Rating: 2.5/5 stars
Warner Bros. latest film has left audiences disappointed in spite of its commercial success.
Based on the iconic sandbox game by Mojang Studios, “A Minecraft Movie” tells the story of siblings Natalie (Emma Myers) and Henry (Sebastian Hansen), respectively. After moving to a new town following their mother’s death, Henry discovers an object that transports them to a new place called the overworld, where he meets Steve, (Jack Black). They go on a mission to save the overworld from evil forces who seek to take over the world and destroy all creativity.
One of the film’s greatest flaws is a plot stretched out as thin as its sentimentality. It tries its best to spread a message about family and friends, but the message comes out hollow. The film’s CGI is a mixture of great environment design, but uncanny valley-esque designs for the overworld’s creatures.
Another place where the film falls flat is in its humor and writing. With stilted, awkward dialogue, the film can have you laughing for all the wrong reasons. While sometimes falling into the “so bad it’s good” category, the oddball style is right up director Jared Hess’ alley. Hess and his wife are known for their work on the 2004 cult classic “Napoleon Dynamite.” The coming-of-age theme at the center of the story still peeks through in “A Minecraft Movie,” but it is buried under awkward writing and an underdeveloped story.
The input from Mojang Studios, the developers of the game, came to the film’s benefit. The references the film makes to the original game will leave fans satisfied, knowing that the creators of the film somewhat understand the source material.
While Black’s performance as Steve (the base character every Minecraft player is saddled with when they start the game) was enjoyable to watch, the character development cries out for more on all fronts. The relationship between Natalie and Henry is not given nearly enough time or attention.
With talks already ongoing for a sequel, it will be interesting to see where the story goes.
Overall, “A Minecraft Movie” makes for a bizarre experience that, despite the interesting humor and somewhat enjoyable performances, leaves the audience feeling hollow with no sense of what the story is meant to be. If you are in the mood for some mindless fun, go check out “A Minecraft Movie” in theaters.
Image from YouTube via Entertainment Access
