Super Mario Bros.

Two Brooklyn plumbers named Mario and Luigi stumble into another dimension where dinosaurs evolved alongside humans and control a neon, perilous metropolis. The brothers quickly realize their ordinary skills may be their best weapons as they encounter strange allies and a world that runs on unexpected rules. To repair the Rift between worlds and keep Koopa the warlord from reshaping both realms, they must navigate a city full of eccentric gadgets, gruff allies, and comic misfires. No ordinary rescue mission, this detour forces them to rethink family bonds, courage, and what it means to belong in a universe far from home. They learn from unlikely allies and balance humor with danger.

Released in 1993, the film was directed by Annabel Jankel and Rocky Morton and draws from Nintendo's long-running Super Mario video game series as its source material. It uses practical effects and constructed sets to realize its unusual world.

The film remains notorious for its striking departure from the games, featuring a gritty neon city, unconventional creature designs, and a tongue in cheek humor that divided audiences. It is often cited as a cautionary tale about adapting video games to live action, yet it has a cult curiosity value.

Critics greeted it with mixed reviews, praising its ambition while criticizing the tonal clash and deviations from the source. The film explores themes of teamwork, identity, and adapting to unfamiliar worlds, all wrapped in a family friendly adventure with comic misfires and practical effects for a wide audience across ages.

Awards were scarce for this production, with no major nominations from the Academy Awards, Primetime Emmys, or the Golden Globes. It instead became known for its offbeat look and the ambitious attempt to translate video game energy into live action, a risk many studios consider when tackling familiar brands today.