Too videogamey without the joy or whimsy of a Mario game. The plot is poorly conceived and moves too fast. Anemic emotional beats, paper-thin relationships and a whimpering climax left me feeling empty. Too many jokes fall flat and consist of either unsubtle and unfunny game references or ill-fitting "family movie" dialogue. There was a lot of potential for visual gags or slapstick humor that draws from the games, but very little of it is realized. Princess Peach is barely recognizable, lacking any of her delicate charm and princess-like naivete. The best tunes are inexplicably saved for the credit sequence. It was a mistake. As usual, the trailers oversold the movie. Very disappointing considering all the praise it has gotten. The critics were right this time.
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