Warning! Spoilers ahead for A Minecraft Movie!
Ahsoka and I went to the theater and we got a chance to watch A Minecraft Movie. I am absolutely an avid lover of Minecraft. I have played the game for a very, very, very long time. Back in my day, there was no such thing as the Nether. Yeah, it’s been a while. As well as building in Survival (…often in Hardcore), I also watch an absolute insane amount of streamers, including catching the regular MCCs (Minecraft Championships). I went into the movie theater cautiously optimistic but fully prepared to be burnt.
A Minecraft Movie perfectly and utterly matches the vibe of the video game. Period. It is clean, wholesome, fun that celebrates creativity, art, and friendship. For comparison, Five Nights at Freddy’s (2023) was objectively a decent movie but failed to capture the horror vibe of the video game series it was based on. A Minecraft Movie refuses to take itself too seriously and succeeds because of it. You can absolutely tell the writers and the actors leaned hard into all of the memes knowing that they were part of what the fans wanted. The opening hook sets the tone of the whole movie, “as a child I yearned for the mines.” Boom. That light-hearted twist on a meme (that highlights a rather serious modern controversy about child-labor) encapsulates the whole movie.
This is a movie that wears the guise of a fun adventure romp but at its core addresses several critical issues. I respect the writing crew for tackling these topics with care.
1. Economic Hardship
Times are tough, money is tight, and this movie does not shy away from showing it. Almost everyone depicted in this movie is struggling financially. The setting is a modern small town that is clearly reliant on a single potato chip factory to survive. The bombastic Garett Garrison the Garbage Man (Jason Momoa) runs a struggling video game store. His car is failing, he has no business, and his $900 gamble on a storage unit auction results in seeming defeat. Natalie (Emma Myers) and Henry (Sebastian Hansen) move to the town because rent is cheap and Natalie is able to land a job. Dawn (Danielle Brooks) is shown as a real estate agent with a whole slew of side hustles trying to stay afloat. This sets the stage for the appeal of video game escapism.
2. Creativity and Art is Important
Hands down this is the dripping, beating, heart of Minecraft as a game and A Minecraft Movie. My goodness, I don’t think I have ever seen a film restate in so very many different ways one singular core theme. Everything, absolutely everything, in this film is a celebration of creativity and it is a joy to watch.
The pressure to forsake creative endeavors and dreams because people demand it of you is strongly rebuked in this film. The primary villain is Malgosha (Rachel House) an evil piglin sorceress who acts as the ruler (and thinly veiled allegory to a boss) for all of the piglins. She bans all creative pursuits and demands piglins mine only gold. It is only when the ragtag group of adventurers learn to embrace their creativity that they have a chance at fighting Malgosha. Other sources of pressure addressed are from characters’ peers, parents, jobs, and self. The true finale is all the sweeter due to everyone coming together to build a better future and strengthen their community while they do it.
3. Parentification of Children
I did not at all expect A Minecraft Movie to address this, but here we are. Parentification is when a child ends up in the role of parent towards others. When the characters are first introduced I struggled with Natalie since she appears to be younger than I would expect. If I met the character on the street I might guess her to be around 17. Originally, I thought perhaps I was just misjudging her age. However, it becomes extremely apparent later that yes, Natalie is quite young to be responsible for Henry and the stress that places on her is significant. I deeply appreciate that this topic was not glossed over but actually gets addressed in the film.
Is the movie still fun even with these heavy issues woven in? Yes, absolutely. This is positively a silly movie that also addresses serious issues in a way that hopefully helps people. I would absolutely recommend A Minecraft Movie for anyone wanting an uplifting fun romp with a bunch of jokes.
Some theaters have struggled with fans being a bit too enthusiastic in enjoying the memes. Our local theater, the Hayden Cinema, has a wonderful solution. For anyone wanting to cheer, jeer, scream, clap and have more rambunctious fun the Hayden Cinema has scheduled special Chicken Jockey showings this Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Those looking for a more sedate movie going experience are advised to watch at one of the regular showings.
If you are a fan of Minecraft, watch this movie. If you are looking for some silly fun, watch this movie. I will definitely be adding it to my personal collection the moment it hits dvd.
Michelle's Final Score: 9.5/10 FLINT AND STEEL
Technoblade Never Dies. E
