Product: Super Mario Bros. [VHS] (1993)
Rating: 3.0
An OK social satire based on the popular Nintendo characters
The meteorite which hit the Earth some billions of years ago and seemingly caused extinction for the Dinosaurs, actually exiled them to an alternate Earth by creating a dimensional fissure: in one dimension the reptiles thrived and evolved into a race of intelligent humanoid beings and in a parallel dimension mammals evolved into humans. Unfortunately their world has depreciated much faster and only a small bit of land (enough for a large city) remains hospitable. A small remaining piece of this meteorite is the key to linking the two dimensions and is the only thing keeping the despotic King Koopa from conquering Earth. The Mushroom Kingdom, the holders of the meteor, have fallen to Koopa and send the baby heir to the throne to our Earth, along with the meteor. 20 years later, the Mario Bros., while fixing a large underground leak at an archaeological dig, follow the kidnapped Daisy, who works at the site, through a dimensional portal and find themselves in a world resembling "Total Recall" and "Escacpe From New York." Here they must confront Koopa, who plots to use his inexplicable De-Evolution technology to transform the habitants of Earth into their earliest form (monkeys) and usurp their resources. He frequently uses this technology to turn his own people into savage reptilian creatures called Goombas, who are curiously servile.An odd, quirky little film (not necessarily a bad thing) that doesn't have much to do with the video game series from Nintendo. Film ends up being an inspired, if not always logical, combination of Ghostbusters, Total Recall, Escape From New York and Masters of Universe. Both amusing and somewhat disgusting at turns and a bit too dark for the Bros. Some charm and wit in the lead performances to be sure (esp. Hopper), but story is ultimately hopeless nonsense.