Storytelling remains traditional entertainment with influences from Ghostbusters and Star Wars, centered on brotherly bonds, heroism, and defeating a villainous regime through action and gadgets, without any driving progressive ideology. Casting includes Bob Hoskins as Mario and John Leguizamo as Luigi, with the latter's Latino ethnicity representing a minor incidental diversity choice praised for fitting an 'unconventional family' dynamic, but not race-swapped controversially at the time nor central to the plot.

A script rewrite added a slight feminist tone by expanding Daisy's role and including a black bouncer character Big Bertha, but these are background elements that do not influence character arcs, subplots, or the premise. No LGBTQ+ representation, identity politics, critiques of traditional norms, systemic oppression, or creator-stated activism; directors aimed for subversive comedy exaggerating reality in a Tim Burton style, with production chaos and video game skepticism cited for its flop, not ideological backlash. This pre-woke era film prioritizes pure escapist fun, free from contemporary social justice intrusions, earning praise for its lack of political messaging.