“A Minecraft Movie” had a block-busting cinematic debut in early April, triggering a flurry of inescapable references across social media. “Chicken jockey,” anyone? Or, perhaps, “flint and steel?” The movie’s memeification intensified its popularity in theaters, with ticket sales skyrocketing past $550 million within two weeks. It blew up so fast, one might think the movie stepped too close to a creeper!
The plot in “A Minecraft Movie” is rapid, unclear and downright incomprehensible at times. It follows four offbeat characters who fall into a portal to the Overworld, Minecraft’s imaginative wonderland of endless possibilities. Steve (Jack Black) guides the crew through Minecraft’s fantastical, cubic world to return to reality. There is a through-line of a “return home” mission, yet plot points along the way often feel random and confusing. For example, when Steve and Garett Garrison (Jason Momoa) are dropped into a boxing ring and battle a chicken jockey, a zombie child atop its trusty steed, a chicken. The scene is so sudden and random that one just has to accept that it’s happening — that Momoa is, in fact, fighting a feral zombie baby — and not ask too many questions. That is the attitude you have to adopt for “A Minecraft Movie.” Don’t ask questions. Don’t think too hard. Don’t question why Jennifer Coolidge has a love arc with a villager. Nothing makes sense, so don’t try to make it.
That being said, the film thrives in its self-awareness. It is unapologetically cringe worthy, from the writing to the actors’ performances. Yes, the plot is sporadic, but it is free. “A Minecraft Movie” is not trying to make great art; it is simply trying to have fun. Black’s performance is the pinnacle of this sentiment. He acts without restraint — his line deliveries are deliciously obnoxious. His facial expressions are exaggerated and silly. Still, Black’s choices all work, helping transform what should have been a cinematic disaster into an undeniable triumph.
Since I am unfamiliar with the videogame, I asked my friend, Mya Nikitas, FCRH ’25, for her thoughts on “A Minecraft Movie” from a “Crafter” perspective. She loved the movie, stating that it perfectly exemplifies how “you can build and create whatever you want in Minecraft.” Indeed, while the film has its pitfalls, it conveys an essential message to its primarily adolescent audience: embrace creativity and dare to imagine things outside the realm of possibility. You don’t have to be a “Crafter” to appreciate that.
“A Minecraft Movie” is not a spectacular film. It is confusing, obnoxious and brain-numbing. Yet, that is precisely what makes it so great. It is a movie to escape into, to turn your thoughts off and witness what insanity unfolds before you. As someone drastically outside of the film’s target audience, aged 21 and having never played Minecraft, I can attest that this film exceeded expectations. “A Minecraft Movie” is a delightful, imaginative, chest-achingly hilarious escape from reality, and I implore everyone to step into its world of blissful spontaneity.
