When I was a child, I yearned for the mines. Specifically, the ones I made myself in the hit video game phenomenon “Minecraft.”
The 2009 video game is arguably one of the most popular pieces of media on this side of Y2K. Pick anyone off the street, and I would bet money they have a Minecraft story to share.
My story is certainly a common one. I played the game throughout much of my childhood, and to this day, I still partake in the occasional two-week survival phase.
With that in mind, I hope you’ll forgive me for saying “A Minecraft Movie” is a total blast.
The film introduces a motley crew of misfits who, unsatisfied with their lives in the real world, stumble upon a magic orb — that is actually a cube — that transports them to a fantastical realm called the Overworld. Here, they meet Steve, another human who helps them devise a plan to save the Overworld and go home.
From the opening few seconds in which C418’s iconic track “Minecraft” played over a black screen, I knew I wasn’t going to hate this film. Hearing that song over theater speakers struck something deep within me, and even if the rest of the movie was the worst thing I’d ever seen in my life, it would have been worth it just for that moment.
Let’s make one thing clear. “A Minecraft Movie” will only work for you if you’re a fan of the game, director Jared Hess, and star Jack Black. On a fundamental level, the film is a pretty standard blockbuster, but if all three conditions are met, maybe — and only maybe — will the dressing be enough.
There are moments where Hess’ goofy sense of humor clashes with the source material’s earnestness, but it’s hard to complain too much when the final result is a film where Jack Black is having the time of his life saying things like “flint and steel” and “chicken jockey.”
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If you don’t find Jack Black’s enunciation inherently funny, “A Minecraft Movie” is pretty much a non-starter.
“Nostalgia bait” is a tactic often looked down upon in blockbusters like this. While I agree, sometimes you have such a visceral reaction to seeing something you loved from childhood, and all logic falls to the wayside.
This is one of those times.
In a Variety interview, Hess explained why they chose to call it “A Minecraft Movie” instead of “The Minecraft Movie.” He said this is just one of many stories taking place in the Overworld, and there are countless more out there.
This choice removes a lot of pressure, as no one could reasonably call this film the official, definitive Minecraft story.
I didn’t care for the unsubtle exposition in the first act, nor did I feel the character drama was anything too compelling. I also thought the final battle could have gone on a little longer. But in the true spirit of rediscovering your inner child, I was having too much fun to linger on my nitpicks.
Is “A Minecraft Movie” the safest possible version of this film you could make? Perhaps. But at the end of the day, you shouldn’t question too much when a film brings you joy.
“A Minecraft Movie” brought me joy. For an hour and a half, I was a kid again.