The strange and alluring magic of ‘A Minecraft Movie’

“A Minecraft Movie”
PG | 101 minutes
Director: Jared Hess
Writers: Chris Bowman, Hubbel Palmer, Neil Widener
Stars: Jack Black, Jason Momoa, Emma Myers

Well, let’s just get this out of the way. If you’re reading this, this movie probably isn’t for you. No disrespect, of course. I mean it in the sense that you have likely aged out of having spontaneous lava-chicken singalongs in a packed theater. 

So, about the plot. It is flimsier than a dirt block ceiling over a lava lake. A handful of characters get sucked into the Minecraft universe and are told they need to find a MacGuffin to get back home. They were not living amazing lives or anything, but getting trapped in a pixelated hellscape seemed like a step up. Garrett (Jason Mamoa) is a washed-up gamer with massive debt; sibling Henry (Eugene Hanson) and Natalie (Emma Myers) are supporting each other after their mother’s death; Dawn (Danielle Brooks) sells realty in a (seemingly) dying town and has a mobile zoo on the side; and Steve (Jack Black) goes from a stable job in the real world to “guess I’m a miner now, bye world.”

The logic is loose, but the focus is clear.

What is left is a straightforward story about creativity and not losing your inner weirdness as you grow older and crankier. That’s an important message for everyone to hear. At least it is better than the braincell-killing nonsense my kid tries to watch on YouTube. 

And, yep, I just became my father. Great.

But, what really made this movie work was sitting next to my 6-year-old son, watching his eyes light up like redstone torches. He has been asking when the movie would come out since the first preview interrupted his shows back in January. And, when the lights dimmed, he was fully in it. Popcorn in hand, he had zero issue watching the screen from the third row. Did he have pixelated nightmares and sneak into our room later that night? He sure did. It was worth it, as he is still telling his friends and cousins about the movie. 

While many folks have likely read or seen the videos of theaters basically exploding during these “Minecraft” screenings, I would argue the crazier ones are the exception rather than the rule. The feeling in the room was giddy anticipation. Before the show, I saw a group of teenagers goofing around in the rows behind us. I braced for chaos. But, no, these kids were exactly the right amount of rowdy.

When the lights dimmed, the crowd came alive. The “let’s yell at the screen in a way that enhances the vibe” rowdy. They cheered. They screamed. They shouted “chicken jockey” like their lives depended on it. It was like when I got to see “Jurassic Park” in theaters 10-plus years ago for the 20th anniversary; when John Williams’ score kicked on and the camera panned over the hills to expose the dinosaurs, the room exploded in applause. 

And if any of that bothers you — if your heart didn’t flutter even once at the excitement of youth — take a moment to relax and remember what joy is. “Phantom Menace,” “The Dark Knight,” “Minions,” “Avengers: Endgame” and “Mobius” are just some of the movies that have ignited active audiences in theaters. None of this behavior is new. None of it is worse than we have seen from audiences in the past. 

But, back to this movie, yes, it is full of tropes. Yes, it is loud. Yes, it is a glorified brand extension. But my kid hasn’t seen these tropes before. And, right now, his media diet when I am not looking is 80% streamers, 10% cute pets, and 10% things he didn’t mean to click on. So a story about creativity, teamwork and friendship, even if it’s dressed up in diamond armor and fart jokes? I will happily take it. At least it is meaningful.

This movie gives kids a place to show up and be a community with others who love the Minecraft experience. Not over the internet — in the flesh, sharing space, and bringing a magic to the movies that has been sorely lacking. 

As of a few weeks ago, my son is still talking about the movie. Perhaps it will be a core memory for him and he will reflect fondly at my funeral the time I took him to see “A Minecraft Movie.” And someone in the back row will whisper: “Chicken jockey.” ♦