Christian Peterson - Columnist
Introduction:
"A Minecraft Movie" was released to American audiences on Friday, April 4. The film is a fantasy action-adventure comedy based off of the best selling video game of all time. Minecraft the movie was directed by Jared Hess and written by Chris Bowman, Hubble Palmer, Neil Widener, Gavin James and Chris Galletta. The film boasts a star-studded cast, with the main ensemble being Jason Momoa, Jack Black, Danielle Brooks, Emma Myers and Sebastian Hansen. The story follows siblings Henry (Hansen) and Natalie (Myers), who have just moved to a new town after their mother tragically passes away. Over the course of their first day in the city, they meet their real estate agent and mobile petting zoo entrepreneur Dawn (Brooks), as well as 1980s video game champion Garrett "The Garbage Man" Garrison (Momoa). The four misfits find themselves sucked through a portal into a new world called the "Overworld." As they begin to explore this new world, they meet "expert crafter" Steve (Black), who helps lead them through this strange new world. What ensues is a hilarious, bizarre and intriguing adventure through a world many have already come to love.
The good:
Let me start by explaining to the older audience why this movie is as popular as it is. Minecraft is the best-selling video game of all time by an extensive margin. It currently holds the number one spot with 350 million copies sold; second place goes to Grand Theft Auto V, which is far behind with 210 million copies sold. To put that number in perspective, as of 2024, roughly 340 million people live in the United States. The game is so popular that, if every single person in the United States bought a copy, that still wouldn't equal the number of copies purchased. Hence, the movie was already going to be successful simply because of the recognition of the name. Now, as for the film itself, there is a lot to like about "A Minecraft Movie." Personally, it reminded me of other comedies by the director Hess; some of my favorites include "Napoleon Dynamite" and "Nacho Libre." It gave off the vibe of early 2000s comedy, a genre that I still love to this day. It is, for lack of a better term, dumb humor; ridiculous humor that is so stupid you can't help but laugh. Yes, sometimes it is fart jokes, other times it's Jack Black singing a dumb song to a wolf - but somehow, it just hits your funny bone. Make no mistake, this movie is stupid, but that doesn't mean it isn't funny.
Both Black and Momoa deserve a shout-out as well for their performances. It was clear that, despite the fact that they knew they were in a dumb movie, they both gave it their all. Both actors put on hilarious performances and put their all into their characters. The rest of the cast did fine as well, those two just stood out above the rest. The visuals of the film, while strange, are impressive. I assume the majority of this movie was filmed in front of a green screen because the majority of it is a peculiar CGI. However, that doesn't mean it isn't stunning, and it definitely is. The music also hits well, with the common themes that you can hear throughout the game showing up at the right points throughout the movie, along with the classic voice of Black, who has been known for his singing for a long time.
The bad:
Like I said, there is a lot to like about this movie, but there is also a lot to not like about this movie. There is a story with Jennifer Coolidge and a Minecraft villager that, while funny, is unnecessary and stupid. There are a few "hells" and "damns" sprinkled throughout the movie, though not enough that I would feel the need to censor the movie for my children. The movie itself is just dumb; that is the way I would describe it. It is just plain dumb. I don't think that necessarily makes it a bad movie, but it is stupid. If you are expecting a deep look into the human psyche, turn to other movies. This movie is about a kids's video game, and it is designed with low-brow comedy and children in mind. The bad section of this review is small because I don't believe there is a lot of bad to say about this movie. It fits perfectly where it is supposed to; it doesn't claim to be anything that it isn't.
The ugly:
All right, I use this section as a parental warning and usually a comment on the film industry in general. Regarding parental warnings, there is not much to be concerned about in this movie. As I said before, there is a small spattering of language throughout, nothing worse than "damn." There are a few characters throughout the film (zombies, skeletons and spiders) that may be scary for some kids. There is also a place called The Nether that is visited a couple of times; it is full of humanoid pig villains and is dark and full of lava. Again, this may be frightening, but only for the smaller audiences. As for what I think makes this film ugly, it's pretty simple. I believe this is a soulless intellectual property cash grab. Even if there are plenty of highlights and some standout performances, I think the heart behind the movie is the most concerning part. I believe the studios in Hollywood are all victims of the same idea that IP is all that is required to make a decent movie. It worries me because, while I enjoyed this movie, it has made a lot of money. I fear that studios will get the wrong idea and continue to throw IP at the wall until something sticks. Finally, while there were some impressive performances, I could feel that some of the actors were phoning it in.
Conclusion:
"A Minecraft Movie" is a dumb movie, a funny movie, a stupid movie, a cheesy movie, a ridiculous movie and all around a good time. It's the perfect movie to take your kids to and laugh out loud. If you approach with the right mindset - that you are walking into a dumb movie designed to hit at your base impulse of comedy - you will walk out having a good time. While I have concerns about the lessons that studios are learning from this, I have to say that I had a great time with my brother and sisters while we watched this movie. I give "A Minecraft Movie" six out of 10 gator tails, making it a recommendation from me.
