A Minecraft Movie

The story is weak, the villain is forgettable, and the humor just doesn't land. I only laughed twice the entire time, and even that felt like a stretch. With five writers involved, you'd expect at least a few clever moments, but instead we get tired, recycled jokes that either go nowhere or get dragged out until they're painful. Jack Black is doing his usual over-the-top shtick, and Jason Momoa feels like he's in a completely different movie, awkwardly bouncing between fake tough guy and loud, screaming goofball. A couple of silly bits might get a smirk, but overall it's an obnoxious, lazy, and tone-deaf adaptation. One of the most forgettable video game movies I've seen in a while.

By Ian Chandler - April 9, 2025

A Minecraft Movie is an unapologetic cash grab from Warner Brothers that is, somehow, fun. Starring Jack Black as himself under the alias of Steve, the film has enough zaniness to keep children from getting bored and enough charm to keep adults from hating it entirely. Other cast members include Jason Momoa, Danielle Brooks, Emma Myers, and Sebastian Hansen. Most of them are fine, but when compared to Momoa's overly zany performance, the gap in acting quality becomes noticeable. Also, for a film that boasts creativity, there are next to no crumbs of imagination to be found here. So, with uneven acting and lazy writing, the film was destined to be a misfire, right? Well, you may be surprised to hear that my verdict is no. It is ultimately an entertaining blockbuster, thanks in no small part to the film embracing its own silliness.

The first noticeable aspect of the film is its computer-generated world. The CGI team did a great job translating the bizarre, blocky world of Minecraft to the silver screen. The colors pop, and the creatures retain their signature designs-now updated with fluid expressions and impressive texture work. The environments are beautiful and clearly crafted with care. However-and this is one big caveat-the blend of real humans with the Minecraft world creates an unfortunate eyesore. Remember those Spy Kids movies from the early 2000s? Well, this $150 million film features green screen effects that are only slightly better than those. It does the world-building a huge disservice.

The characters are also a mixed bag. Jack Black is always pleasant to see, but he's not a character, he's just Jack Black. Jason Momoa does the heavy lifting as he plays a washed out, egotistical video-game fanatic. Gone are the suave vibes he usually brings. Momoa plays what is potentially his goofiest role yet, and he fully commits to it! The others are not necessarily spectacular, partially due to the lackluster script they've been given. Also, expecting an Oscar worthy performance from the younger actors would be simply unfair. The villain is a cliché, but a good one. She reminds me of an '80s villain: little motivation, diabolical antics, and a commanding voice. Aside from Momoa, she was my favorite character. Even though Jack Black doesn't act at all, what he brings to the table is a lot of contagious fun. He clearly has no boundaries and he seems to be having a blast jumping around a green screen doing... well, whatever it is Jack Black does.

The plot is the most corporate element that is put on the crafting table. It is basically a Goodwill version of Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, which also had Jack Black in it. There is nothing interesting that happens, narratively speaking. Every plot point can be seen by the time the logo appears on the screen. I understand that kids need a breezy story in order to not feel overwhelmed; but this is simple to a point where the comedy has to pull the writing's slack. Most fatally, if the jokes do not land for someone, they will find almost nothing worthwhile. Even the Minecraft pigs wouldn't eat slop like this. But, at the very least, the story never was a component in the source material; so, the lack of a refined one is not very offensive, by any means.

Lastly, and this isn't to the credit or fault of the movie, the theatrical experience can wildly vary. Because of internet memes, teenagers are obliged to clap, cheer, and sometimes spill popcorn over Jack Black making Minecraft references. In my experience, there was some cheering and clapping, but it was harmless fun and it ceased by the time the line ended. However, multiple families have issued refunds because many modern high-schoolers don't have manners. Some jump on seats, others stand up and run around and shriek like they are on fire. This does nothing to my overall score, but it is worth mentioning if you consider buying tickets. Disregarding the teenage craze, this film is a fun evening at the theater, especially if you have children eager for it.

Score: 63/100

Summary: A Minecraft Movie has the imagination of a zombie and it chickens out on making an enchanted story, but there is enough energy here to liven up this blocky adventure.

The film is quirky and somewhat stays true to the game. The cast is unhinged to the point where it works. Sure there are some cliches here with the story and then as well as character flaws but the film paces itself well and delivers a well rounded family film. Jack Black does the absolute best with what he is given as well as Jason does. Both of them lead the project with grace. As for some of the supporting characters, they seem to have a few tropes that were heard of before. I've played Minecraft for 10+ years and this is the best version of film we're going to get at this high of budget. Is the film perfect, no. But it is indeed quite enjoyable.

Jason Mamoa was absolutely fantastic in this movie. To me and my wife he was the highlight. He seriously deserves an Oscar for bringing a caricature to life and making us care about his character. The CGI was also fantastic: vivid, richly imagined, and engrossing. It was remarkable that a majority of the film occurs in the Minecraft world and yet it (and the real human characters in it) felt truly real. Truly outstanding work by the whole production team. There was also a lot of laugh-out-loud moments, and over the top silliness which was a ton of fun. On the way home all of us (me, my wife, and our three kids: 13,10, 8) were sharing our favorite moments and quips from the film. Our kids loved it, and from the engagement I heard of all the kids around us (some much younger than ours), everyone was having a good time. I'd say this is a fun family film anyone from 4 to adult (I'm 47) will enjoy. And thanks again to Jason Mamoa for committing so hard to his character and Jack Black for bringing the music and enthusiasm.

I walked into the Minecraft movie hoping for at least a spark of the creativity and mystery that made the game iconic. Instead, I got 90 minutes of painfully generic kids' humor, zero emotional depth, and a plot so lazy it could've been written by a focus group high on sugar. Jack Black? He's the only soul in this lifeless block-fest. Man pours his heart into it, cracks some laughs, and single-handedly saves this thing from being a total trainwreck. Respect to him. But even his talent can't fix the fact that this movie does nothing for Minecraft fans. No lore, no cool nods to Redstone engineers, no epic Ender Dragon moments - just a forgettable cash grab dressed up in pixel skins. It's a movie made for 6-year-olds whose only exposure to Minecraft is watching YouTube shorts. For the rest of us? It's just insulting.