A Minecraft Movie Review: Made For Kids Who Love The Game

A Minecraft Movie is very much for kids who play and love the game and who will have the time of their lives picking out Easter eggs and references.

My tween daughters have been playing Minecraft for years and were over-the-moon excited when A Minecraft Movie was announced. I knew early on that this film was not made for me, but that is okay because if my kids are happy, then I am happy.

While a few solid jokes got me laughing out loud during our screening, for the most part, a lot of what was happening flew over my head because I do not know the game well enough. That said, my girls explained every detail to me, and they were cracking up all throughout the movie, as were the other children in the screening, which proves to me that A Minecraft Movie accomplished exactly what it set out to do.

Say what you will, it is very clear that Jack Black and Jason Momoa are having the time of their lives in this movie. Momoa plays a washed-up video game champion, and Black plays Steve, a man who has wanted to mine since he was a little boy, and when he finally did, he found the Overworld, which allowed him to unleash his creativity.

When Garrett (Momoa), Henry (Sebastian Eugene Hansen), Natalie (Emma Myers) and Dawn (Danielle Brooks) find themselves stuck in the Overworld as well, adventure ensues. Steve and Garrett have a rivalry from the moment they meet, mostly because Momoa wants to be the coolest one in the room and feels threatened – something we can all relate to in one way or another.

Because of this, they are at the center of the story. But also because of this, the rest of the characters feel very underused – even Henry, who seems to be the other main character. It almost is like there was a much more detailed story at first, but because Black and Momoa were stealing the show, the studio leaned into them.

While I do not know if this is true or not, they are the ones that get the most laughs and the only ones with extensive backstories. Jennifer Coolidge’s character remains in the real world. She has a small side plot, but every time she is on screen, she is hilarious. I almost wish we had more of her, and I would absolutely watch a spin-off about her.

Something I really enjoyed about A Minecraft Movie is the look of the Overworld and The Nether. It is clear that the creatives who worked on this film are fans of Minecraft because, having watched my daughters play, everything looks like it is ripped from the game.

The blocky style is a must, and while on paper it sounds like it would look awkward, it really works. All of the animals and creatures feature the signature square heads, and yet the pandas and wolves are adorable!

A Minecraft Movie takes a lot of what kids love about the game and brings it to the screen. They address things that seem to have no rhyme or reason – like why the Villagers don’t talk and why the Iron Golems are peaceful until you threaten them or a Villager. It was these kinds of things that I found myself enjoying because as a parent watching the kids play, I wondered these exact things.

While A Minecraft Movie certainly has its faults, its target audience is going to eat it up. All of the children in my screening were having a blast, as are Black and Momoa in this movie. This movie was not made for me, and that is perfectly fine. But I can appreciate and understand that the people it was made for are going to love it.

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About A Minecraft Movie

Welcome to the world of Minecraft, where creativity doesn’t just help you craft, it’s essential to one’s survival! Four misfits–Garrett “The Garbage Man” Garrison (Jason Momoa), Henry (Sebastian Eugene Hansen), Natalie (Emma Myers) and Dawn (Danielle Brooks)–find themselves struggling with ordinary problems when they are suddenly pulled through a mysterious portal into the Overworld: a bizarre, cubic wonderland that thrives on imagination.

To get back home, they’ll have to master this world (and protect it from evil things like Piglins and Zombies, too) while embarking on a magical quest with an unexpected, expert crafter, Steve (Jack Black). Together, their adventure will challenge all five to be bold and to reconnect with the qualities that make each of them uniquely creative… the very skills they need to thrive back in the real world.

A Minecraft Movie comes to theaters Apirl 4.