A Minecraft Movie: A Block-headed Guilty Pleasure

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Grab a controller and gear up, because one of the most popular video games of all time is hitting the silver screen! A Minecraft Movie, as the title suggests, is the long-awaited film adaptation of the best-selling game, Minecraft. This movie saw quite a tumultuous journey to finally get released, with talks of its conception going all the way back to 2014. After going through several styles, release dates, and directors, the adaptation finally established a release date of April 2025. 

But even after confirming a date and creative team, the difficulties did not stop, especially after the first trailer for the movie came out in late 2024. It was released to abysmal reception from fans of the game, primarily for its visual effects and miscasting of certain characters. Simultaneously, it became a subject to many internet memes which have been posted consistently to this day. All of these factors combined led many to believe that this once-anticipated adaptation would become a filmmaking disaster.

However, amid its release date, despite a mixed reaction from critics, it shattered expectations at the box office, currently sporting the biggest opening weekend of any 2025 movie thus far, at an astounding $163 million. For context, this also makes it the biggest opening weekend for any movie based on a video game, surpassing a $146 million record set by The Super Mario Bros Movie.

I was conflicted with my thoughts on this movie leading up to its release. On one hand, I thoroughly enjoy Minecraft as a video game, and would often spend hours playing it with friends in my free time. On the other hand, I was not thrilled by the trailers due to their ridiculous dialogue and mediocre visuals. Nonetheless, I still held out a bit of hope that this could be a fun movie. With director Jared Hess–known for his work on Napoleon Dynamite and Nacho Libre–at the helm, I was curious how his style would craft its way into the script. 

Optimistically, I headed to the Cinépolis Luxury Cinemas on Route 57 and booked a ticket on Thursday, April 3, with a nearly sold out crowd. As I left the theater, I was left with one question: was this movie a worthy adaptation of a modern gaming icon, or was it as pleasant as a game crashing before its progress could be saved?

Hitting the Start Button

A Minecraft Movie tells the story of four misfits: a former video game world champion, a realtor manning multiple jobs, and two siblings dealing with a difficult loss. Together, they are transported into the Overworld, a cubic wonderland where anything can be built and imagination roams free. When dark forces threaten to take over the paradise and steal its resources, the four must team up with Steve–a master crafter and citizen of the Overworld–to defeat the evil and find their way back home.

The film brings this adventure to life through its all-star cast, including Jason Momoa, Jack Black, Danielle Brooks, Sebastian Hansen, Emma Myers, Rachel House, and Jennifer Coolidge among others. 

The best way I can describe this movie is purely ridiculous. In fact, from an objective point-of-view, this film is honestly kind of terrible. This largely ties back to the film’s script, which is completely muddled in execution. The core story is highly standard, with frequent predictable outcomes in its plot points. Simultaneously, there is an overabundance of subplots focusing on various characters, which are either forgotten about until called upon randomly by the script, or serve no purpose other than padding the runtime. In many cases, these side stories are often established, disregarded, and resolved in the matter of a few scenes, leaving the subsequent resolutions to feel abrupt.

Not helping the matter is the characters themselves, as they are mostly one-dimensional with not a lot of development. Tying back to the issues with the writing, despite the massive ensemble the movie showcases, it really only focuses on three characters total. Everyone else is sidelined, either left with nothing to do or ending up stuck in a pointless subplot. Whether it be one of the main protagonists or a secondary citizen of the Overworld, there is not much to write home about with the cast. Added in with the sloppy main script, it can sometimes feel like there’s too much going on in the film, yet still not enough to satisfy its concept. 

All this being said, though, I’d be lying if I said I didn’t have at least a little bit of fun with this film. As a matter of fact, from a pure entertainment standpoint, the film actually succeeded in keeping me engaged. A Minecraft Movie is something I would categorize as a guilty pleasure: a movie that is poorly made but still manages to have fun with itself, even if it leads to unintentional hilarity.

This largely ties back to how the film leans into the silliness of its tone. Yes, the story and characters are messy in their own ways, but it still manages to hold some integrity through its fast-paced action and upbeat tone. Even the dialogue, as meme-worthy and cringy as it can be–especially from Momoa and Black–is delivered in an equally over-the-top fashion, leading to plenty of laughable moments, intentional or not.

