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The Super Mario Bros. Movie
Movie

The Super Mario Bros. Movie

2023 • Animation, Adventure, Comedy

Woke Score
2
out of 10

Plot

Brooklyn plumbers Mario and Luigi are warped to the magical Mushroom Kingdom, and Mario must team up with Princess Peach, Toad, and Donkey Kong to save Luigi from the evil Bowser.

Overall Series Review

The film is a fast-paced, nostalgia-heavy adventure focusing on a hero's journey and the core familial bond between the Mario brothers. The narrative avoids complex political or social commentary, centering instead on a simple good-versus-evil conflict. The most significant departure from the source material is the portrayal of Princess Peach as a highly competent, self-reliant 'Girl Boss' figure who acts as Mario's guide and mentor. Despite this modern gender dynamic, the movie retains a traditional male-female pairing and a message of overcoming personal inadequacy through hard work and perseverance.

Categorical Breakdown

Identity Politics2/10

The story follows a meritocratic structure where the protagonist, Mario, earns his heroism by overcoming personal shortcomings, not through immutable characteristics. The plot does not lecture on privilege or systemic oppression. The core characters' physical appearances and designs remain faithful to the source material.

Oikophobia1/10

The plot's central motivation is Mario's desire to find and save his brother and then return to and defend his home city of Brooklyn from the invading alien villain. The film consistently reinforces the value of family and the defense of one's home and heritage.

Feminism6/10

Princess Peach is portrayed as a hyper-competent, instantly skilled 'Girl Boss' figure who is far more proficient than Mario at the start, making her his mentor and foil. The classic damsel-in-distress role is explicitly inverted by having Luigi captured by the villain. However, Mario ultimately succeeds and saves the day through perseverance and fraternal loyalty, preventing full emasculation of the male protagonist.

LGBTQ+1/10

Alternative sexualities, gender ideology, or the deconstruction of the nuclear family are entirely absent from the movie's themes and character dynamics. The primary interpersonal bonds are a traditional male-female pairing and a strong brotherly relationship.

Anti-Theism1/10

The movie does not engage with real-world religion, spirituality, or moral philosophy. The conflict is a classic good-versus-evil fantasy where the villain is defined by megalomaniacal ambition, not as a critique of faith or an embrace of moral relativism.