#REVIEW: “A MINECRAFT MOVIE”

Review by David Baldwin for Mr. Will Wong

I have never played Minecraft and my knowledge of the game is minimal at best. I feel this is the best place to start this review of the bewilderingly titled A MINECRAFT MOVIE because trying to explain makes me question my sanity. A group of individuals get sucked through a mysterious portal into something called the Overworld, where everything is cubed shaped and creativity is paramount to survival, and must find their way back to the real world. And save the Overworld from annihilation, obviously.

Sounds simple enough, right? Well it should be since I did not mention the Piglins, the exploding Creepers, the zombies, the Nitwits, the chicken jockey fighting, or the Pink sheep. If you are of a certain age (read: born prior to the year 2000), this is where you will likely check out and look elsewhere for your entertainment. But if all of these words mean something, then you will be delighted by the plethora of references, easter eggs and lovingly recreated ephemera that have gone into every frame of A MINECRAFT MOVIE. My five-year-old son was enchanted by the Film, and my teenage cousin who played the game religiously, was definitely a fan.

Me? I was certainly entertained by the first half where all the pieces are put into place and we get variable levels of explanation for what the hell is happening on-screen. Jason Momoa is an absolute riot playing against type as Garrett ‘The Garbage Man’ Garrison, who was a big deal video game champion in 1989 and has not really done much since – nor has he left that decade. He has many of the best lines and does an impeccable job poking holes at the persona he has firmly cultivated over the past decade. Remember how over-the-top he was in Fast X a few summers ago? He brings the same kind of energy here. Jack Black brings his trademarked adolescent enthusiasm to his part and having already starred in multiple films based on or inspired by video games, knows exactly how to sync up with the material.

That is where the highlights end however, as everything else feels like a chaotic mess. The other major characters in the Film feel underdeveloped and completely overshadowed (Oscar-nominee Danielle Brooks feels superfluous and Emmy-winner Jennifer Coolidge, while devastatingly hilarious, feels like a character whose actual purpose was left on the cutting room floor), the story does not really build to much of anything and runs out of steam far too quickly, and the Special Effects interacting with non-CGI elements look janky at best. All of this may be on purpose of course, as Director Jared Hess (who previously gifted us Napoleon Dynamite and Nacho Libre) is known for making offbeat films that indulge his idiosyncratic style of humour. Then again, the Film has five credited Screenwriters and three “story by” credits, so Hess’ stylings may not be to blame at all; he may just be making the best with what he was given.

All of this to say, young kids will enjoy watching A MINECRAFT MOVIE and fans of the series will get a kick out of seeing that virtual world fully realized on the big screen for the first time. If either of those descriptions sound like you, then sit back and enjoy. And if neither of those do, then maybe it is time to play the game so you can find out what all the fuss is about?

Warner Bros. Pictures Canada release A MINECRAFT MOVIE on Friday, April 4, 2025.