Alright, let’s dig into A Minecraft Movie—pun fully intended! This blocky cinematic adventure dropped on April 4, 2025, and it’s been making waves, raking in over $135M on its opening weekend alone. As a longtime Minecraft fan who’s spent countless hours crafting pixelated masterpieces (and accidentally blowing them up with creepers), I was hyped to see how this sandbox game would translate to the big screen. Spoiler alert: it’s a chaotic, silly, and surprisingly heartfelt ride that captures the spirit of Minecraft, even if it doesn’t always nail the landing.
The movie follows four misfits from Idaho—Garrett “The Garbage Man” Garrison (Jason Momoa), a washed-up arcade champ; Henry (Sebastian Hansen), a bullied teen with a knack for invention; his protective sister Natalie (Emma Myers); and their sassy realtor Dawn (Danielle Brooks). They accidentally get sucked into the Overworld through a mysterious portal, where they meet Steve (Jack Black), a legendary builder who’s been living in this cubic wonderland for years. Together, they have to navigate the blocky landscapes, fend off mobs like creepers and piglins, and stop the sinister Piglin Queen Malgosha (voiced by Rachel House) from using a magical orb to wreak havoc across dimensions. It’s a classic “misfits on a mission” setup, but with a Minecraft twist that’s brimming with nostalgic vibes.
Let’s start with the good stuff: this movie feels like Minecraft in the best way possible. The Overworld is a visual treat, with its vibrant, blocky landscapes that look straight out of the game—though some of the textures, like the fuzzy creepers, might make you do a double-take. The filmmakers packed in tons of references that had me grinning like a kid who just found their first diamond. From Steve yelling out “First we mine, then we craft, let’s Minecraft!” to little nods like a Technoblade tribute (a crown-wearing pig that warmed my heart), the movie knows its audience. There’s even a cameo from a Minecraft YouTuber, which is a fun shoutout to the community that’s kept the game alive for over a decade. The crafting mechanics are woven into the story in a way that feels organic—watching the crew punch trees, build tools, and accidentally set off TNT had me laughing out loud, because who hasn’t been there?
Jack Black as Steve is the chaotic heart of the film, and he’s clearly having a blast. He’s in full-on “Nacho Libre” mode, delivering every line with a half-yell and a swivel-eyed tic that’s pure, unfiltered Jack Black energy. There’s a moment where he breaks into a random song about crafting tables, and I swear I saw kids in the theater dancing along—it’s that infectious. Jason Momoa, rocking a hot-pink tasselled jacket and a tragic mullet, brings a surprising charm to Garrett. He’s a bro-dude with an ego, but his unlikely friendship with Henry gives the movie some much-needed warmth. The two of them riffing off each other, especially during a scene where they’re fleeing a swarm of piglins, is comedy gold. Jennifer Coolidge also steals the show as Vice Principal Marlene, a divorced principal who ends up romancing a villager who’s stumbled into the real world. Her subplot is delightfully weird, and her mid-credits scene had me cackling—she’s the chaotic queen we didn’t know we needed in a Minecraft movie.
Now, for the not-so-great: the story is… well, a bit of a mess. With five credited screenwriters, you can feel the plot zigzagging like a minecart on a broken track. The quest to stop Malgosha and protect the orb feels muddled, and some characters, like Natalie and Dawn, don’t get enough depth to really shine. The movie tries to tackle themes of creativity and teamwork—core to Minecraft’s ethos—but the dialogue can be a bit on-the-nose, and the emotional beats don’t always land. The pacing is frenetic, bouncing from one slapstick set piece to another without much breathing room, which can feel exhausting by the end of its 1-hour-41-minute runtime. And while the CGI captures the blocky aesthetic, some of the mobs (like those fuzzy creepers) look more uncanny than charming, which might throw off longtime fans expecting a more pixel-perfect vibe.
But here’s the thing: A Minecraft Movie isn’t trying to be a deep, groundbreaking film, and it doesn’t have to be. It’s a love letter to the game’s absurdity and creativity, and it leans into that with reckless abandon. It’s the kind of movie that knows its audience—kids who’ve grown up building epic structures in Minecraft, and parents who’ll chuckle at the nostalgic quirks. Director Jared Hess (of Napoleon Dynamite fame) infuses it with his signature wackiness, from the tater-tot references to the Idaho setting, and it gives the film a personality that sets it apart from more polished adaptations like The Super Mario Bros. Movie. Is it messy? Absolutely. Is it fun? You bet your pixelated pickaxe it is.
I’d give A Minecraft Movie a solid 7/10. It’s not perfect, but it’s a blocky blast that reminded me why I fell in love with Minecraft in the first place. If you’ve ever spent hours lost in a cave with nothing but a torch and a dream, or if you just want to see Jack Black and Jason Momoa ham it up in a cubic wonderland, this movie’s for you. Grab some popcorn, turn your brain off, and enjoy the ride—just don’t expect to find any diamonds in the rough here. Have you seen it yet? Let me know what you thought!
Lila Voss