The Super Mario Bros. Movie - AD Introduction

The Super Mario Bros. Movie is a 2023 CGI animated adventure comedy film based on Nintendo's Mario video game franchise.  The film features an origin story for Mario and Luigi, Italian-American brothers who have recently opened a plumbing business in Brooklyn, to the derision of their ex-employer Spike and the disapproval of their father.  After seeing a significant water main leak on the news, the brothers venture into the sewers beneath the city and encounter a mysterious green pipe.  Transported to a magical alternate world, the brothers become entangled in a battle between the Mushroom Kingdom, led by Princess Peach and the Koopas, led by Bowser. 

Although short in stature, Mario is big in heart, always determined and fiercely loyal, particularly towards his younger brother Luigi.  The Italian American Mario has blue eyes, dark hair and a brown moustache which curves up beneath his round nose.   Throughout his adventures Mario wears his signature outfit of a pair of blue overalls with golden buttons over a long-sleeved red shirt, brown shoes, white gloves and a red peaked newsboy cap, a red "M" printed on a white circle upon its front.  When the brothers are separated Mario vows to find Luigi and help Princess Peach to save the Mushroom Kingdom.

Luigi’s appearance is very similar to his brother, having the same blue eyes, short dark hair and brown moustache.  He is taller and slimmer than Mario, wears a green shirt beneath his blue overalls and his green newsboy hat displays an L upon its front.  Luigi is less confident than his brother, often nervous and requiring reassurance.  Dating back to childhood Mario has always been there for Luigi, ready to step in and protect him at every turn.  When Luigi is separated from his brother, will he survive and find his own inner strength?

Princess Peach rules over the Mushroom Kingdom and is much loved by her subjects, the Mushroom People.  The Princess is in her early twenties, has long tousled golden hair upon which she wears a small crown.  For the majority of the film she wears a floor-length pink gown with puffy sleeves and white gloves up to her forearms.  She lives in a large white castle featuring pointed pink turrets sat atop a high rounded green hill.  At the base of the hill sits Mushroom Town, the roofs of its many buildings formed from the tops of colourful spotted mushrooms.  Princess Peach is strong willed, brave and will do anything to protect her kingdom and its people.

Toad is the first person Mario encounters upon his arrival in the Mushroom Kingdom.  One of the Mushroom People, Toad is short and sports a white mushroom with red spots atop his round pink head.  He is always positive, and his dark black eyes and mouth are often smiling.  He wants nothing more than to help Princess Peach and accompanies Mario to see her, travelling into Mushroom Town before leading the plumber through twisting pipes and over precarious platforms on their way to the castle.

Bowser, the King of the Koopa’s, is the villain of the movie.  He is a bipedal tortoise of enormous stature.  His skin is scaly and body muscular and he walks upright on strong hind legs.  A long tail sways behind him and large spikes jut from the rear of his fearsome green shell.  Black spiked bands are wrapped around his biceps and wrists.  On his head, curved horns protrude either side of a shock of red hair.  He is often shown with eyebrows lowered, flashing an evil smile and displaying the sharp teeth within his mouth.  When angered he can breathe out a stream of fire.  Bowser rules over the Dark Lands, a place of perpetual night.  Haunted castles and many spooky creatures can be found there.  He travels in a large stone airship, its front a representation of his fearsome face.  Atop the floating dark ragged rock structure sits his volcano castle from which glowing orange lava flows down into a vast lake at its base.  Bowser is hopelessly in love with Princess Peach and will do anything to gain her hand in marriage and conquer the Mushroom Kingdom.

Donkey Kong is a large, musclebound, chestnut brown gorilla.  He wears a red necktie, the letters DK printed upon it in yellow.  He is extremely strong and frequently throws his weight around, often trying to impress his father Cranky Kong.  Upon meeting Mario he quickly takes a dislike to him.

Cranky Kong is the ruler of the Jungle Kingdom.  He is a small brown monkey and sports a long white beard that reaches to the ground when he walks with his stick.  On his head he wears a golden headdress, its front shaped like the face of a monkey.  Cranky Kong is frequently acerbic in his attitude, particularly towards his son Donkey Kong.  The Jungle Kingdom, where the Kong’s reside, is filled with wooden tracks that spiral around and down through a lush jungle valley and on platforms over light blue waters at its base.  The Kong Army use karts to speed around the tracks, their favoured mode of transport.  A floating stone amphitheatre sits above the valley in which Donkey Kong and Mario first come face to face.

Kamek is Bowsers trusted right hand man.  He is a small Magikoopa who wears a pointed blue wizard’s hat with white trim, matching blue robes and thick lensed oval spectacles.  He carries a golden sceptre, a red jewel on its end which he uses to cast spells at Bowsers bidding.

Koopa Troopa’s form the main body of Bowser’s enormous army.  They are small bipedal tortoises who will sometimes retreat into their green shells and then be used as projectiles by other characters.

So power up and let the adventures begin!  The Super Mario Bros Movie is screening on Sky Cinema Premiere from 25th December 2023.

This audio introduction was written and narrated by Kenneth Blair who also provides the Audio Description for the movie.