Intro:
When the trailer for A Minecraft Movie was first released back in November of 2024, it was met with extreme confusion from fans. Questions circulated online for weeks: Why was it in live action? Why was the CGI so lackluster? And WHY was Jack Black Steve?
It seemed that the movie was nothing more than a cash grab to capitalise on the younger fanbase of the Minecraft game, and the excitement that A Minecraft movie had cultivated was soon replaced by dread and uncertainty. With all of these changes from the source material, could the movie live up to the hype?
Reception:
As of April 2025, A Minecraft Movie has made a whopping 700 million dollars at the box office, sits at a respectable 87% on Rotten Tomatoes, and has been the catalyst for one of the best theater experiences in recent memory. It is a near certainty that you have been witness to the viral “Chicken Jockey” trend on social media. Theater videos show eager teenagers sitting on the edge of their seats, anticipating the moment when Jack Black (Steve) shouts the two infamous words. Once the phrase is uttered, the theatre breaks into chaos. Popcorn flies through the air, confetti cannons explode, and soft drinks are hurled into the front row. Theaters all over America have now had to put up warning signs on their front doors as a response to this craze, and the police have been called on multiple occasions.
While this behavior is not commendable, it does serve a crucial purpose in my review. This trend proves that, although A Minecraft Movie is flawed, it still manages to capture the magic and lightheartedness of the game in a way that is engaging to every demographic.
The Good:
Predictably, the plot of the movie is very bare-bones. Our heroes are transported to a magical realm that is threatened by a force of evil, and to defeat the threat, they will need to go on an epic quest. Along the way, they must learn to overcome their fears, silence their ego, and learn to work as an effective team. It is a story that has been told hundreds of times, and the formula has become stale to anyone over the age of ten. Given this summarization, you would be justified in thinking that A Minecraft Movie might also align itself with the generic comedic tropes that usually plague these types of movies. However, this is a surprising example of where A Minecraft Movie subverts audience expectations and delivers some genuinely hilarious moments. One factor that contributes to the jokes hitting is the directors seemingly being self-aware that this is an elementary movie plot and making fun of the tropes that are usually used in this genre. A Minecraft Movie uses irony, dark humor, and unique physical comedy to separate itself from the pack and give the adults something to laugh at. Furthermore, Jack Black’s decades of comedy expertise are on full display, with his character of Steve often serving as the mouthpiece for these aforementioned gags. Black’s comedic style is also complemented by the brilliantly talented Jason Momoa, who plays the lovable character of Garrett the Garbageman. These two actors share an undeniable chemistry that makes every scene they are in feel captivating and impactful. A Minecraft Movie is undoubtedly carried on the backs of these comedic veterans, and the film would be quite fractured without them.
The Bad:
Despite its critical audience acclaim, this is objectively not a great film. While some with clashing beliefs would argue that this is being too critical of a kids’ movie, I would like to point out the numerous examples of great children’s films throughout the decades that have managed to intertwine emotionally mature messages with a masterfully crafted story. Some good examples are movies like Toy Story, Inside Out, and The Wild Robot. When contrasted with these films, A Minecraft Movie seems to serve as more of a popcorn flick than anything else, which feels contradictory to the values that the game it’s based on is supposed to represent. Minecraft strongly encourages creativity and imagination. “What can I build?” “Where can I go?” “Why is this here?” These tend to be the players’ questions as they explore the game’s possibilities, and it is in these adventures that the soul of Minecraft lives. A Minecraft Movie, on the other hand, chooses to disregard the soul of the game and instead focus solely on what jokes will get the loudest laugh in theaters. While the gags are certainly funny, I can’t help but feel like this is at the expense of articulating some deeper themes that would help make the movie more memorable.
Verdict/Conclusion:
This review does not cover the movie in its entirety in order to avoid spoilers and recognize space constraints. For example, the characters of Natalie, Henry, and Dawn haven’t been addressed, and neither has Malgosha, the main villain that they are up against. Despite these absences, however, the review still comprehensively addresses the plot of the movie because of how poorly refined these four characters are.
A Minecraft Movie is certainly a mixed bag at best, but by using tacky physical humor and embracing the quintessential talent of Jack Black, it manages to achieve a level of audience satisfaction that is on par with its video game counterpart.
Final Review:
6.5/10
