What's all the hubbub with 'A Minecraft Movie'? We breakdown the good, the bad, and the ugly of this video game movie that's got people hooting and hollering in the cinema!
If your kiddo is a fan of the hit game Minecraft, I’m sure they’ve been pestering you to take them to the cinema to watch A Minecraft Movie over the weekend. And if you did take them, you might have noticed that a majority of the moviegoers aren’t even children – so what’s the deal? Isn’t it supposed to be a kids’ movie? Well, it is rated PG but it actually goes deeper than that – let’s take a look at what makes this video game movie such a success, along with my personal unfiltered review (as a gamer and fan of Minecraft!).
A Minecraft Movie breakdown
What is Minecraft?
Before diving into the Minecraft movie, what exactly is the game about? Minecraft is a sandbox video game that first released its public alpha version all the way back in 2009 – that’s almost 16 years ago! You’d think the game would have passed its prime by now, but the player base remains as strong as ever, with the game receiving regular updates and new features. It’s a great game that allows players to create almost anything they can imagine. Someone even made a working computer in the game and recreated Minecraft, in Minecraft. How crazy is that? The community also keeps Minecraft alive by creating mods (short for ‘modifications’) for the game that add content unofficially – essentially, it means the players are helping the developers make the game better.
When was A Minecraft Movie trailer released?
As a 27-year-old adult, I have been playing Minecraft on and off for almost 15 years now – which is why I was excited when I heard about it possibly becoming a reality. Many fans like myself speculated that it would look like it does in the video game, but we were severely disappointed when leaked images started circulating online. They took an…interesting approach to the design of animals and characters. The horrifying designs were almost a deal-breaker for most, but as time went on and we got to see more of the movie, people eventually managed to look past them.
What is A Minecraft Movie about, and is it worth watching?
A Minecraft Movie follows a man named Steve (Jack Black), who has yearned for the mines ever since he was a kid. With his day job not satisfying him, he ends up going to the town mines to see what treasures he can find. He stumbles upon an artefact that opens a portal to another, very cubic, dimension where creativity is king! However, an evil force lurks and wants to steal the artefact from him.
Now this is entirely subjective, but I found the movie horrible. However, did I have fun watching it? Absolutely! If you’re wondering how that’s possible, let me explain (without spoilers). The plot was terrible, with characters that didn’t contribute much to the story and an extremely rushed ending. The conflict itself was not fleshed out, while the resolution was sloppy. A majority of the movie consisted of pointing out things that are in the game, for the benefit of those who haven’t played it before. I personally thought they definitely could have done it more subtly though, without having to literally go, “This is a crafting table.”
That being said, it was still enjoyable to see the game being brought to life in the box office. They also paid homage to Technoblade, a popular Minecraft YouTuber who passed in 2022 due to cancer. It was a heartwarming moment, especially for those who grew up watching his content.
But what really drove people to watch the movie, especially teens and those in their 20s to 30s, were some of the iconic lines from the movie that have started going viral on social media and became popular memes.
PSA for parents: Why A Minecraft Movie is often packed with rowdy moviegoers
While it was great to see the movie doing so well, there was quite an unsavoury trend going on in some countries. Initially, it began with people clapping and cheering during certain ‘meme-worthy’ scenes like Jack Black saying “I am Steve”, “flint and steel!”, and of course the most iconic “Chicken Jockey!” – these are all popular terms and names of people and animals from the game. However, the trend turned into a nuisance when moviegoers started trashing the cinema by throwing popcorn and drinks in ‘celebration’.
As more people uploaded videos of their ‘Chicken Jockey experience’, they kept trying to one-up each other and gain virality. In some cases, authorities got involved and movie screenings were cancelled. Thankfully, this trend hasn’t made its way to our shores (yet) but it’s sad to see the experience being ruined for kids and parents who had no idea what was going on. So consider this a heads up before you head to the cinema! That being said, this trend and the memes from the movie are a big contributing factor to the movie’s success.
Unfinished version of A Minecraft Movie leaked online
On a side note, people who were trying to find the movie online via not-so-legal means were shocked to find a different version of the movie. A lot of these sites had gotten their hands on what they must’ve thought was the actual movie, but was an unfinished version with unrendered CGI and very obvious green screen effects. Those who found this version online took to social media and commented on how bad the movie was before realising that this was not the version airing in cinemas. Although probably unintentional, this was a good way to deter people from pirating the movie.
Should you watch A Minecraft Movie, or let your kids watch it?
A Minecraft Movie is definitely for the casual moviegoer – those who need a strong plot and fleshed-out characters to enjoy a movie should stay clear. Even if you haven’t played the game, you’ll still be able to understand what’s going on. That means parents don’t have to worry about being in the dark. I’m sure your little one will be more than happy to fill you in anyway! Take whatever I’ve said about the movie with a pinch of salt – if you go in with an open mind, you’ll still have a good time.
Head to the cinema this weekend and have a blocky good time!
