A Minecraft Movie Movie Review : High on adventure but low on storytelling

Story: A mysterious portal transports four unlikely misfits into the fantastical, cubic realm called Overworld. To find their way back home, they must navigate this surreal landscape, embark on a whimsical adventure, and join forces with a quirky crafter and resident of the blocky land.

Review: Director Jared Hess attempts to blend animated adventure with live action in this big-screen adaptation of the wildly popular video game, Minecraft. The story kicks off with Steve (Jack Black) quitting his mundane job to chase his dream of becoming a miner. Deep underground, he discovers a mysterious orb (well, a cube!) that opens a portal to the imaginative and creative land known as Overworld. But this surreal paradise has its dark counterpart—the Nether, ruled by the formidable Piglin villain, Malgosha (Rachel House). When the Orb of Dominance makes its way to the real world, it finds itself in the hands of “the gamer of the year in 1989,” Garrett Garrison, aka ‘The Garbage Man’ (Jason Momoa), and his young friend, Henry (Sebastian Hansen). As the portal reopens, Henry’s sister Natalie (Emma Myers) and their realtor Dawn (Danielle Brooks) are pulled into the unfolding adventure.

The movie’s absurdity feels charming and engaging initially, and seeing the on-screen version of the game’s sandbox nature and things being built using blocks feels oddly satisfying. However, the narrative (written by Chris Bowman, Hubbel Palmer, Neil Widener, Gavin James, and Chris Gallettaloses) loses momentum quickly as the misfit characters feel a tad force-fitted and underdeveloped, so much so that they fail to strike an emotional chord. Furthermore, the overarching theme of the real world stifling creativity and dreams also holds potential, but the over-explanation takes away from its depth. Although the visual contrast between realms is impressive, the blend of live-action with animation and the humour feels inconsistent.

Jack Black, known for his larger-than-life energy, surprisingly delivers a rather subdued performance where he’s not fully immersed in the blocky world. That said, his musical moments do offer glimpses of the charisma he's beloved for. Jason Momoa is a delightful surprise as a gamer stuck in time, dishing out quirky motivational nuggets like, “There’s no ‘I’ in team, but there are two ‘I’s in winning.” The two share an enjoyable dynamic only intermittently, though not enough to anchor the film. It’s Rachel House as the flamboyant Malgosha who seems to be having the most fun—and it shows. Her performance is easily the film’s standout. The climactic exchange between Steve and Malgosha is a highlight here.

The film’s narrative seems to focus on drawing in die-hard Minecraft fans with the various artefacts and terms and may entertain them with its nostalgic visuals. But its shallow storytelling and inconsistent tone leave even them craving more depth and coherence in the overall experience.