The Super Mario Bros. Movie 4K Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		5.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		2.5
Overall		3.5

The Super Mario Bros. Movie 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

'The Super Mario Bros. Movie 4K' returns in another Walmart-exclusive SteelBook courtesy of Universal. This family-friendly animated feature from 2023 is based on the iconic characters Mario, Luigi, Bowser, and Princess Peach from a host of classic Nintendo video games, with the film working in a great many nods to its side-scrolling and platforming roots. The contents of the discs are identical to those found in the standard UHD release, though the art on them differs. Please scroll down to the 'Special Features and Extras' section below for a discussion of the latest SteelBook. A Digital Code and a Blu-ray disc are also included.

The Super Mario Bros. Movie 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

For an assessment of the 2160 UHD presentation, please follow the link to a review of standard UHD release.

The Super Mario Bros. Movie 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

To read an analysis of the UHD audio track please follow the link to the standard UHD release.

The Super Mario Bros. Movie 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

The previous SteelBook for this film which arrived in March of 2024 featured the power-up mushroom. It was a simple and clean design that featured an important element of the beloved games. The cover of this new SteelBook is an item that is even more simple and iconic and is as recognizable as even the most popular characters from the Super Mario Bros. games on which the movie is based. It's the Question Block. A large white question mark sits neatly in the middle of an almost entirely gold field. It's printed in such a way as to suggest that the question mark is somehow illuminated and raised. Four rivet or bolt holes, one in each corner, provide the only other element of detail. The back cover repeats the same image and color scheme as the front, save for the logos for Nintendo, Illumination, and Universal that are centered near the bottom, with a product code in the lower right. As with its predecessor, it's a very clean look that works well for this film and those familiar with the IP will instantly know what's inside. The spine, which is also a rich golden hue, is home to the film's colorfully printed title. When opening the SteelBook, the Digital Code resides under the two tabs on the left side. On the right side, the 4K UHD disc and the Blu-ray disc are stagger-stacked, each on its own hub, with the 4K UHD disc on top. Removing the discs reveals a colorful two-panel image of mushrooms. The cover has a slightly glossy finish that adds a degree of luster to the packaging without making fingerprints associated with normal handling overly visible.

As instantly resonant as the cover image is, and as much as I am excited about the choice made here, I can't help but feel that this particular SteelBook is something of a missed opportunity. Every other iteration of this most ubiquitous item from the Super Mario Bros. games that can be found in my house, from holiday ornaments to a dice cup from a reskinned version of a popular game, has a healthy degree of dimensionality. Raised elements add textural depth and interest. That's not the case here, as the covers are perfectly flat with only the artwork to suggest something more. A mix of embossing and debossing would have significantly elevated the SteelBook's presence. If it had, for example, been crafted with raised question marks and recessed bolt/rivet holes, it would have been practically perfect. As it stands, it merely hints at what it could have been.

For a detailed assessment of the on-disc special features, please refer to the review for the standard UHD release.

The Super Mario Bros. Movie 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

The chosen artwork is spot-on for a The Super Mario Bros. Movie 4K SteelBook but the decision not to employ any embossing and debossing leaves the release feeling a bit flat. Those who have yet to pick up a copy of the film on 4K have several options available to them, and for many, this newest SteelBook release may well be the leading favorite with its artwork mimicking such an important and omnipresent element from the games. And this release will certainly tolerate normal handling a bit better than the prior SteelBooks. Even so, it could and should have been so much more. Technical merits are excellent, and this new Super Mario Bros. Movie 4K Walmart Exclusive SteelBook comes recommended.