‘A Minecraft Movie’ Is Weird, Wild & Kind Of Wonderful? [Review]

The movie’s goofy charm will likely win over kids who adore the game and adults nostalgic for this brand of comedy, but maybe not many others.

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[Spoilers ahead.]

From the get-go, A Minecraft Movie seems fully aware of how absurd its own existence is. It kicks off with Jack Black’s Steve reminiscing about his childhood obsession with “the mines” – a passion that was unfortunately sidelined because, well, kids aren’t exactly known for their tunneling prowess.

Fast forward to adulthood, and Steve is stuck in a mundane office job, still dreaming about digging holes. One day, he finally ventures into a cave, only to stumble upon a portal that catapults him into Minecraft’s blocky Overworld. Naturally.

The story then shifts focus to two siblings, Henry (Sebastian Hansen) and Natalie (Emma Myers), who move to a small Midwestern town after losing their mother. Natalie is prepping for a social media producer role at a local business, while Henry is stuck navigating a new school.

As fate would have it, their town is also home to a former gaming legend – Jason Momoa’s Garret “The Garbageman” Garrison – who bonds with Henry over their shared status as outsiders.

Meanwhile, Danielle Brooks’ Dawn, a struggling realtor and part-time mobile zookeeper, takes Natalie under her wing, impressed by how much she sacrifices for her brother.

Of course, it’s only a matter of time before all four of them stumble into the same portal that sent Steve to the Overworld. Once there, they run into Steve, accidentally break their glowing orb (because why not), and set off on a quest to fix it and find their way back home.

A Minecraft Movie is a decent movie adaptation of a video game.

I personally think Sonic the Hedgehog, Super Mario Bros. and even Detective Pikachu were better video game adaptations. The characters in A Minecraft Movie were pretty flat, and even the visuals didn’t stand out as much.

I’m no die-hard Minecraft fan, but I do wish the movie embraced the game’s signature pixelated style more. The characters and creatures may look familiar, but their overly detailed designs feel at odds with Minecraft’s charming simplicity.

It’s understandable that, because it is a live-action film, it had to balance the game’s blocky aesthetic with sleek CGI, but the end result feels a lil’ too polished – like it’s trying too hard to smooth out what made Minecraft visually unique in the first place.

Jennifer Coolidge’s bizarre subplot was the highlight of the film for me.

Coolidge’s Marlene – the vice principal at Henry’s school – accidentally runs over a Minecraft Villager who’s accidentally wandered into the real world through the portal. Before long, the recently divorced Marlene is out on a restaurant date with this blocky newcomer.

Coolidge fans will be thoroughly entertained by her improv skills, but even if you’re not a fan, the sequence is entertaining on its own.