G Squat

It's tough to make everyone happy. Some people are too old to have played mario when it first came out and many are too young to underall the old references. Having been raised in the 80's, I can tell you they did an incredible job finding a middle ground. I could not think of a better possible setting than the one they came up with for why this sort of world/scenario would even exist. There are SO many references to all things Mario. From the old cartoon to their many games, it keeps you searching the entire movie. It was truly nostalgia overload. The voices are almost all fantastic. Remember, they're creating something new. There has to be significantly more audible dialogue than anything you've gotten from Nintendo yet. Have you ever heard Donkey Kong talk? They had to introduce a voice for him and ultimately a new identity. They even come up with a reason that m Mario might (sometimes) talk in that high-pitched voice we're used to. Jack Black is the PERFECT voice and personality for Bowser. If you ever played the Paper Mario series, THAT'S the Bowser he brought. Fred Armesen as Kranky Kong is a miss. Generic voice with much to be desired. This film was wholesome, made you laugh out loud, and felt like a TRUE Mario adventure from start to finish. I'd give it a 9.2 out of 10, just because I wish it was longer.