A Minecraft Movie

The best-selling video game of all time, Minecraft was released in full to the world in late 2011 and has since sold over 300 million copies. While video game adaptations are as popular and successful as ever right now, Minecraft is a video game that is far closer to building Legos than it is playing Call of Duty or The Last of Us. The game, which is an open sandbox that allows you to build anything within the world of its pixelated, cubic world, has no story and a certain amount of character types to interact with, does not make for an easy adaptation. And while early looks at this film made it it seem like an extended gag akin to the Kool-Aid movie in the Seth Rogen series The Studio, it is more tolerable than you might think.

Courtesy Warner Bros

When Steve (Jack Black) was a boy, he was obsessed with working in the local mine in his small town in Idaho, despite never having the courage to actually go in the mine. As an adult, Steve finally decides to wander into the mine where he discovers a mysterious orb that teleports him to the Overworld.  This world is everything he could have hoped for. Here, Steve is able to build anything from his mind’s desire where everything is shaped like a cube and he quickly befriends a dog-like wolf he names Dennis. The only major downside is the days seemingly last 20 to 30 minutes, where at night, he’ll have to fend off roaming creatures including Zombies, Skeletons and Creepers  – little, cute green monsters that explode like bombs if they’re bumped into. Steve is accidentally sucked into the Netherworld, a hell-like portal, and is kidnapped by the evil ruler, Malgosha (voiced by Rachel House), a villainous pig who reigns over the world and seeks to take over the Overworld while destroying any piece of creative expression.

When Steve gets taken, Dennis runs off to the real world where he disposes of the mysterious orb in Steve’s house. Flash forward several years later where we meet Garrett “The Garbage Man” Garrison (Jason Momoa), a former video game champion from the 1980’s desperately clinging on to his old glory days. He runs a lowly little shop in town with all his meaningless memorabilia and is facing eviction. Garrett runs into Henry (Sebastian Hansen), a new kid who just moved to town with his older sister, Natalie (Emma Myers), looking to start a new life after the death of their parents. Garrett helps Henry get out of a situation at school by posing as his uncle where the two stumble across Steve’s orb and they are teleported to the Overworld alongside Henry’s sister and their realtor, Dawn (Danielle Brooks). Now, it’s up to this ragtag group of heroes to save the Overworld from the clutches of Malgosha with the help of the stranded, Steve.

Unquestionably, A Minecraft Movie is elevated by the strengths of director Jared Hess. The Napoleon Dynamite and Nacho Libre filmmaker utilizes his own distinct brand of comedic timing and pacing to bring forward an amusingly manic tone. Jason Momoa in particular is a strong fit for Hess’ own flavor of wacky comedy, committing himself to the has-been/loser energy of the character. Momoa is the rare action star who isn’t afraid to make himself look silly and be the butt of a joke. In a film that feels like several scripts slapped together, Momoa’s character stands out as an amusing foil for the greater video game world of Minecraft.

Courtesy Warner Bros

Said world is created with some visual effects that are surprisingly textured and good-looking, while some are garish and borderline hideous. Characters are consistently surrounded by obvious green screen and the results tend to vary from scene to scene, but they are better than initial footage would lead to believe. Because of Hess’ fun direction there is more imagination on display than expected from such a seemingly creatively bankrupt film. A film adaptation of Minecraft is a challenge given the game has no story, it’s up to the player to build whatever they want within the large canvas that is the game’s universe. Hess does an admirable job of keeping the film moving at a brisk pace and keeping the characters in constant motion. This adaptation has five screenwriters and it certainly feels like it. The only characters that get memorable arcs are Black and Momoa, while the rest of the cast tends to largely back them up.

The most glaring annoyance is unfortunately Jack Black in his most irritable film role to date. The character of Steve is merely an excuse for Black to belt out all of his lines at full volume while shamelessly mugging to the camera. Given Black and Hess have worked together in the past, this unholy amalgamation of the actor’s famous ticks and tricks with no subtlety is oppressive from the opening minute. At least the screentime he shares with the rest of the cast is somewhat balanced out by two likable young actors in Hansen and Myers, and Momoa’s committed performance. Oscar-nominee Danielle Brooks is completely underutilized in a throwaway role that largely consists of her standing in the background or playing second fiddle to her co-stars. In a brief, but memorable turn as the high school principal, Jennifer Coolidge livens up the screen. She has a totally unnecessary, yet strangely comedic subplot involving a date with a Villager who wandered across dimensions into Earth that is undeniably stupid, but so inspired in its randomness that is somehow works.

Courtesy Warner Bros

A Minecraft Movie is nowhere near the cinematic abomination it easily could have been, yet it never rises above being merely passable. Director Jared Hess has a few inspired moments of humor and visual skill, while delivering basic fan service for diehard Minecraft fans. Kids and young adults that grew up with the game will likely fawn over this film adaptation, while parents and other adults will merely tolerate it. It goes without saying the film lacks the sharp wit and subversion of The LEGO Movie, but hey, it’s no Emoji Movie.

A Minecraft Movie is now playing in theaters.