Video game adaptations on the silver screen can be hit or miss.
From underwhelming retellings of popular games like “Rampage” and “Resident Evil” to fun films like “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” and “Sonic the Hedgehog,” longtime fans are either excited or scared for how their favorite game franchises will be translated on the big screen.
While “A Minecraft Movie” had some great ideas, it didn’t quite hit the mark.
“A Minecraft Movie” follows the default player character from the titular video game, Steve (Jack Black), who finds himself in a world made only of cubes, where the only limit is one’s own imagination. Steve is stuck in this world alongside others like Henry (Sebastian Hansen), a kid starting school in a new town, his sister Natalie (Emma Myers) and a few others, who must band together to face forces of evil coming from another dimension called “the Nether.”
The movie has some great ideas sprinkled in for longtime fans to enjoy. Characters in the film interact with elements of the world in a way that is accurate to the source material, such as throwing a water bucket to break their fall from any distance without taking damage, to small details like specific weapons being more effective than others.
Depending on how ingrained into the Minecraft community the viewer is, these realistic elements are noticeable. Such details are not directly called out in the movie either, but are integrated as normal functions in the fictional world. This prevents the movie from being a story overfilled with references and cameos, making it feel fresh.
There are some fun, original ideas put into the fictional world of Minecraft as well, such as fireball-shooting Ghast creatures being used as “war balloons” and unique crafting recipes that the characters create.
These elements fit into the theme of the movie being all about creativity. It’s not about the heroes adapting to the world, it’s about taking what they love into the fictional world, which is an empowering message.
One of the more divisive elements of the movie is the way it’s stylized. In comparison to the original game, some of the animals look acceptable, like the Wolves and Iron Golems, but the monsters, such as Zombies and Skeletons, are poorly designed and aren’t reminiscent of how they look in the game. Most of the designs, such as the Willagers and Piglin creatures, fall into the latter category because they visually clash with the rest of the better-executed Minecraft environment around them.
The inconsistencies in the execution of the Minecraft creatures is unfortunate since most of the props are well done. The swords are faithful to the original game but have a sleek modern design that makes them look very natural. It’s clear the creatives behind the film took time to make things look how players would imagine them, like the redstone and diamond minerals.
Despite the realistic elements that were captured from the original Minecraft game, the unimpressive and awkward designs stand out. The movie also moves at a breakneck pace, jumping from scene to scene very quickly without much room to breathe.
The pacing is not so fast that the audience has no idea what is going on, but it also doesn’t make any of the character arcs feel earned. While the progression of their characters make sense, the way each character journey is executed feels rushed and cobbled together.
Another negative aspect of the film was Jack Black’s over-the-top acting performance. The antics of Black and Jason Momoa, who plays a supporting character, make Hansen and Myers’ characters seem like the only normal people in the film. Black’s character, Steve, is very loud. His delivery is funny on occasion, but with him speaking at the same volume for the duration of the film, it ultimately pulls viewers out of what’s happening.
Overall, “A Minecraft Movie” had good ideas on paper and in the actual script, but the overall execution did not live up to the hype.
This is a ridiculous, at times chaotic movie best enjoyed with friends and fellow Minecraft fans who will appreciate the easter eggs and references to the well-loved game. It’s certainly entertaining but it won’t be exceeding the expectations of the audience.
This article was edited by Alia Messina, Marina Zaczkiewicz and Walker Whalen. Copy editing done by Luna Jinks, Olivia Citarella, Emma Brown, Ella Rousseau and Charlie Mennuti.
