'A Minecraft Movie’ REVIEW: A Not-So-Bad Game-to-Film Adaptation
‘A Minecraft Movie’ REVIEW: A Not-So-Bad Game-to-Film Adaptation
The main cast of ‘A Minecraft Movie’ (in order, from the left) Daniel Brooks as Dawn, Jack Black as Steve, Jason Momoa as Garrett Garrison, Sebastian Hansen as Henry, and Emma Myers as Natalie / Taken from Warner Bros. Pictures
Film adaptations of video games have been around for a while, and Minecraft — the best-selling video game of all time — is already something people look forward to seeing on the big screen. Jack Black stars as Steve, the film counterpart of the game’s protagonist, alongside Jason Momoa as Garrett Garrison, an original character for this project. Together, they venture into the Overworld with their gang in hopes of getting back into the human world after accidentally getting sucked into a portal leading them into a world filled with pixelated blocks.
Right off the bat, the story immediately introduces us to Steve, his motivations, and his struggles. He was a kid who took a great interest in mining, but found himself stuck in a typical corporate job where his creative potential was wasted. He breaks this cycle and becomes self-aware that the present life he is living is not what he wants. The love for mining seems to have never left and is just somewhere deep inside him, finding ways to call him back to the mines.
There, he finds the Orb of Dominance and the Earth Crystal, which lead him to a portal connecting to the Overworld. He quickly adapts and builds a life for himself. Later, he discovers another portal leading to the Nether, ruled by the gold-obsessed piglin Malgosha, where creativity ceases to exist. She captures Steve to get ahold of the Orb and Crystal and rule the Overworld. Before everything was too late, Steve was able to hand over the Orb and Crystal to his trustee canine companion, Dennis, as it escaped to the real world to keep the treasured items somewhere safe — under Steve’s bed. A few years later, Garrett Garrison discovers it through an auction of Steve’s now abandoned house.
Jack Black as Steve / Taken from Warner Bros. Pictures
I was already expecting the film to be unserious since the idea of making this film was absurd on paper. Typically, many game-to-film adaptations follow a plot or pattern similar to the original game and incorporate it into the story, but Minecraft doesn’t necessarily have a story in itself, and Steve in the game doesn’t have much motivation at all. This grants the writers a lot of free will with whatever they come up with, allowing many ways to substantiate the film's storyline.
Minecraft as a game allows players to use their imagination, and the film’s demographic generally consists of unserious yet self-aware groups of people who make memes, create their own stories, and even produce films using Minecraft’s open-world. I could see a lot of potential visceral reactions regarding the film’s quality – both in terms of creativity and substance – yet you would be able to sense that it’s pretty self-aware and does not aim to please any critics. But admittedly, there are unserious flicks that were executed better than this one, regardless of intention.
Piglins from Nether / Taken from Warner Bros. Pictures
My limited knowledge of the game comes mostly from hearing about it from my nephews, who play regularly, and from Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. As someone who considers themselves a casual gamer with no actual Minecraft experience, I'd say the film — despite being filled with Easter eggs (including Jennifer Coolidge's brief cameo) — was enjoyable and worth the price of admission. Some might argue it primarily caters to those who'd get the niche references.
However, I couldn't help but notice the lack of chemistry among the cast. Despite the wacky nature of films like this, I still hoped to connect with the characters in their roles. There was a lack of development in the relationship between cast members and their connection with one another that’s kind of off-putting. I expected more comedic banter and interconnection in an ensemble-heavy story since that’s how it can make up for the conventionally cheap cinematic experience that this movie delivers. Nonetheless, it remains enjoyable for the general public, as dissecting everything isn’t necessary. Underneath the schlocky comedy, there was still a message embedded into the overall arc: not letting oneself lose one's soul and creativity to the mundane things we go through in our everyday lives, which I found endearing.
