A Minecraft Movie (A PopEntertainment.com Movie Review)

A Minecraft Movie

A MINECRAFT MOVIE (2025)

Starring Jason Momoa, Jack Black, Danielle Brooks, Emma Myers, Sebastian Hansen, Jennifer Coolidge, Matt Berry, Kate McKinnon, Jemaine Clement, Valkyrae, Technoblade, DanTDM and the voice of Rachel House.

Screenplay by Chris Bowman & Hubbel Palmer and Neil Widener & Gavin James and Chris Galletta.

Directed by Jared Hess.

Distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures. 100 minutes. Rated PG.

As far as video game movies are concerned, I do not usually have high hopes for them. It is a challenging task to bring an adaptation of popular digital media to the silver screen and make it enjoyable for fans, young and old. Do I think A Minecraft Movie was great in executing this? No. However, I do feel that it was a heartfelt attempt and a generally good movie.

What I really look for in these adaptations is an appreciation for the source material, and what it has meant for the people coming to see it as a movie. I can recall the day the game was originally released, and the first few times I ever played it. I have wonderful memories of childhood, learning to explore, build, and create. I especially remember sharing these adventures with friends and creating unforgettable moments that we often reminisce about during playthroughs to this day. 

This film left much to be desired in terms of exploring what exactly makes Minecraft the game it is, and what it stands for. While yes, it is a movie mainly intended for younger audiences, it also had the opportunity to show more in terms of how it has inspired young people to create and explore. I at least appreciated the minor attempt to highlight this through Sebastian Hansen’s character, Henry. I only wished that it would be a little more serious in its execution.

In terms of humor, I found myself thoroughly impressed. The movie had some great comedy, especially thanks to Jennifer Coolidge, Jack Black, and Jason Momoa. I felt their performances were the perfect number of laughs, and the best execution for this movie. I wished that the other characters had been written better in the story. Danielle Brooks and Emma Myers are perfectly fine actresses, and yet I felt that their characters did little to contribute to the story. Moreover, I was more confused than anything by the character of Natalie, Henry’s older sister. Myers’ portrayal of the character was completely fine, I only felt her very young appearance and personality was distractingly out of place, especially when giving a corporate presentation in the movie. 

The visuals of the movie were also a place I had wished looked a little more pleasant. Some interpretations of mobs were a tad off putting. Otherwise, the loyalty to the cubic shapes of the world was well done. I only wished that even our main cast had been represented that way to fully solidify the world building. The settings were well designed and true to the games with a realistic, fantasy feel. The music included great renditions of the original game music that made me smile as soon as I heard them.

The inclusion of cameos by internet personalities who had originally built up the game’s popularity was a sweet touch. A special tribute that I wanted to personally acknowledge was that of Technoblade. Including this late creator’s iconic character was one of many things that solidified this movie as a heartfelt attempt to appreciate those who made it what it is. 

I ultimately enjoyed seeing a childhood favorite video game on the big screen. While it wasn’t perfect, I still appreciate what love and care went into it. There is much I would have liked to have seen done differently, and yet there was plenty I was happy to see referenced and represented.

Jordan Wagner

Copyright ©2025 PopEntertainment.com. All rights reserved. Posted: April 4, 2025.