Actually, there are a number of references to the game. For example, in this movie, the bouncer at the bar is Big Bertha. You remember her, right? Well, the reason she dances with Mario is because in a comic book series, she and Mario spent time together. Watch the Familiar Faces review if you want the whole story.
Furthermore, this movie is actually better than any Uwe Boll movie. You also have to factor in that the source material really didn't offer much to work with. Video games from that era typically had basic stories and Super Mario Bros. took the cake as far as basic-ness goes.
Finally, to this film's credit, it gave John Leguizamo more supporting roles which eventually landed him his first lead role, and it led to more villainous roles for Dennis Hopper. Look it up if you don't believe me.
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Stupid, but charming
Alright, let me say this outright. The Super Mario Bros movie is not a great film. Depending on who you ask, the movie is either the worst example of Adaptation Decay this side of Uwe Boll, or a decent, if not entertaining movie that has nothing to do with the Mario series.
I'm going to try and review this movie objectively:
STORY: D/B+ (YMMV) The plot is absolutely ridiculous. It involves two brothers trying to rescue a girl who's been kidnapped by people evolved from dinosaurs looking for a meteor fragment in an alternate future so a maniacal dictator can "Fuse the Timelines" because he wasted all of the world's water. And he has a devolution gun that turns people into giant cavemen. This is so many levels of stupid that it can be used as a lightning rod during a storm. It's so absolutely ridiculous that it's either completely hilarious or utterly stupid.
CHARACTERS: C Well... they arn't bad per se, but they arn't what you expect from a Mario movie. The Mario series isn't known for character development, but the cast ranges from They Just Didnt Care (I'm looking at you, Bowser
) to just a little bit... off. Actually, Luigi is the one that most resembles his Canon counterpart. Still, at their best, the actors are goofy enough to pull it off.
SETTING: B This is probably the movie's best aspect. Pity it has nothing to do with the games. Much of the setpieces (especially Dinohattan,) are extremely well put together, conveying the Crapsackyness of the world without getting too bogged down. This is rather fitting, as David L. Snyder (famous for his work on Blade Runner) designed most of these scenes. There are a few waek areas, however, such as Koopa Tower, but these are rare and far between. Again though, aside from a few small touches, there is absolutely nothing evocative of the Mario series.
RELATION TO CANON: F+ Aside from the Mario Bros, pretty much everything is either In Name Only or totally made up. Bowser, Goombas, Toad... you name it, they've mangled it. There are a few more obscure refrences dotted about the movie, but again; few and far in between.
VERDICT: If you like watching So Bad Its Good movies (or at least making fun of them), then you are going to love this one. Otherwise, don't bother.