A Minecraft Movie

Review by Roger Ebert

“A Minecraft Movie” falls short of its potential but rises well above similar fare.

How do you turn a game about the individual art of creation into the inherently passive experience of film-watching? It’s a challenge that the writers and director of “A Minecraft Movie” rise to admirably enough.

With his trusty wolf-dog Dennis, Steve found his bliss, but that was shattered when he was sucked into the Netherworld, a vicious place run by a malformed pig named Malgosha (Rachel House), who rules this hellscape with an army of loyal porcine creatures. It’s probably reading way too much into “A Minecraft Movie” to say it’s a commentary on how capitalist pigs can deform creative passion, but that’s perhaps how Roger Waters would read it.

While I’m not the biggest fan of “Napoleon Dynamite” and “Nacho Libre,” “A Minecraft Movie” works best in those moments that you realize it was directed by the same person (Jared Hess). His eye shows flashes of personality that are often missing from video game movies aimed primarily at children.

Turns out a movie like this could use a bit of “Nacho Libre” flair to spice up what unfolds. Now, what unfolds is some nonsense. There’s a point around halfway through when it becomes clear that Henry is the real hero of this piece; I had a flashback to “The Last Starfighter,” another tale of an outcast who discovers that a video game world is real and that he can save it. At its best, “A Minecraft Movie” reflects the same idea: that video games aren’t things that dull the senses but rather give creative people a chance to express themselves and maybe even be a hero.

Sadly, a lot of the plotting and associated themes get severely muddled in the back half, where the five screenplay credits start to make a little more sense. Despite a few fun set pieces, “A Minecraft Movie” becomes increasingly monotonous and loses its appeal, making it harder to care about what little plot there is.

One might argue that you shouldn’t come to “A Minecraft Movie” for the storytelling. It’s based on a game that responds to what you bring to it, with some people building entire cities (or all of “Game of Thrones”) in the in-game world while others are happy defending their little huts from zombies on coffee breaks. The limitless creativity inherent in the game hasn’t been fully replicated in the movie, which is designed to expand its brand dominance. However, there’s just enough inspired heroism in this flick to make people who put the game down years ago circle back to it and build something new. A video game movie that encourages creation instead of just uplifting capitalism? That’s a small victory in 2025.

Top Reviews From Other Critics

Rotten Tomatoes

Ostensibly a film about celebrating creativity, A Minecraft Movie provides a colorful sandbox for Jack Black and Jason Momoa to amusingly romp around in a story curiously constructed from conventional building blocks. Read Critics Reviews.

Common Sense Media

Fun adventure has fights, action, some rude language. With themes of teamwork, courage, curiosity, and perseverance, the adventure should appeal to Minecraft’s many tween and teen fans. Read Common Sense Media’s A Minecraft Movie review.

Screen Rant

A Minecraft Movie Review: Shallow Story & Characters Aside, I Can’t Forgive The Video Game Adaptation For Forgetting To Be Fun.

The Spinoff

A former Minecraft superfan’s verdict on A Minecraft Movie. For a game containing limitless possibilities at your fingertips, A Minecraft Movie could stand to be more creative in its storytelling. Instead, the film is a low-stakes but fun-filled spectacle, with a surprisingly endearing and earnest celebration of creativity and self-expression at its heart. Read The Spinoff’s review.

The Collision

It might be a stretch to deem it a “good” movie, but it is fun and entertaining. Despite never fully realizing the potential of its source material, A Minecraft Movie is a better-than-expected family adventure that shares a positive message about the power of creativity. Read The Collision’s review.

A Minecraft Movie: Everything You Need to Know

Director

• Jared Hess

Release Date

• April 3, 2025
• Where: Theaters

Run Time

• 2 hours 21 minutes

Cast

• Jason Momoa as Garrett “The Garbage Man” Garrison
• Jack Black as Steve
• Sebastian Hansen as Henry
• Emma Myers as Natalie
• Danielle Brooks as Dawn

Production Company

• Kleem Productions

Music Director

• Sam C.S.

Languages

• English

Genre

• Action, Adventure, Comedy

Synopsis

Welcome to the world of Minecraft, where creativity doesn’t just help you craft, it’s essential to one’s survival! Four misfits–Garrett “The Garbage Man” Garrison (Jason Momoa), Henry (Sebastian Hansen), Natalie (Emma Myers) and Dawn (Danielle Brooks)–find themselves struggling with ordinary problems when they are suddenly pulled through a mysterious portal into the Overworld: a bizarre, cubic wonderland that thrives on imagination.

With its quirky premise and engaging performances, “A Minecraft Movie” is a must-watch for fans of romantic comedies and light-hearted entertainers.