A Minecraft Movie was inevitable as it may or may not surprise you to learn that Minecraft is the most popular video game of all time. This won’t be surprising if you’re the film’s target audience, but for those who haven’t played the game or may not know about how well games perform outside of their preferred genre then you likely knew it was popular, but maybe not that popular. I’ve never played it simply because it’s a first-person game and my fragile brain can’t handle that perspective for one reason or another, but that works out here as I can answer the question of whether or not A Minecraft Movie is entertaining for those who have never played the game.
If you have played Minecraft then it’s likely you’ve already seen the movie as it’s currently the highest grossing Hollywood film of 2025 (China’s Ne Zha 2 takes the crown outside of Hollywood, and Lilo & Stich will dethrone it soon as well,) currently just $50 million shy of hitting the $1 billion mark. This shows just how popular the IP is because the movie itself is lacking in a few key departments that would normally detract from word-of-mouth sales. It also released at the perfect time at the start of April, with little to no family or comedy competition arguably until Lilo & Stich arrived in theaters a month and a half later.
A Minecraft Movie starts off funny, is clearly a popcorn flick that isn’t looking to take itself seriously on any level, and has perfectly cast each character in the film to the point that they’re the ones who make the movie enjoyable despite its flaws. The movie begins with Steve (Jack Black) explaining how it was always his dream to work in the mines but he was never allowed to do so as a child, so he instead grew up, forgot his dream and became a doorknob salesman. That is until one day when he realized that he was never meant to waste away in an office and then remembered he wanted to be a miner, ran to the mine and instantly discovered the Orb of Dominance, which opened a portal to the Overworld, which Steve entered and began creating everything his heart desired.
Okay, so you may be confused here and that’s okay, because the movie really doesn’t explain much of anything because it kind of acts like there’s nothing to explain. Overworld just is and it’s just accepted. I mean, you get the TL:DR version of pretty much everything, which means anyone can follow the pretty basic plot regardless of whether or not you’ve played the game, but there’s no explanation as to how this Orb found its way to Earth in the first place, or how this gateway to Overworld was just there in the open while people mined around it for decades. It’s just a bare bones explanation to get things going.
What’s most unfortunate is that there’s really something here that the writers could’ve worked with, which is how when you’re younger you’re apt to be more creative, or you at least view the world as a bit more hopeful with so much time ahead. But then the years pass, you grow up, and sometimes the world just beats you down. You’ve got bills to pay, you don’t have the time to focus on your dreams and sometimes they fall by the wayside never to be heard from again. This theme is hinted at a number of times throughout and I really thought that something special and motivational was going to come of it, and yet, nothing ever did. They ended up being what felt like throwaway lines and the movie and the characters within it lack any true depth because of it.
That’s the biggest issue with the film in that the characters feel so incredibly two-dimensional. We’ve got Steve who Black goes full Black with to bring the entertainment where he can, but there’s really no reason to care about him at all. Who is he? He’s some guy who found this magical land and built stuff. Sure he wants to stop the evil Malgosha (voiced by Rachel House) from obtaining the Orb of Dominance and destroying Overworld, but again it’s just so hollow because the character has, well, no character. He’s just a guy who wanted to be a miner, somehow forgot he wanted to be a miner(?) and then became a miserable salesman, only to remember he wanted to be a miner and instantly discovered this alternate world while mining. It’s fine enough to start the movie like that, but he never has any growth as a character and always feels very one note.
That’s not to say Black isn’t funny or that the movie isn’t funny at times. I laughed quite a bit during the first half; however, the second half felt like they kind of gave up on building any actual character growth from anyone or any real impactful story and instead just went for random action sequences and goofy laughs. This is unfortunate as Garrett (played by Jason Momoa, whose work as Garrett is honestly worth the price of admission alone), Henry (Sebastian Hansen), his sister Natalie (Emma Myers) and their real estate agent, Dawn (Danielle Brooks) are all played incredibly well by the actors involved, and it’s so clear that they really could’ve told a memorable, impactful story about creative growth often being squashed by the weight of adulthood, and how it’s never too late to pursue your dreams.
