Film review: ‘A MINECRAFT MOVIE’ by Nick Gardener from ‘Built For Speed’
The success of 2023’s The Super Mario Bros Movie and the dollar signs it registered in the gleaming eyes of studio execs guaranteed we would be subjected to many more years of video game movie adaptations. The latest is A Minecraft Movie which is based on the hugely successful game Minecraft that has obsessed tweens the world over. For those (like myself) who were unfamiliar with the intricacies of the game, this film’s plot can be confusing but the game is really just the jumping off point for a loopy, occasionally funny, at times irritating but (mostly) child friendly action fantasy.
The film plays on the familiar trope of the vulnerable child finding a sense of empowerment and belonging via a fantasy world adventure. Henry (Sebastien Eugene Hansen) is a clever misfit kid who, along with the outrageously vain manchild and video game shop owner Garrett Garrison (Jason Momoa), Henry’s sister Natalie (Emilie Myers) and estate agent and mobile petting zoo owner Dawn (Danielle Brooks) stumbles on a mysterious portal that sucks them into an alternate dimension called the Overworld. In this strange world, where everything is cuboid, including the living creatures, the quartet befriend Steve (Jack Black) who was thrust into this world long ago. There, the misfit group battle an invading army of evil pig creatures from yet another dimension. There’s a lot more superfluous stuff going on in this film and to put it all on paper would make for near-incomprehensible reading but it just about makes sense on screen.
Whether this film’s plot follows the structure and the narrative of the video game I have no idea but the small child sitting beside me in the cinema who gave a running commentary seemed fairly confident it did. What I suspect most adults will experience is a loud, headache-inducing if occasionally exciting frenzy of ludicrously over-the-top CGI action sequences and zany gags. The action’s occasionally dynamic and inventive but soon becomes repetitive and most likely grating for adults. Also, the film suffers a serious case of pissweak monster as the assorted evil creatures whom our heroes battle prove astonishingly inept in combat.
Some of the humour, though, is surprisingly funny, especially when Jennifer Coolidge makes a cameo that, despite having almost nothing to do with the plot, is about the best thing in the film. Rachel House is also amusing doing the droll Kiwi thing as the voice of Pig leader Malgosha. Both Jason Momoa and Jack Black chomp mercilessly on the scenery and are amusing at first but their schtick wears thin.
The fantasy world that director Jared Hess has conjured is at times inventively odd but despite apparently employing a lot of physical sets rather than just CGI, still lacks any visceral feel.
With a few decent gags, this was a little more tolerable than expected but for the most part A Minecraft Movie is just another noisy manic kids fantasy that will test the patience of accompanying adults.
Nick’s rating: **1/2
Genre: Drama/ Action/ Adventure/ Animation.
Classification: PG.
Director(s): Jared Hess.
Release date: 3rd Apr 2025.
Running time: 101 mins.
Reviewer: Nick Gardener can be heard on “Built For Speed” every Friday night from 8-10pm on 88.3 Southern FM.
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