A Minecraft Movie (2025)    Warner Bros./Fantasy-Adventure-Comedy    RT: 101 minutes    Rated PG (violence/action, language, suggestive/rude humor, some scary images)    Director: Jared Hess    Screenplay: Chris Bowman, Hubbel Palmer, Neil Widener, Gavin James and Chris Galletta    Music: Mark Mothersbaugh    Cinematography: Enrique Chediak    Release date: April 4, 2025 (US)    Cast: Jason Momoa, Jack Black, Emma Myers, Danielle Brooks, Sebastian Hansen, Jennifer Coolidge, Rachel House, Jemaine Clement, Jared Hess, Hiram Garcia, Matt Berry.

Rating: ** ½

 I went into A Minecraft Movie with low expectations. I’m not a gamer. My familiarity with the video game on which it’s based begins and ends with knowing it exists. I wasn’t impressed with the trailer. It looked like yet another case of what Shakespeare would describe as “a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.” It was at the very bottom of my must-see list.

 I gave serious thought to refraining from reviewing A Minecraft Movie. I got royally reamed for my negative review of The Super Mario Bros. Movie a couple of years back (it’s since been removed from my website). Just like the hit 2023 computer-animated film, I didn’t feel like I was the right person to review it. Wouldn’t it better to leave it in the hands of those familiar with the original source? I considered writing a letter of explanation instead of traditional review. Then I actually watched the movie. That’s where it gets weird.

 I think I need to have my head examined. I actually enjoyed A Minecraft Movie (sort of). Let me elaborate. Usually, these video game movies turn out to be dumb, incomprehensible head-splitters like Assassin’s Creed or Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (the ones with Angelina Jolie). I end having to take some Extra Strength Tylenol when I get home. Nothing I can do about the lost IQ points. I expected the same from A Minecraft Movie and while it is dumb and incomprehensible, it’s neither physically nor mentally draining. It’s kind of fun if you don’t try to make sense of it all.

 It opens with a quick recap of the backstory of main character Steve (Black, School of Rock) and how he came to be in the Overworld, a place where you can create anything with your imagination. He entered it after finding some cube-shaped object called the “Orb of Dominance” that opens a portal in the local mine. Unfortunately, he uncovers another portal in Overworld that leads to a bad place called the Nether. It’s ruled over by an evil pig sorceress named Malgosha (House, Thor: Ragnarok) who hates any form of art or creativity. She takes Steve prisoner while his dog Dennis hides the Orb in the real world. Did you get all that?

 The scene then switches to “reality” where we meet Natalie (Myers, Wednesday) and her younger brother Henry (Hansen) moving to a new town somewhere in Idaho. They recently lost their mother and now she’s his legal guardian. Henry is a smart, sensitive and creative boy who gets picked on by his peers. He causes a disaster on his first day at his new school. He doesn’t want to involve his sister, so he calls somebody else to come pick him up from school. This somebody is a muscular fellow who calls himself “The Garbage Man” (Momoa, Aquaman). His claim to fame is winning a video game tournament in 1989. His glory days are far behind him now. He runs an antique shop that’s about to go under if he doesn’t come up with a lot of money.

 It doesn’t really matter how, but Garbage Man (real name Garrett) comes into possession of the Orb. Henry activates it and it leads them both to the mine where the portal to the Overworld is located. Natalie and her new friend, real estate agent/aspiring zookeeper Dawn (Brooks, Orange Is the New Black), aren’t far behind. They land in Overworld where Malgosha immediately becomes aware of the Orb’s presence. She sends her prisoner Steve to obtain it for her.

 Let’s just cut right to the case. Steve and the four newcomers to Overworld have to go on a quest to replace the crystal that activates the Orb after Garrett accidentally breaks it. They need to get to a place called Woodland Mansion. It’s a journey fraught with danger and peril.

 I believe I’ve told you everything you need to know about A Minecraft Movie. At this point, I could talk about its high and low points, but I don’t think that’s the way to go here. The acting is a little better than one would expect. The cast, Momoa and Black especially, seems to be having a good time. The same can be said about the special effects. It’s all CGI, but it doesn’t look that bad. I saw it in 3D as a matter of convenience (i.e. I didn’t want to wait around an extra hour for the next 2D showing). It doesn’t add anything to the experience, but it doesn’t induce a migraine either. As for the plot, it is what it is and nothing more. It’s entertaining, but runs out of steam about midway through.

 Now here’s what I like the most about A Minecraft Movie. It’s directed by Jared Hess who also helmed the 2004 cult comedy Napoleon Dynamite (which I LOVE!). I see a lot of that kind of humor here, especially in the scenes set in the real world. He even includes reference to ND- e.g. Dawn’s pet alpaca, the love for tater tots and the ancient relics of the 80s. I kept hoping Jon Heder would pop up in character and say “Gosh!”

 Here’s the bottom line. A Minecraft Movie is the best possible movie that could have been made about Minecraft. It’s not a train wreck, but it’s still Minecraft. The kids (of ALL ages) who play the game will like the movie. The adults who never played it in their lives won’t hate it. They’ll be able to follow it well enough, but they’ll miss all the in-jokes and references unless they have a kid who can fill them in on the details throughout the movie. It’s not unwatchable, but I’d still rather watch something else.