Illustration by Danny O’Grady
The chicken jockey scene is one of the standout scenes of the movie and caused the theater to erupt in applause.
All hope seems lost, the main characters are surrounded by zombies with nowhere to go — until a character unknown to them springs into action and saves the day to the tune of “Lil Boo Thang” by Paul Russell.
He then declares, “I am Steve.”
The theater erupts in a cacophony of clapping and laughter as audience members yell with glee. This moment is but a microcosm of the joy which “A Minecraft Movie” packs in its 100-minute runtime.
Having sold over 300 million copies since its release in 2011, Minecraft is the best-selling single video game of all time. Given its success, it may seem like a no-brainer to adapt it into a movie, as video game movie adaptations are becoming increasingly popular.
Unlike some video games like “The Last of Us” which are built around its story, Minecraft has almost no storyline — which raises challenges, as a movie adaptation would need to build its story from the ground up, using only the world of the game. Still, a lack of story has never held Minecraft back, as its endless worlds have inspired players to explore and build to their hearts’ content.
A movie adaptation of Minecraft was first announced in 2014 and has undergone several major changes in personnel and story over the decade it took to bring the film to completion. Now that the finished product, “A Minecraft Movie,” has been released, it is safe to say that it is a fun adventure with an abundant supply of laughs to be had.
Nevertheless, I can’t help but feel short-changed, as the film failed to provide a message about creativity and exploration beyond a surface level. This problem comes in contrast to the video game, where those values are core to the gaming experience and make it stand out from most others on the market.
Older titles like “Up” and “WALL-E” or recent hits like “Sonic the Hedgehog 3” and “Puss and Boots: The Last Wish” have shown that movies directed at kids can still contain important messages to learn from, so it is disappointing that “A Minecraft Movie” barely even tries to convey a surface-level message.
Thankfully, the movie definitely delivers on the most important front: comedy. Jack Black puts his all into his role as Steve, making him the standout character.
Having said that, the film’s humor does not translate as well to older audiences who will see the movie with their kids. The type of humor on display could be categorized as “brain rot,” which is fine for younger audiences who understand viral trends and gags, but likely will be lost on older viewers. This choice is not a major issue, as it succeeds for its target audience — but the best family movies usually provide entertainment for adults as well.
An important area where “A Minecraft Movie” knocks it out of the park, however, is its devotion to the source material.
The adaptation of the world is quite faithful to the game, which is sure to be appreciated by fans that have played Minecraft for over a decade. The blocky art style of the world, return of the crafting table and appearance of iconic minecraft mobs all ensure the movie oozes with Minecraft’s iconic style. The classic “Minecraft” theme song is included at the beginning and end of the movie to provide nostalgia and ease fans into and out of this new take on the world.
Taking a step back, it is abundantly clear that “A Minecraft Movie” greatly succeeds with its target audience, but struggles to be anything deeper. There is a great time to be had here, but the movie does not swing for the fences and is content to be not much more than a fun movie. Having said that, a fun movie is all it needs to be.
Email: d.ogrady@dailynorthwestern.com
X: @DannyMOGrady04
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