The new Mario movie is out, and it seems to be even more of a divisive venture than the last one. The reception from critics is even colder, and fans are more in arms over the fact that the Mario Galaxy movie doesn’t really have any focus on the game. Rosalina is only in 10 minutes of it, and the plot feels more like a blended cocktail of everything Mario. From my perspective, well, I’ve been thinking about how there isn’t much ambition with what these Mario movies want to do. Just showcase Mario references and action scenes within 90 minutes. On paper, most wouldn’t have an issue with it, especially since most kids would be happy. However, I do feel that the excuse of Mario being a simple brand and thus resulting in a simple movie that doesn’t do much isn’t a good one. I believe that not only does the low effort run counter to the identity of the series, but that even regarding film in general, the simplest of premises and ambitions with a movie can still have some sort of substance and effort that I feel these, and by extension, the catalog of Illumination films lack.

Firstly, from the perspective of Mario as a franchise, I don’t believe setting mediocrity with the film adaptations is ok. Mario is not only one of the most important gaming icons, but it’s a franchise that has become mainstream in a way most gaming series haven’t. I believe this is because the gameplay, while simple, is fine-tuned to be easy to play and fun to master. Any sort of mechanic builds on top of the tried-and-true formula, and even the more divisive entries still have a lot of love given to them. It almost feels like the inverse of the series to not try hard to make something well-crafted. Even in the area of simplicity, Mario’s games are still fun and have a lot of depth, even when the base experience is simple. They are accessible and mostly don’t try to be too ambitious, but they are well designed with few issues and do push to new territories when needed, and with smart choices. Yes, you will get the occasional lazy spinoff, but the main platformers and 3d games are 99% of the time the top of the line in their field. Not to mention that even in areas of spin-offs like sports, racing, and RPG, the franchise is both versatile and does a lot very well. That is what I feel is missing from the Mario films. If they want to be simple affairs, fine. But they just feel so sloppy and hollow as movies in terms of plot structure and character writing. I thought the first film was ok for what it was, but I sincerely remember feeling frustrated that it felt like a movie that didn’t bother to place proper character scenes or pacing. It only did the bare minimum, not even for an adaptation, but for a movie in general. Just having the skeleton of a Mario film and not going much above that. The second one doubled down on the prior film’s issues and really feels like a messy affair in terms of having no real plot structure and just throwing almost everything it can at the screen. At that level, I feel that not putting the effort to make something well-crafted, aside from the animation, is just not like Mario.

In regards to looking at this from the perspective of Mario as a potential for storytelling, I feel that the main argument is that “the games are simple in story, so they don’t have much to go off of”. While that is true, I feel that there are plenty of examples of films that have basic stories or ambitions that go the extra mile. Just because the premise or story of a movie is simple doesn’t mean there can’t be effort placed in other areas. The biggest example I can think of, in relation to other, more kid-centric animations, is the Madagascar films. On their own, they are basically just comedies and not much else. However, the focus on absurd and well-told jokes matched with strong character personalities and equally wild animation elevates the movies to be fun in general. Just because your focus is to tell jokes doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t try to work hard on said jokes. It means that even if they are basic, they will be remembered for said effort down the road. The fact that the penguins from that series still get laughs out of people tells me they did a good job. Looney Tunes are also a good example of this. They are mostly 6-to-7-minute shorts, but most of them pack so much personality and character both in the writing and animation that they are remembered by so many. Good work can work within its limitations and be creative with what it has.

Even outside of comedies, simple stories can soar if the right elements are focused on. Early Disney films barely had a plot. Snow White doesn’t have much going on, and Pinocchio and Bambi are basically segmented films with sequences following the same characters. The difference, however, is not just the craft of the animation, but the emotions of each scene. We’re given more time to see the connections and personalities with the seven dwarves and Snow White through simple but enjoyable interactions, so it makes it more impactful when they mourn her death. Pinocchio and Bambi focus on shocking moments and themes of growth to showcase the broader world and the dangers the characters face. Mario just rushes through the potential to have quieter moments or to have more impactful, if simple, relationships. There are the seeds of interesting dynamics and simple but relatable pathos, but they are only given a minor look before moving quickly onto the next set piece.

Even with more adult films, a simple premise can be effective with where the emphasis is placed and the effort behind the camera with the presentation. One of my favorite movies is Sorcerer, where the basic plot is a bunch of guys driving trucks of dynamite through a hostile jungle. It’s bare in character, even with the elements of backstory given, but all of it is engaging because of the filmmaking. The way the danger and the jungle are presented makes the journey very captivating, where even a simple problem becomes extremely tense and nerve-wracking. Another movie I can think of that has a simple story but goes all the way with it is The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly. It’s just a treasure hunt and the scenarios the characters go through to find it. However, like Sorcerer, the craft of filmmaking elevates each event, and the characters are given distinctive traits and relationships that allow us to feel more of a connection with them. Mario’s issue is that it treats the little things that make these movies great like an afterthought, as if they think they need to keep the attention of the kids up. There’s spectacle, but there’s so much that it almost feels like stimulus overload and isn’t well supported by structure or character.

I now want to briefly discuss Illumination. Look, I used to get irritated at minion stuff like everyone else did once. Believe me, the overexposure was obnoxious. However, I feel that a different sort of feeling comes up with them now, and that’s disappointment. I sincerely believe that it’s ok to make films that don’t try too hard or aren’t too ambitious, as long as you use the success of those movies to fund risky and different types of projects. DreamWorks went between stuff like The Boss Baby and How to Train Your Dragon like a natural, and most feel that the studio does a good job at allowing its artists to find new avenues to push. Sony used their previously lackluster output to buoy the experimentation of projects like Spider-Verse and K-Pop Demon Hunters, which both resulted in great success. Illumination doesn’t do this at all, and that frustrates me to no end. They are far and away the most successful animation studio, have reasonably modest budgets, and even go against AI and treat their artists relatively well. And yet, they refuse to budge from the spot of making movies that mostly play like a compilation of YouTube clips. I feel that’s why they aren’t a good fit for Mario. The franchise has always used its platform to try new things or, at the very least, give something worthwhile and well-made. Illumination’s output feels like the film equivalent of a fiber supplement. Goes down easy and fine, but there’s no taste, and you’ll forget the experience as soon as you’re out the door. Again, I understand why they keep this business practice since it maintains consistent success. However, I feel that as a studio, your due diligence is to evolve and change, especially if you are making films that are formative to younger audiences. If they keep their current filmmaking practices, I don’t think the Mario movies will improve. Given that this one will cross a billion and a half easily, this isn’t going to be different anytime soon.

I know it’s a bit much to rag on these movies, honestly. They aren’t the worst things ever and have good energy to them. However, I just feel that they just don’t try as hard, both in terms of being films and representing the franchise it is adapting. Even that recent SpongeBob movie tried much harder as a comedy and as a movie, and that had a much lower bar to clear if we’re being honest. I know Mario is a huge brand, and I shouldn’t expect too much to divert from what Nintendo perceives as safe for its image. However, I feel that the fact that the franchise has endured due to having strong gameplay that can be understood by everyone, and having movies that don’t try much, is a bit upsetting. Mario works and grows within its own box even if it doesn’t try to shake up its formula, and that’s why it has endured. People feel connections to the world and characters, so to see its big screen representation barely try feels almost like an anthesis to the games. I feel that for a franchise that is so special in so many ways, the film adaptation needs to try harder. I only ask all of this because these games have meant a lot to me, as they have to many others, and I just feel more can be done than settling for the bare minimum.