Selecting a Player

Part of what makes this movie engaging is the performances of its cast, the majority of whom are committed to the ridiculousness of the onscreen events. This is primarily the case with Momoa as former video game champion Garrett Garrison, and Black as master crafter Steve. Both of them, undoubtedly, give the most over-the-top performances of the entire group, which actually works to the movie’s benefit. 

For instance, Momoa portrays Garrison in a surprising fashion, primarily in the way he commits to the on-screen hijinks. As the runtime progresses and he becomes more familiar with the Overworld, he pulls off a humorous performance which takes advantage of the ludicrous setting and tone. 

Meanwhile, Black plays Steve in a manner similar to many of his previous works with a boisterous personality and exaggerated line deliveries. In fact, he practically plays himself in this movie, just with a blue shirt on and pickaxe in hand. But despite this, Black provides a strong energy to the picture by having fun with his role, instantly elevating any scene he’s in because of his commitment to the bit. Whether it be explaining how the world functions, charging into battle, or even singing a song, his personality shines through every single time, making him one of the standout aspects of the entire feature. 

The rest of the cast, though they generally do not have much to do, still manage to mostly help their characters stand out in some way. Primarily, Brooks and Coolidge serve as additional comedic reliefs with their own conflicts. Even if their subplots are ultimately pointless, they still have a strong screen presence that makes their performances worthwhile, with Brooks’s humor even managing to get a few chuckles out of me.

Meanwhile, Hansen and Myers portray their characters–a brother and sister dealing with a difficult loss–in a more subdued fashion compared to everyone else. They serve as the heart of the feature in a sea of comic relief. As such, there are a few tender moments throughout the film, which can be refreshing after all the non-stop energy from Momoa and Black. Unfortunately, the two do not share many scenes together, lessening the chemistry between them. While I do appreciate the genuineness they can share, the movie does not make much room for it, leaving their characters rather unremarkable.

Adjusting to the Controls

In one of the most surprising aspects of the movie, the visual style is pretty solid, staying faithful to the games in its appearance. There is a wide variety of bright colors and unique creature designs which give this blocky biome a strong pop, adding more to the engagement level. Even the way the world’s physics work–such as how to craft items, build structures, and fight monstrous mobs–are highly reminiscent of the game’s rules and functions. At its best, the setting can feel like it was ripped straight out of the original game, making for a faithful rendition of this world.

Accompanying this style is a wide barrage of references to the overall brand, such as specific items on display and nods to popular Minecraft YouTubers. Resultantly, the movie adds to its eye candy with an on-screen easter egg hunt to keep fans of the franchise further engaged. Mixed with the impressive production design and variety of locations the characters visit, there is no shortage in the film’s creativity and faithfulness.

That said, many of the effects themselves are rather subpar. Even with the impressive color scheme and creature designs, the way the visual landscape meshes with the real-life actors has a wide range of mixed results. This primarily can be noticed in its usage of greenscreen, where an actor stands in front of a fully green backdrop and the environment is added in digitally. 

Similar to one of my key issues with Captain America: Brave New World, this movie’s usage of the technology often has less-than-stellar results, with the digital backdrop clearly sticking out in many scenes and ultimately breaking the illusion. Without giving too much away, I will say that one of the worst instances is a scene where the protagonists fight a group of villains while airborne. 

Placing the Final Block

Overall, despite a messy story, overabundance of characters, and mediocre effects, A Minecraft Movie is a ridiculous-yet-serviceable watch courtesy of its colorful style, faithfulness to the original video game, and committed performances from Momoa and Black. This film is the dictionary definition of a guilty pleasure, being objectively poor in execution while embracing its silliness. As such, it makes way for an entertaining final product, despite being surrounded by a plethora of ludicrous flaws. 

If you’re a fan of the Minecraft franchise, the comedy genre, or prior works from Black and Hess, I’d say to give this movie a shot. A Minecraft Movie is currently playing in theaters all across the country, including Mansfield’s own Cinépolis Luxury Cinemas. If you want to see one of the world’s most popular video games play out on the big screen–or manage to find a screening not yet sold out–this movie is a passable way to fulfill your crafty desires.

As a fan of the original game, I can say that this movie is an adequate adaptation. But even with the entertainment it provides, intentional or not, it is conflicting as to whether or not this game deserves a second playthrough.

My Rating