I know what you’re thinking: it’s A Minecraft Movie, how memorable and impactful a story do you want? Just have fun! And sure, I get that. But why not have it all? I’m not saying it had to get deep, dramatic and sad, but we’re introduced to Henry and Natalie driving into the small town that Garrett and Steve are from because it was their mom’s dying wish for them to do so – or at least that’s how Natalie understood it. Do we know why this is the case? No, again we never learn because the characters have no real depth, but even within that introduction it’s clear that they weren’t afraid to touch on heavier topics, yet for some reason touching on them is all they ever did.
Because of this nothing ever feels substantial or meaningful, and any happiness that comes out of the journey for the characters involved doesn’t feel earned, it feels tacked on because they had to finish writing the script. The characters embark on a journey to recover a piece of the Orb of Destruction so that they can all return home, but instead of this journey being epic and one where friendships are forged and backstories are delved into, the characters simply arrive at the destinations required, have a couple of silly encounters while there and then move on to the next location. The movie didn’t necessarily have to be longer to accomplish this, it just needed to focus on the themes and journey of the characters. Everything happens so quickly, as the characters are only together for a few hours and yet they act like they’re all best friends by the third act – but again, none of this is earned or feels natural, it’s just what the story needs to have happen so that the movie can finish.
With all that being said the movie still made almost a billion dollars, so I doubt anything will be learned from this for the sequel being planned, but hey, the bar is low for character development, so you never know. I know that this movie scored well amongst audiences, so I’d wager if you’re a Minecraft fan that the nostalgia and nods to the game you love – and possibly grew up playing – are enough to win you over, and there’s nothing wrong with that. The movie is also light-hearted fun (arguably to a fault) in a time when escapism is highly desired, so again, I can see why it received love for that. However, I’d also argue that at a time like this it’s even more important to add hope to the equation. That even if it feels like the world has beaten you down it’s never too late to find that creative spark that once burned brightly and chase your dreams. But instead of digging a little deeper and leveling up into something special, A Minecraft Movie ends up being an average video game adaptation that’s good for a few laughs and not much more.
Overall Movie Score: 2.5/5
4K Blu-ray Video and Audio Review:
The movie looks fantastic, so if you loved it theatrically or if you were waiting until home video to check it out then you’re in for a treat as the 2160p/HDR10/Dolby Vision transfer is top notch, with the majority of the film looking like our heroes are in Overworld, and while sometimes it’s clear there’s green screens involved, it’s not hugely distracting or anything that’ll take viewers out of the enjoyment of the moment. The details of Overworld are also superbly handled, as everything truly does look like an HD version of Minecraft that I’m sure many wished they could jump into, so job well done there.
The audio is also wonderfully handled, with the Dolby Atmos track delivering a great surround sound experience that brings viewers into the world as best it can with sounds, voices and effects coming from various sides of the room when the film calls for it. As a whole the audio and video presentation here are where A Minecraft Movie scores best, which is great for those who want to add it to their home video collections.
Special Features:
Building the World of Minecraft: Block Party – This is a 14-minute feature that focuses on the creative team who brought the Overworld to life. Whether you like the movie or not there’s no denying the unique look to the world and this is a solid feature that delivers some fun info on how this block world was created.
Creepers, Zombies and Endermen Oh My! – Here we have another piece that focuses on the creatures in the film and how they were created. Again, a quick but easy watch at 13-minutes.
A Minecraft Movie: Pixel Pals – Here’s a 14-minute feature that focuses on the actors, as well as how they had a private server to play Minecraft on during their downtime – which I’m sure a lot of people wish they had access to!
A Minecraft Movie: Block Beats – Here’s a 9-minute ode to Jack Black’s musical talents that we’ve all come to know and love. They’re sprinkled throughout the film randomly and that’s touched upon here.
Marlene + Nitwit – Here’s a 5-minute fluff piece about the romance story between Jennifer Coolidge’s vice principal character Marlene a villager who escapes the Overworld and finds himself on earth.
Disclaimer: A review copy of this Blu-ray was sent to me to cover in honest and truthful fashion.
Warner Bros. Pictures Presents A Minecraft Movie. Directed by: Jared Hess. Written by: Chris Bowman, Hubbel Palmer, Neil Widener. Starring: Jack Black, Jason Momoa, Emma Myers, Sebastian Hansen, Danielle Brooks, Jennifer Coolidge, Rachel House. Running time: 101 Minutes. Rating: PG. Released on 4K Blu-ray: June 24, 2025.
