Mario v Sonic: Dawn of Smash (film)

Mario v Sonic: Dawn of Smash is a 2017 Japanese-American action film featuring Nintendo's Super Mario and Sega's Sonic the Hedgehog. The film is a follow-up to 2015's Super Mario Bros and is the second installment in the Smash Bros Cinematic Universe.

Synopsis
From the Producer of Batman V Superman Dawn of Justice comes Mario V Sonic Dawn of Smash.

''It's been two years since Mario's colossal battle with Bowser (who is later revived) devastated the town of Mushroom Kingdom. The loss of life and collateral damage left many feeling angry and helpless, including the blue blur Sonic the Hedgehog. Convinced that Mario is now a threat to humanity, Sonic embarks on a personal vendetta to end his reign on the Mushroom Kingdom, while the conniving Doctor "Robotnik" Eggman launches his own crusade against the red plumber.''

Plot
/Transcript/

Two years after a destructive battle with Bowser in Mushroom Kingdom, Mario has become a respectful figure. Sonic the Hedgehog, who has operated in Green Hill Zone for nearly two decades, sees Mario as a potential threat to humanity. After learning of Sonic's form of punishment, Mario Mario (alter-ego through family name) seeks to expose Sonic via Daily Mushroom articles. Sonic learns that Russian weapon trafficker Anatoli Knyazev has been contacting Sonic's arch-enemy Doctor "Robotnik" Eggman. Meanwhile, Eggman tries to persuade Metal Sonic to allow him to import Poison Mushroom retrieved from the Indian Ocean following Bowser's terraforming attempt, claiming he wants to maintain it as a "deterrent" against Plumbers, but he denies the request. He also makes side dealings with Metal Sonic's subordinate and demands access to Bowser's body and the Koopa air ship.

Sonic (in disguise as Mr. Maurice Hedgehog) attends Eggman's party at Death Egg, where he meets Doctor Light's lab assistant named Rock Light, and retrieves encrypted data from the company's mainframe. While decrypting the drive at the Sonic Cave, Sonic has a dream of a post-apocalyptic world, where he leads a group of rebels against a fascist Mario. He is snapped out of the dream by an unidentified being who warns him of Princess Peach's crucial role in the future, and urges him to find "the others" before vanishing. Sonic later discovers that Eggman is not only experimenting with Poison Mushroom, but also investigating metaheroes. One of them is Rock Light himself, who is really a super fighting robot (Mega Man). Sonic admits to Tails and Knuckles that he plans to steal the Poison Mushroom to weaponize it, should it become necessary to fight Mario.

At a congressional hearing, as Princess Daisy questions Mario on the validity of his actions, a bomb planted by Eggman explodes, killing everyone present but Mario. Believing he should have detected the bomb, and frustrated by his failure to save the people, Mario goes into self-imposed exile. Sonic breaks into Death Egg and steals the Poison Mushroom, planning to use it to battle Mario by reusing his Chaos Emeralds to become Super Sonic, and creating a Poison Mushroom grenade launcher and a Poison Mushroom-tipped spear. Meanwhile, Eggman enters the Koopa ship and learns details of its technology.

Eggman kidnaps Amy Rose, Sonic's girlfriend and Peach. He reveals that he has manipulated Mario and Sonic by fueling their distrust for each other. He demands Mario kill Sonic in exchange for Peach's life, and also demands Sonic kill Mario in exchange for Amy's life. Mario tries to reason with Sonic, but Sonic (transforming into Super Sonic) instead fights Mario and eventually subdues him. Before Sonic can kill him with the spear, Mario urges Sonic to "save Peach and Amy". Mario's twin brother Luigi arrives and explains the situation, convincing Sonic that Mario is not a threat. Unwilling to let someone else's girlfriend die, Sonic leaves to rescue Peach and Amy, while Mario confronts Eggman on the scout ship.

Eggman executes his backup plan, unleashing a genetically-revived Bowser. However, Rock ( as Mega Man) arrives unexpectedly. Revealing his metarobot nature, he joins forces with Batman and Superman to fight the creature. They are soon outmatched by its power, as it can absorb and redirect energy. Realizing that it is vulnerable to Poison Mushroom, Mario retrieves the Poison Mushroom spear. With Sonic and Mega Man's help containing it, Mario impales the monster, killing it. In its last moments however, the creature fatally stabs a weakened Mario with one of its bone protrusions.

Eggman is arrested, and Sonic confronts him in prison, warning Eggman that he will always be watching him. Eggman gloats that Mario's death has made the world vulnerable to powerful alien threats, and that something bigger is coming to Earth. A memorial is held for Mario in Mushroom Kingdom. Toad gives an envelope to Peach which contains an engagement ring from Mario. After the funeral, Sonic reveals to Mega Man that he plans to form a team of metaheroes (Smash Bros), starting with those from Eggman's files, to help protect the world in Mario's absence. After they leave, the dirt atop Mario's coffin begins to levitate into a 1-Up Mushroom (tolding that Mario will be revived for the Smash Bros. film).

Cast

 * Roger Craig Smith as Sonic the Hedgehog
 * Kirk Thornton as Shadow the Hedgehog
 * Charles Martinet as Mario/Luigi
 * Samantha Kelly as Princess Peach
 * Deanna Mustard as Princess Daisy
 * Kate Higgins as Miles "Tails" Prower
 * Cindy Robinson as Amy Rose
 * Cole Howard as Mega Man
 * Travis Willingham as Knuckles the Echidna
 * Kelly James as Bowser
 * Mike Pollock as Dr. Eggman
 * Nolan North as Deadpool (cameo)
 * TBA as Ethan (cameo)
 * Kristen Schaal as Mabel Pines (cameo)
 * TBA as Flanic (original character)
 * Tabitha St Germain as Heloise (Jimmy Two-Shoes) (cameo)
 * Ashleigh Ball as Reimbool Dashi

Critical Response
Mario v Sonic: Dawn of Smash received generally positive reviews. Review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes reported a 97% approval rating based on 150 reviews, with a rating average of 9.5/10.

Trivia

 * Reimbool Dashi is based on the MLP: Friendship of Magic character: Rainbow Dash.