I love Mario, and I enjoyed this movie, and so did my 7y/o. But with that out of the way I'll be honest - this movie is quite bad, as movies go. The story is barely present, every scene leads into the next with very little plot or agency - things just happen, characters just need things, that place is suddenly a karting city, that other place has an elevator leading up to a castle straight up a cliffface. The script is probably just screams and the a few catchphrases. It's all held together by nostalgia baiting, references and pandering, wrapped in Minions slapstick. It is all barely coherent. There is also a thing to be said about the music which was murdering classic tunes, some of which is just shockingly bad.
Is it a Mario movie? Sure. Is it a fun Mario product for the whole family? Yup. Is it a good movie? No, not really, in fact I'd give it a 6 if I am honest; not awful, but that's about it. So if you are 8 or a Mario fan - sure, you are likely to have a blast. But if you're just a person looking for a fun animation movie wholy uninvested in Mario? Nah, you can probably pass on this.
Is it a Mario movie? Sure. Is it a fun Mario product for the whole family? Yup. Is it a good movie? No, not really, in fact I'd give it a 6 if I am honest; not awful, but that's about it. So if you are 8 or a Mario fan - sure, you are likely to have a blast. But if you're just a person looking for a fun animation movie wholy uninvested in Mario? Nah, you can probably pass on this.