Woke, Or Anti-Woke? ‘The Super Mario Bros. Movie’ Sparks Debate Among Conservatives About Setting The Bar Too Low

The new live-action adaptation of the beloved video game “The Super Mario Bros.” has sparked a debate among conservative moviegoers. While some celebrate the film as anti-woke entertainment, others argue that it falls short in setting the bar too low.

Unlike other children’s movies of the day, the film is free of same-sex kiss scenes and “protect trans kids” posters. However, some Twitter users are pointing out how conservatives are willing to overlook flaws in the storyline to celebrate agenda-free entertainment.

According to Daily Wire podcast host Matt Walsh, it’s “a bit cringe for conservatives to be championing Super Mario as some kind of anti-woke manifesto.” While others agree that anti-woke and the absence of “woke propaganda” are two different things.

Spencer Klavan, son of Daily Wire host Andrew Klavan, argues that “celebrating ‘Dungeons and Dragons’ or ‘Mario’ as un- or even anti-woke is in fact a total victory for wokeness.” He believes that conservatives need to demand and create stories that feature damsels in distress and men inspired to save them.

Despite the debate, “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” has brought in tremendous box office sales, becoming the highest-grossing film of the year so far and the most lucrative opening weekend for an animated film ever. The film features Chris Pratt as the voice of Mario, Charlie Day as Luigi, and Jack Black as Bowser.

While some argue that the changes made to Princess Peach effectively turns her into a “girlboss,” the film directors explained that it reflects the evolution of her character seen in future game iterations. The movie accurately portrays Peach and Mario saving Luigi and defeating Bowser as a team, rather than Peach saving herself.

With no pandering inclusivity or LGBT propaganda, is “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” the best conservatives can expect from Hollywood children’s movies? Only time will tell, but the huge earnings may be enough to make Disney rethink their strategy.

The film is currently showing in theaters nationwide and has a 56% critic rating and 96% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes.