On April 4th, A Minecraft Movie was released in theaters. The movie is based on the sandbox game Minecraft, which allows players to explore worlds, gather resources, craft items, and build structures. Players can choose to play in survival or creative mode. Over the years, YouTubers such as Aphmai, LaurenZside, Krew, Dream, and Technoblade have popularized the game and made it into the international sensation it is today.
As I walked into the theater, I noticed that most of the audience consisted of youth ages 10 – 17, mostly in large groups or families. Almost all the seats were full, and finding a screening where seats were available was very difficult hence how popular the game is. Though everyone made the movie theater loud and crowded, once the film began, I was immediately focused on the movie, feeling as if I was in the world of Minecraft myself. The 3D effects and relatable content of the movie were so immersive that the packed movie theater fell silent within minutes.
Not long into the film, I immediately became invested in the future of the main characters, Natalie and Henry. The movie’s way of hooking and drawing in the person who watches it is perfect. In A Minecraft Movie, Natalie and Henry face the challenges of their mother’s death and Henry’s difficulty fitting in at school. They end up being sucked into the Overworld through a portal, where they must survive and find a way back home. The movie features some veteran actors, such as Jack Black, Jason Momoa, Jennifer Coolidge, and even Matt Berry as the voice of a villager! Some up-and-coming actors, including Emma Myers (Natalie) and Sebastian Eugene Hansen (Henry), also participated in the film.
I especially enjoyed the 3D effect on the Minecraft world itself and all its animals. There was a perfect blend of realism and 3D animation, and the world looked almost believable! I found it cool that the mountains in the background were perfectly sculpted to resemble the game but didn’t look out of place. Most of the different animals featured in the movie looked hilarious. The pink sheep was a bit unnerving to look at, to say the least. Not to mention all the zombies, creepers, spiders, and Endermen! When Malgosha and her army of pigs came on screen, I became even more interested in how they animated her because of how realistic it was. Her and her army of pigs are so well animated. It’s honestly unsettlingly.
Despite all of the positives of the film, there are no doubt some negatives. For example, the corny jokes were nearly unbearable. I love a good corny joke now and then, but this movie was full to the brim with joke after joke. I found myself growing tired of the predictable and slightly childish humor of this movie, which began annoy me around 40 minutes in. Though the theater reacted enthusiastically to each and every joke, I found them repetitive. However, one joke I did enjoy was when Sebastian Eugene Hansen (Henry) made a brand-new Minecraft weapon, the “tot launcher”. He used in-universe objects and real-world food to create a gadget that shoots tater tots out to defeat enemies.
Overall, the movie was very interesting. There were plenty of moments where the characters would break the fourth wall to send a message to the viewer. Often, the audience in the movie theater would even clap, especially when techno blade appeared on screen. Though my annoyance with corny jokes grew as the movie went on, I would suggest A Minecraft Movie to longtime fans of Minecraft. If you love corny jokes, childish humor, and creativity this movie is surely for you!
