience so far.

 

Yet this forum and Reddit were shocked Pikachu face to find out that this didn’t get a certified fresh on Rotten Tomatoes nor is it being trashed by the audience. Which is literally every Illumination movie ever.

 

That is my point.

A lot of people expected this to tread the line between fresh and rotten based on reactions and illumination. The only real surprise was that reviews started off weaker than expected but then they stabilised back exactly to where they were expected to. The only people who expected higher were the fans who are now starting a discourse on whether critics are out of touch because they didn't say run of the mill illumination film 20 (with the added power of nostalgiabait) is a great film.

 

This is all very expected including reactions. Some people hoped illumination would pull out a masterpiece for the first time in their life, they shat out an illumination film instead, people will say the film is great because it has a lot of references to the originals so it must be good, the film will make bank, eventually people will agree it wasn't exactly that great and people will move on.

 

Now let's just enjoy the run and see how big this can go, shall we? 🙂

Edited April 5, 2023 by JustLurking

[DAJK]

So when is the title going to change from "its-a-bad" to "its-a-hit" lmao. 

[grey ghost]

I feel like some series, like Twillight, should have two scores: one for the casuals and one for the die hards.

 

Wait isn't that already the critic and audience rating at RT? 

[kayumanggi]

 

[Krissykins]

27 minutes ago, DAJK said:

So when is the title going to change from "its-a-bad" to "its-a-hit" lmao. 

“It’s-a-mixed-to-below-average” doesn’t have the same ring to it lol