Hollywood is no stranger to video game film adaptations, such as “Five Nights at Freddy’s” and “The Super Mario Bros. Movie.” Most recently, an adaptation of one of the most popular and nostalgic games, “Minecraft,” hit theaters on April 4. “A Minecraft Movie” immediately started trending as fans anticipated its release. Audiences were excited to see their favorite childhood game on the big screen, but it is understandable if they were disappointed with the result.
“A Minecraft Movie” follows four characters trapped in a strange, blocky dimension called The Overworld. During their adventure in The Overworld, they meet up with a character named Steve, played by Jack Black, who lives in The Overworld and uses his expertise in the dimension to help them find their way home. Throughout their adventure, they navigate obstacles from the original game such as woodland mansions, village raids and another dimension called The Nether.
The film has a cast of popular actors like Black and Jason Momoa, who did not disappoint. I was impressed with the performance put on by the cast. Every actor brought traits that made their characters unique and added a humorous touch to the characters. While the whole cast was amazing, the two that stuck out to me were Black and Momoa.
Although Momoa is known for more serious roles like “Aquaman,” he brought a perfect comedic touch to his character Garret Grimson, a formerly popular gamer who now owns a failing gaming store. Momoa’s comedic timing and delivery were hilarious, making it one of the highlights of the movie.
Based on his previous works, there was no doubt in my mind that Black would be one of the comedic highlights in the film, and I was not wrong. However, what made his performance stand out to me was that he was paired with Momoa for most of the film, so they were able to play off of each other’s lines.
While the acting in the film was great, it is one of the only positive aspects of this movie. Many aspects of this movie left me disappointed, such as the visuals, plot and faithfulness to the original video game.
One of the appeals of the video game’s visuals is its simplicity. The mobs and animals in the game are charming and cute despite being weird, blocky recreations. The movie did not succeed in capturing the charm of the game. I felt they went too far in trying to incorporate these designs into real life and made them almost too realistic to the point where, instead of feeling like the animals are cute, they seemed creepy instead.
My main critique would have to be the plot and adherence to aspects of the game. One of the reasons “Minecraft” is so loved is that the game is often relaxing to play and explore, with bursts of danger in between. The movie was almost nothing like this, with a chaotic mood throughout the entire film. Even though both the video game and film have the same universe with the same mechanics, they have an entirely different feel.
Overall, while the performances in “A Minecraft Movie” were good, the acting was the only aspect of the film that positively grabbed my attention. However, even though I was not the biggest fan, I would recommend the film to anyone who wants to watch a silly tribute to the beloved video game.
Contact Paisley Edgin at ruffdraftemhs@edmondschools.net
