By Penny Theodorakopoulou,
Every adult has moments when they see a film that is obviously intended for children and wonder, “Is this what we were like back then?” “I… am Steve” sounded like some kind of pixelated battle cry in the auditorium a few minutes into A Minecraft Movie (2025), and that was me. Even though I shuddered at first, there was a strangely nostalgic quality to the entire experience, as I and the rest of the theater screamed out the famous words.
A wild and chaotic recreation of the iconic sandbox game that defined a generation, the film was directed by Jared Hess (Napoleon Dynamite). It soon becomes evident that this is more than simply a Minecraft skin thrown over a simple children’s film, with Jason Momoa leading the charge as the “courageous” (and ‘bilingual’) ‘89’s Gamer of the Year Garrett “Garbageman” Garrison alongside Jack Black as Steve, who wishes to save the Overworld from the Nether’s evil piglin witch and ruler, Malgosha (voiced by Rachel House). It’s an awkward —yet successful, as the numbers show— attempt to add a cinematic element to Minecraft. But we’ll look into that below.
Let me tell you this, though: watching A Minecraft Movie as an adult is… very embarrassing. The humor frequently seems to have been generated by an algorithm trained on TikTok comments, the plot veers, and logic takes a vacation. However —and this is a major “but”— if you view it from the perspective of a youngster or a nostalgic adolescent, it’s kind of good. I’d even say above average, as there are several familiar phrases with Gen A (“I… am Steve”, or the “Lava Chicken” song), as well as an homage to one of the Minecraft community’s greatest and most famous YouTubers, Technoblade (for those who have watched the movie, it was the pig with the crown), who was a true “legend’, as Steve himself mentions in the movie. Unfortunately, I’m referring to Technoblade in the past because he passed away three years ago due to cancer.
Children are falling in love with it for a reason. Preteens shout in theaters because it’s bright, colorful, hilarious, and full of fantasy-adventure enthusiasm. Do you recall how much we loved films like The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl, Spy Kids, or Home Alone? They have heart, chaos, and a hint of magic, but they weren’t masterpieces. A Minecraft Movie is a perfect fit for that atmosphere.
“Chicken jockey”: Legendary phrases and the overall acting
Let’s discuss the highlights. For the younger generation, “I… am Steve” might be the next “I am Groot.” It is frequently used and always has a humorous undertone when Jack Black delivers it with the gravity of Guardians of the Galaxy. A scene with a chicken jockey —yes, a baby zombie riding a chicken, taken directly from the game— is also so ridiculous that it almost makes you laugh. Not to mention the full-scale conflict in “The Nether,” “Flint and steel,” “Release,” and, last but not least, “You mine, I craft. Let’s Minecraft!”
As usual, Jack Black takes center stage. His portrayal of Steve, the mine-obsessed and creative kid who’s done with real life’s boring routine, provides much-needed excitement and uncertainty. One of the few truly clever moments in the movie is his musical number —yes, there are two musical songs. With his trademark anarchic charm, he embraces the part and gives each line his all as if it were his last. P.S. Prepare to have the “Lava chicken” song stuck in your head for at least a week or so.
For the majority of the film, Jason Momoa plays it straight, which is startling and rather ideal. Some of the film’s more cliched moments are carried by his chemistry with the other actors, and it somehow works to see him in his ‘80s’ inspired look and making inspiring speeches about self-esteem and ‘grind’, even though he himself is not the ideal person to do so, as his glory days are gone, his shop is not selling not even one item, and he’s in huge dept. Although they are primarily there to react to explosions and spout lore, the other members of the ensemble —Danielle Brooks as Dawn, Sebastian Hansen as Henry, and Emma Myers as Natalie— give excellent performances.
Where the blocks fall flat
Well, let’s speak about graphics. For seasoned Minecraft players, the visual design will be one of the biggest letdowns. The film is torn between aiming for a more “cinematic” realism, while maintaining the blocky, recognizable style of Minecraft. In the end, we have a strange middle ground: pixelated equipment and blocky structures but faces that are too detailed and fall somewhere in the uncanny valley.
The zombies and anything with faces? Yikes and cringe. The attempt to humanize their looks results in a surreal mashup of Pixar and nightmare material, and their facial expressions are more unsettling than frightening. The locals, with their notoriously large noses, resemble failed clay models from a 2002 computer-generated imagery test reel, but the bones fare a little better. Indeed, the settings are rich, but they lack the uncomplicated appeal that characterizes the landscapes of Minecraft. It appears as though someone neglected to disable motion blur when adding 4K textures to a Lego set.
The verdict: Not great, but not awful either
Despite everything, I felt strangely fine when I left the theater. Perhaps it was sentimentality. It might have been a dance number by Jack Black. Perhaps it was the sincerity with which the film addressed such a tumultuous game. I didn’t dislike A Minecraft Movie, whatever it was.
Yes, hope and redstone kept the plot together. Yes, the tempo was as erratic as a dimly lighted cavern. However, there were some enjoyable, flamboyant, and humorous parts in the film that brought back memories of my own childhood, when I was ten years old and totally engrossed in a blocky universe that I had made up.
Don’t have high hopes for the upcoming Lego Movie if you’re an adult. However, you might find something to laugh at if you’re watching with a child or just letting your inner stalker out.
Therefore, no, it isn’t flawless. Not even close. The charm of its creators and the unwavering affection of its followers, however, make A Minecraft Movie stand tall like a poorly constructed Minecraft mansion. And that’s kind of lovely in the end. If I had to give it a score, I’d probably give it a 6/10.
P.S. If you plan on watching the movie and are part of the Minecraft community as I, do stay until the end. In the post-credit scene, you’ll hear a familiar name…
References
- A Minecraft Movie review – Jack Black and Jason Momoa star in seriously cobbled-together live-action spin-off. The Guardian. Available here
- A Minecraft Movie Review: Shallow Story & Characters Aside, I Can’t Forgive The Video Game Adaptation For Forgetting To Be Fun. Screenrant. Available here
- A Minecraft Movie review – building-block game franchise spin-off is rollicking if exhausting fun. The Guardian.com. Available here
- ‘A Minecraft Movie’ Review: Block by Bizarre Block. NY Times. Available here
