FILM DISCUSSION GUIDE

The Super Mario Bros. Movie

US, Japan | 2023 | 92 mins | Dirs: Aaron Horvath, Michael Jelenic, Pierre Leduc | Cert. PG
Engaging for ages 7-11 | Curriculum links: Literacy, PSHE Education

Universal © (2023) All rights reserved.

The Super Mario Bros. Movie
US, Japan | 2023 | 92 mins | Dirs: Aaron Horvath, Michael Jelenic, Pierre Leduc | Cert. PG
Engaging for ages 7-11 | Curriculum links: Literacy, PSHE Education

Mario and Luigi are two optimistic Italian-American brothers

living in Brooklyn who have recently started their own
plumbing business. When trying to fix a city-wide leak, they
fall through the pipes and are transported to a mysterious
fantasy landscape where they become separated. Luigi ends
up in the Dark Lands as a prisoner in Bowser’s castle who he
learns is intent on taking over the Mushroom Kingdom and
marrying Princess Peach. Mario, meanwhile, befriends the
enthusiastic Toad who takes him to Peach where Mario
pledges his loyalty. Together the trio must convince the rest of
the kingdom to join their cause and resist Bowser’s threat.
 Talk about it
before the film

Have you ever played a

‘Mario’ video game before?

What do you know about

the characters and the
world in which they live?

Universal © (2023) All rights reserved.

Discussion points

1. Can you think of examples where Mario refuses to give

up? What else do we learn about Mario during the story?
2. What qualities does Princess Peach have? How does she
show herself to be a leader?
3. What is the film’s music like? Did Bowser’s song make
you feel any differently about him?

DreamWorks Animation © (2015) All rights reserved.

 The Super Mario Bros. Movie
Watch Mario’s training montage. How does this sequence,
and the film as a whole, replicate video game dynamics?

Universal © (2023) All rights reserved.

Extension activities

There are lots of power-ups featured in the film

from the video games. Now it’s time to invent a
new power-up to help Mario and Princess Peach
keep the Mushroom Kingdom safe.

Design the look of the power-up and describe

what effects it has for the user.

DreamWorks Animation © (2015) All rights reserved.

 Write about it

Bring your ideas together in a review and

share it on our Into Film clubs’ website. You
could include a summary of the story, mention
other films that it’s similar to, describe what
you particularly liked or disliked and give it
your star rating.

Participant Media © (2016) All rights reserved.

Watch next
Sonic the Hedgehog
2020 | Cert. PG | Engaging for ages 7-11
A video game legend is brought to
life – meet Sonic, the blue hedgehog
who must use his super speed to
thwart the evil Dr. Robotnik.

Paramount © (2020) All rights reserved.

An Eye for An Eye

2019 | Cert. Unclassified | Engaging for ages 5-11
A one-eyed pirate captain is determined
to find a buried treasure but must first
assemble a crew who can help him.

Yummy Films © (2019) All rights reserved.