Movie Review: A Minecraft Movie

A Minecraft Movie
Writers: Chris Bowman, Hubbel Palmer, Neil Widener, Gavin James, and Chris Galletta
Director: Jared Hess
Starring: Jason Momoa, Jack Black, Danielle Brooks, Emma Myers, Sebastian Hansen
Publisher: Warner Bros. Pictures
Genre: Middle Grade (8 – 12 y.o.), Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Contemporary
Rating: 3 Stars (6 Stars on IMDB)
Reviewed by Astilbe

Four misfits are suddenly pulled through a mysterious portal into a bizarre cubic wonderland that thrives on imagination. To get back home they’ll have to master this world while embarking on a quest with an unexpected expert crafter.

Anything can happen in the overworld.

There were so many Easter eggs here for viewers who have played Minecraft. I’d strongly recommend doing a little research on the game first for viewers who haven’t played it yet due to how funny many of them were, although the plot does still make sense without understanding these references. It’s not always easy to strike a balance between drawing in new fans and entertaining the existing ones. This spoke to both audiences in my opinion, though, and it worked on enough levels to appeal to many different types of viewers.

I would have liked to see more time spent showing just how creative the Minecraft universe can be. This was what first encouraged me to play the game, so I was hoping the film version would explore more of the many unique things that can be done with a crafting table and a vivid imagination. If not for the numerous references to various quirks of the game, I would have struggled to remain interested in certain places due to how easy it was to predict what would happen next.

With that being said, this movie had a fantastic sense of humour that, while written mostly for kids, did have moments teens and adults can appreciate as well. There is definitely something to be said for writing something the entire family can enjoy together. I laughed out loud several times and thought this highlighted the playful aspects of this universe well.

A Minecraft Movie was lighthearted and entertaining.