Mamma mia, was “Mario” a blast! Filled to the brim with references and Easter eggs galore, “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” will be an absolute treat for fans of the titular plumber of all ages.

The story is easy-to-follow, yet fun and largely pulls from Mario’s video game outings. Mario (Chris Pratt) and Luigi (Charlie Day) are down-on-their luck plumbers from Brooklyn who discover a mysterious pipe that transports them to the Mushroom Kingdom. A fantasy domain ruled by Princess Peach (Anya Taylor-Joy) and populated with mushroom-people, the land is infested with evil Koopa-turtles ruled by their Koopa King, Bowser (Jack Black). When the brothers get separated in this unknown place, Mario must become a hero and master his jumping and go-karting abilities if he wishes to rescue Luigi and foil Bowser’s dastardly plan. With its swift pacing, “Mario” clocks in at just around an hour and a half, including three post-credits scenes worth staying for.

A combined effort by Illumination and Nintendo, “Mario” features some of the most top-notch animation work I’ve ever seen, rivaling even the palpable worlds of Pixar and the tantalizingly vibrant “Spider-Verse.” Mario and the swath of varied Mushroom Kingdom characters look better than ever in their cartoony, yet hyper-realized forms thanks to the talented 3D artists and animators at Illumination. Every scene contains some of the widest ranges of color I’ve ever seen in an animated film before. Every frame is jaw-droppingly beautiful, filling the theater with painstakingly pixel-perfect detail and vivid lighting that make the Mushroom Kingdom and its inhabitants come to life in a way never seen before.

Despite some pointed skepticism before its release, the voice acting by the A-list-celebrity cast fits this Mushroom Kingdom surprisingly well. The biggest worry for many, Chris Pratt fills the role of Mario in a way that not only respects the character’s past, but also brings a unique quality to the turtle-stomping plumber’s iconic lines that makes him Pratt’s own. I was not only very pleased with Chris Pratt’s rendition of Mario, but Jack Black actually makes for the best (and first fully-voice-acted) Bowser rendition to date. Black brings his signature booming presence for the King of the Koopas and makes Bowser a memorable villain, commanding every scene and embracing the silliness of the evil turtle with humorous piano-accompanied musical numbers — yes, you heard right, there is more than one!

Fitting so many callbacks to Nintendo games and Mario outings into such a brisk film may seem like a daunting task, but “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” pulls it off with flying colors. Anywhere from Mario’s first appearance in “Donkey Kong” to the extremely popular “Mario Kart 8” and his globetrotting adventure in “Super Mario Odyssey,” there are references aplenty for almost every Mario game out there that are certain to scratch that nostalgia itch for Mario fans of all walks of life. If you’ve ever picked up a controller in the same vicinity as Mario, I’m sure you’ll get a lot out of the numerous familiar locations and characters within the vast world of “Mario.”

A fun family movie is not without its drawbacks, however. Behind the guise of nostalgia and popping colors, “Mario” really has no substance to it. Sure, there’s a story in there that has a good message for children, but the characters’ motivations are so convoluted and nonsensical (even when compared to the thin plots of Mario games) that I often couldn’t truly feel the magic of the film and was instead pulled back to the harsh reality that this is a dumbed-down children’s film. Not to mention, this movie heavily borrows from “Super Mario Odyssey’s” story and does little to innovate.

Sure, we’ve been spoiled with uniquely mature family movies in the recent past, namely “Spider-Verse” and “Puss in Boots 2,” but Nintendo’s flagship character fails to capture much of that same timeless energy and instead resorts to slapstick humor and treating its audience like babies. It’s still extremely fun, but the film mostly caters to young viewers who care little about character and story.

At the end of the day, all of the reviews surrounding “Mario” have been far too critical. Yes, the characters could have more depth and more thought could have been put into the story, but it’s a very enjoyable experience nonetheless, worth seeing on the big screen.

For any fan of Mario past or present, this movie will put a smile on your face. As long as you go in expecting a fun time, even the shallowest of plots wouldn’t bog down the nostalgic characters and striking environments that made up many of our childhoods.

Movies, at their rawest form, are meant for entertainment — and “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” entertains.

“The Super Mario Bros. Movie”: ★★★★☆