Mario Movie Breaks Multiple Records In Japan's Opening Weekend

Question : Have you been to see the Mario Movie yet?

Me : Well, already watched for four times. 😏

When does Nintendo announce a movie-connected video game? The buzz about Super Mario is at an all-time high right now, you gotta think they have something ready to go.

@Anti-Matter I've seen It twice.

Totally deserves every penny, and the audience ratings indicate that, and it just goes to show how out of touch the critics are. Can't wait for this to come out physical, so I can watch it in my home theater.

I loved the movie, I hope that we get to see Daisy and/or the Koopa kids in the sequel.
And fingers crossed they don't create a connected multiverse, let each franchise have its own place.

It's a fun loving movie that treats Nintendo fans to a good time.

I'm glad they kept it fun and not force that unnecessary stuff like critics wanted

I'm just glad I'm not the only one to see it multiple times lol. And I've never done this before with any movie. But can't say I'm not biased since it's my favorite video game franchise.

@johnvboy

There isn't really a need for critics that are in touch, as you can just look at box office figures or ask your mate Dave (he's such a legend!).

Critics provide something else and use different metrics.

$16 million is really meager considering Japan has a population about 38% of the U.S. where the movie made about $200 million by the end of its first weekend. I though it would do much better in Nintendo's home turf.

@Nintendofan83 Can't we just be grateful that they aren't as cynical as you

@GrailUK how the hell was I being cynical? Nintendo is a hot topic right now, why wouldn't they want to further cash in on the buzz? I don't even understand what you're on about.

@LeonSKennedy It’s possibly cause it launched at the beginning of Golden Week so people don’t feel the need to rush out and see it anytime during the week. The audience reception looks good in Japan so I expect it to hit 100 million. You also have to remember while Japan has a large population it has a high percentage of elderly people who aren’t interested in Mario.

@Nintendofan83 I just meant it in the sense of only being interested in money. Nintendo making a game to 'cash in' would be rather cynical of them (like most movie tie-ins.)

@hashkey The movie is half-Japanese, Nintendo was involved with production after all. But yeah it can be hard to predict performance. Like RRR is still showing in theaters in Japan, which probably no one would have thought

@hashkey It is classified as American/Japanese, though even if you wouldn’t classify it as that. Probably because it was financed and produced by both Nintendo and Illumination. It’s also not like such CG family movies aren’t made in Japan. Just the budgets are much smaller

@Uncle_Franklin,

Never said they had to be in touch, just stated they were out of touch with this particular movie, in my opinion.

A lot of movies have similar critic and viewer scores, this movie and others does not, not sure why you need to suggest the viewing public are somehow not able to critique the movie properly, sure there will be those who just like it because it's Mario, but by the same token there will be critics that use an equally unfair system to judge family content too.

Like I have always said, the only opinion you should trust is your own, but it still makes me smile when I see such opposing and contradictory reviews.

That's not surprised it was gonna do well in Japan its already one billion box office so take that Disney.

I’m waiting for the blue ray

@johnvboy Critics aren't "out of touch", there are legitimate issues with the film in terms of story-telling, character development etc, but that doesn't stop it from being a fun nostalgia-fuelled watch that people love and spread good word of mouth about.

@johnvboy

"opposing and contradictory reviews"

surely just speaks to the fact that it's subjective.

Personally I'll like it (most likely) because it's Mario.

@browneyes,

When you say legitimate concerns, is it not all down to personal subjective views, no matter what side of the fence you are on.

My view on critics is they are being overly harsh on this movie, only my own personal subjective view however.

@Uncle_Franklin,

I like the movie, it's very fan friendly, and does exactly what I wanted and expected of it.

@johnvboy If it's all subjective like you say, then critics can be no more 'out of touch' than other movie-goers like you or I surely? Look I had an amazing time with the film, I saw it three times, but I'll happily admit there wasn't a ton of depth there, story-line or character wise.

SEGA DOESN'T WHAT NINTEN DOES!!! MUHAHAHAHA

ONE BILLION DOLLARS!!! THAT'S A B, NOT AN M!!! TWIDDLES FINGERS!!

MARIO IS MORE THAN ON FIRE!! THE THEME PARK, THE GAMES AND NOW THIS!! WTF IS NEXT?!?!?!

@browneyes,

You do have a point critique wise, my comment has been on how the movie critics are out of touch with the audiences.

So my feeling is the movies score lies somewhere in between, and of course if you are a Mario fan you may like the movie better than most. But I still feel the critics are being overly harsh with this movie.

But as I say it's all subjective.

@Smug43 Dude, chill out. I know you’re excited for this milestone but this doesn’t mean the Sonic movies are bad.

Unfortunately, I was only able to see it once. Hopefully it releases digitally sooner rather than later.

The sequels are gonna be awesome! I hope we get 2 and 3 before they dive into world 🤤

@Anti-Matter Yeah, I've seen it six times (there's reasons for that, but it's still six times when all is said and done).

It's the first time in my life I've even done such a thing, and I'm totally comfortable with that.

Absolutely loved the movie. 10/10 for me personally.

@browneyes @Uncle_Franklin The critics had clearly disingenuous reviews. It was a completely predictable display of them all moving in political and commercial lock step.

The ratings were decided way before the movie ever came out. So many people, myself included, knew this was exactly what was going to happen, no matter how good or bad the movie was. Each critic just had to really quickly jot down a low-effort made up story of what they "didn't like about the film", which were often conflicting, and some were written so vaguely that it really seemed like they didn't even watch the movie.

The biggest shock is to see anyone try to defend them, as though they're actually movie critics. The reviews were merely lazy afterthoughts to real point, a bad rating, the one they all knew it was their job to give before they even saw the movie (the one's that actually even saw it)

They aren't critics, they're apparatchiks. Professional movie critics, like journalists, don't exist in America anymore. I'm amazed there're people like you two who still haven't noticed this.

@MalonsTalon

what are the commercial and political motivations of this shady elite against the Japanese company Nintendo?

@MalonsTalon One of the worst comments I've seen on this site. The amount of baseless assumptions you make is laughable. Critics questioned the depth of story-telling and the lack of true character development that other animated films have in spades. They're legitimate criticisms. And I say this as someone who adored the film.

I know the figures aren’t great considering japans population.

But perhaps people there don’t go to cinema as much?

I can only talk from a (can’t think of the word) point of view here. But my friend tells me where he lives out there, every cinema was sold out.

And the only showing he could find available to take his family to was next monday at 8am.

What more can I say? It’s not perfect by any means but Nintendo’s first movie is absolutely fine if not pretty good. It’s earned this success.

My partner and I saw the movie last weekend and we both really enjoyed ourselves. I wouldn't mind if a sequel came out.

Happy to see this, though I honestly didn't expect anything less. Breaking records all over the place!

and now we play the waiting game...