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By Keith Walther | Rose Law Group Reporter
This is a clear case of a weak premise derailing a film before it can even find its footing. “A Minecraft Movie” is an adaptation of that best-selling video game that fosters creativity in building anything that can be imagined, as long as it can be made with blocks. While the video game has captivated millions across the world, this film falls short with a lazily written story that may only appeal to fans and children.
Steve (Jack Black) has always dreamed of exploring the local mine shaft, so when he became older, he did exactly that. Coincidentally, he immediately finds a magical cube/orb that opens a portal to another world, a world built entirely out of blocks. Relishing in the exploration of his imagination, Steve is unaware of the danger lurking in the Nether.
An evil piglin queen named Malgosha (Rachel House) is preparing to invade the peaceful world to pursue her insatiable appetite for gold. Garrett “The Garbage Man” Garrison (Jason Momoa), Henry (Sebastian Hansen), Natalie (Emma Myers), and Dawn (Danielle Brooks), unwittingly wander into this world, finding themselves in the middle of this conflict. If they have any chance at returning to the real world, they have to help fight back the evil horde of piglike creatures and an assortment of undead.
Directed by Jared Hess, “A Minecraft Movie” seems to capture the look, feel, and source material of that video game world but lacks a cohesive storyline to give anyone other than fans a reason for seeing it. The introductory sequences that provide the set up are completely ineffective, requiring audiences to make assumptions and fill in the gaps. Without an enticing motive for the conflict to exist, it just ends up being a sloppy compilation of scenes that Hess throws together to pass off as a movie. The hastiness of the plot point reveals without proper introductions and complete lack of character development dissuades audience investment. Coupled with the heavy use of CGI, it feels like watching the actors behaving in a silly fashion in front of a green screen with no purpose to their actions.
This director achieved monumental success with his debut comedy in 2004, “Napoleon Dynamite,” and he’s been chasing a repeat ever since, but always coming up short. However, he does find a way to bring back that similar comedic style of random, satirical humor and situational comedy. This helps the entertainment value with scattered laughter throughout the production. Interestingly, “Deadpool and Wolverine” director Shawn Levy was originally hired to helm this project but parted ways with the studio over disagreements of his ideas. It would have been interesting to see what he would have done differently.
There are two performances that truly save this movie from being one of the worst films of the year. Jason Momoa is fantastic, delivering a majority of the comedy with his over-the-top portrayal of a gaming legend stuck in the past, trying to regain his former glory. His 80’s style wardrobe with a tough guy façade, that immediately crumbles into a screaming wimp whenever he’s scared, is hilarious. The other standout is Jennifer Coolidge, who plays a small but funny role as the over-sharing vice principal of the local high school. Her line delivery and looks of perplexion generate pure amusement in her limited scenes.
The rest of the cast ranges from mediocre to bad. Jack Black, who last worked with Jared Hess on “Nacho Libre,” continues with his same old schtick that’s serviceable in this role but doesn’t stand out in a positive way. Danielle Brooks, who was terrific in TV’s “Peacemaker,” is completely under-utilized and undeveloped in this film, making her role obsolete. The two younger actors, Sebastian Hansen and Emma Myers, awkwardly struggled with simple line delivery and interaction with CGI characters. Offering no depth whatsoever, they are not believable nor have they enough chemistry as brother and sister in this movie.
While there are enough laughs and easter eggs to satisfy fans of the video game and maybe small children, “A Minecraft Movie” fails to build the most important thing…the story. Basically, the movie is as hollow as the blocks on the set. Outside of Jason Momoa’s entertaining antics, the movie supplies no good reason to watch it. If you’re planning a trip to the theater with your kids, save your money and wait a week as there will be a better family film option.
This movie earns:
