A Minecraft Movie: Film Review
How do you make a movie about a video game that doesn’t have a story?! Well, it’s taken 10 years to figure that out, but A Minecraft Movie is finally here.
The film follows former gaming champ Garrett (Jason Momoa), Henry (Sebastian Hansen), his sister Natalie (Emma Myers) and their estate agent Dawn (Danielle Brooks) after a mysterious orb pulls them through a portal to a brightly coloured cubic wonderland named Overworld. They befriend expert crafter Steve (Jack Black), help him save the world from the evil piglins, and figure out how to get back home.
Let me start by pointing out that I am not Minecraft’s target audience. This is a silly family film and the kids at my screening seemed to really enjoy it. It doesn’t have the strongest story – in fact, it’s pretty weak – but they didn’t seem to mind as there is enough action and adventure to keep them entertained. Also, fans of the game will probably really like all the references, even if some of the CGI characters are visually unpleasant.
How you get on with the film will also depend on your tolerance for Jack Black because he is in peak Jack Black mode here. It doesn’t feel like he’s playing much of a character; Steve is Jack Black! The actor is very much in his element, high-kicking and fighting CGI monsters. I love his energy and his unique line delivery, as well as his tendency to break into song. The film is better – or at least more amusing – because of his involvement. It’s not consistently laugh-out-loud funny (some attempts at humour do not land) but I had a smile on my face often.
Momoa often plays more serious characters, but he goofs around here too. He takes a leaf out of the Jack Black playbook, and he gives a very ridiculous, heightened performance. He’s not quite as successful as his co-star, but he commits to the physical comedy and seems to be having a blast.
Their supporting cast is seriously underused, but the most egregious waste of talent is with Brooks. Give her something to do, please! Elsewhere, I have to give a shout-out to Jennifer Coolidge for her weird turn as a Vice Principal. She discovers an escaped Overworld villager and takes him on a date. This bizarre subplot felt unnecessary and awkward (the humour is more geared towards adults here), but the pay-off in the credits makes it worthwhile.
A Minecraft Movie is a wacky family film that I struggled to find any investment in. However, I know that it wasn’t designed for me and will probably land better with its target audience.
In cinemas from Friday 4th April