When we hear the word “Super” in the title of a movie, we know without explanation that it will be about something extraordinary, whether it is a superstar of the screen or a seductive super pizza. But even more often this definition is given to superheroes endowed with fantastic abilities, who show fantastic agility and strength, jokingly rescue any dangers, defeat cunning enemies and win the heart of the most charming girl (or the most charming man) in the world.
The animated film “Super Mario Brothers”, based on the computer game of the same name, meets this definition, although its main characters are ordinary plumber brothers transported into a world of wonders. The filmmakers were not afraid of the failure that accompanied the premiere of the 1993 film of the same name with live actors. Nor were they afraid of the scathing reviews of critics who had looked for weaknesses in advance. And they were rewarded with box office returns that far exceeded the cost of filming, and complimentary reviews of the same critics who realized they were in a hurry, and immediately began to describe is not a defeat animated film, and its triumph.
What is the movie “The Super Mario Bros. Movie”?
The plot of “The Super Mario Brothers” is about two cheerful plumber brothers who can fix an unexpected accident, disarm a powerful enemy, and make a charming girl fall in love with him, ready to believe that the cunning and resourceful plumber is no worse than the fairy tale prince on a white horse, who every now and then appears on the scene too late. But this only becomes clear as the story progresses. And at the beginning of the story, the guys do not suspect about the fantastic adventures that await them, and work together to develop their own business. They are not embarrassed by the warnings of competitors that promise them a quick and guaranteed failure, or reproaches of their father, who thinks that the sons overestimate their business talents. Fixing another car accident, the brothers find themselves in a parallel world, where their adventures begin, first apart and then together.
As it should be in a fairy tale, even “stuffed” with fantastic elements like mysterious superweapons, the brothers will have to make sense of the intricacies of the unknown world, to understand who is ready to help them and who makes intrigues, to find true friends and defeat the evil tyrant villain, who not only oppresses the simple-minded people and goes to war on the flourishing Mushroom Kingdom, but also wants to marry the beautiful princess. The girl is not only waiting for her release, like Rapunzel or Sleeping Beauty, but is also actively helping the Mario brothers to destroy the evil villain Bowser, presenting him with a magic flower that turns the main villain into an ice cube.
However, the sneaky and conniving Bowser does not die, but is only turned into a dwarf and imprisoned in a jar that replaces his dungeon. But, judging from the movie’s conclusion, the villain does not consider himself to be defeated and is still going to make his tricks, this time not in the magic kingdom, but in Brooklyn, unaware of his dastardly schemes, where all the adventures began. So fans of the movie should get ready for the continuation of the saga, and at the same time find out if the residents of Brooklyn can protect themselves from Bowser and come to the rescue of brave Mario and Luigi.
What’s the point of “The Super Mario Bros. Movie”?
It is impossible to define the meaning of this film, especially since it is full of comic and parodic elements, starting with the fact that the irrepressible Mario and Luigi use their professional skills time and again, sending scoundrels down the chimney in the literal sense of the word. In addition, America is a young country that has never had a full-fledged folk tale tradition, not counting Uncle Remus’s Tales and other works of black American folklore known the world over. But in the tales of black slaves, as in the tales of North American Indians, there is no simple country boy, the equivalent of our Ivan the Fool or the miller’s young son from The Cat in Boots, no captive princess who gets tired of waiting for a savior and takes her fate into her own hands, no evil tyrant who keeps in prison at least one of the main characters. In short, American moviegoers have to “unravel” the meaning of this story on their own.
And yet they come to the right conclusion, which had been made long before them not only by famous folklorists like the Grimm brothers, Afanasyev and Propp, but also by millions of unknown fairy tale lovers. If you are not discouraged and know how to find loyal friends, you will overcome all dangers, even if you do not have a drop of royal blood in you. And maybe you’ll even get the hand and the heart of the beautiful princess, although the ending doesn’t mention that, either to create intrigue for the next movie, or because political correctness triumphs.
The ending of “The Super Mario Bros. Movie”
In the finale of the film, which has already been compared to the Emerald City/Oz saga, the Mario Brothers, in pursuit of the villainous Bowser, are transported from the fairy kingdom to their native Brooklyn, where they finally defeat the villain and take the honors they deserve. Their feat is extolled by their countrymen, their own father who finally recognizes the righteousness of his sons’ choice, and even their former boss Spike, whose jealousy is the source of all the adventures. Like the heroes of “The Land of Oz” by Lyman Frank Baum, the brothers decide to move to their beloved Mushroom Kingdom. However, there they do not become rulers, as would happen in a traditional fairy tale, but still work as plumbers and are ready to come to the aid of anyone who needs it.
