This article was co-written by Lyra Duffy and Brenna Clark
Dude, have you seen the Minecraft Movie? Well, we saw it this weekend, and let us tell you, it was legendary, nostalgic, and everything you could ask for. Before the movie, we of course stopped at McDonald’s to get our Minecraft Happy Meals. While unfortunately they were out of stock and we had to get the baby Happy Meals, it was still pretty cool. We swiftly entered the Fayette Mall Cinemark and sat down for the most exciting hour and forty-one minutes of our lives. The theater was packed by the way– and what a cool range of audience members. From kids who play, teens who enjoy the campiness, and adults who find it nostalgic, this theater had it all. It all felt so fun and like a pure and wholesome experience. Seeing the Minecraft loading screen at the beginning of the movie was an amazing touch.
Now, let’s get into it… Steve’s backstory was pretty legit, and Jack Black’s rendition of, “as a child I yearned for the mines” had the entire theater cackling. We were initially apprehensive for such a CGI-heavy movie– how were they going to pull it off and keep the nostalgia? We found ourselves happily mistaken as soon as Steve entered the Overworld. Although Steve was living happily and building with his trusty pup Dennis, he soon found himself jailed in the Netherworld. A ragtag band of randos soon find themselves in the Overworld and work with Steve to beat the piglin queen Malgosha and get back home. Nowadays, it can be pretty hard to get through a movie without seeing someone distracted on their phone. HOWEVER, this audience was so refreshing. With everyone engaged, laughing, and even.. Clapping at famous lines like, “I AM STEVE!” and “Flint and steel.” One of the highlights was the audience reaction to Jack Black singing “Steve’s Lava Chicken.” We love Jack Black so much and thank God he sang multiple songs throughout the movie. Throughout the movie, it felt very accurate to the gameplay. In particular, it felt so fun to watch such a bright and colorful movie. In addition to this, the classic plot of fighting the evil piglin just felt so nostalgic.
Oh my God… did you guys know Jennifer Coolidge was in the movie too?! SPOILER ALERT– she falls in love with an escaped villager from the Overworld. We absolutely loved it and we wanted to see more of Jennifer. Honestly, we wish Jennifer’s character had gone into the Overworld. Within the movie, there were Henry, Natalie, Dawn, and Garrett who entered the Overworld and met Steve. Jack Black and Jason Momoa, who plays Garrett, absolutely killed it comedically. With Natalie and Dawn getting separated from the gang halfway through the movie, we wish that Jennifer’s character were there to balance out the comedy.
Sadly, we felt like the women in the movie had such a boring plot line. They had such strong characterization for the men in the movie. However, Natalie and Dawn’s only contribution was building a mushroom hut. We just felt like there could have been so much more room for these characters to do cool things, but instead they were trapped in the traditional caretaker role for much of the film. While Natalie and Dawn did work to fight Malgosha at the very end, most of the emphasis was on Steve, Henry, and Garrett. The women characters in the movie felt very overshadowed. We felt like this reinforced stereotypes that the gaming community is built around men.
We enjoyed all the little touches that made the movie so similar to the game. The monsters were so funny to see, and the enderman was legit so scary. In the movie, Henry looks into the eyes of an enderman… and was this a cameo to drop some new Minecraft lore? In the game when the enderman attacks, you simply take damage. However, in the movie, the enderman made Henry see all his favorite people saying negative things about him; what does this mean?
As Minecraft players, we both enjoyed the movie. It was fun, action-packed, and so very nostalgic. It is a very easy watch and further reflects the childlike wonder you experience when you play the game. We were sad at first when Alex never appeared in the movie; however, if you were patient enough to wait for the end credits scene, she appears at the very end! We hope that this means there will be a sequel! If you are a Minecraft lover of any form, we think you’ll love it too.
