Plot: What’s it about?
Video games have never really been my thing. It’s not that I dislike them, it’s just that I was never really good at them. I excelled at SNES NHL Hockey ’94 as it was one of the few I could beat my brother in. The rest I just sat there and lived vicariously through him as “we” beat the levels. Hey, I’ll take it. I do play Angry Birds 2 on a daily basis, a game that inspired not one, but two feature-length films. Good for them. But now we turn our attention to Minecraft. It’s something I’d heard of, but I don’t know the concept or how it’s played (i.e. if it’s web-based, a console game, etc.). I suppose I could look it up and get my answer, but I’d rather just wonder. At any rate, it’s popular. Popular enough to warrant a major motion picture. All I knew about it was that it had 8-bit pick axe’s and square animals (or whatever they’re called). Well, the wait is over and we’ve got it on disc. I gave it a look. This is a weird film, folks – let’s get started.
Movies based off video games don’t exactly need to have the strongest plot points. As such we find an orphaned teenage girl (Emma Myers) and her younger brother (Sebastian Hansen) as they move to a new town with the help of a struggling real estate agent (Danielle Brooks). The town doesn’t have a lot going on, but is know for being the residence of a former video game champion, Garrett (Jason Momoa). He was a big deal about three decades ago and channels his inner Randy “Macho Man” Savage while bidding on storage bins in hope to turn a profit. As it turns out, his latest “find” gives him an orb (thought it’s actually a cube) that grants he and the gang entrance into a magical world. The film’s prologue sets this up as we meet Steve (Jack Black) who was trapped in the game. Their goal is to get another orb/cube that will enable them to get back to Earth, but they have to go through Malgosha (voiced by Rachel House) to do so. There’s also a weird subplot of a high school principal (Jennifer Coolidge) who starts to date one of the escaped Nitwits that escaped from the game. I didn’t get it. Maybe I wasn’t supposed to.
If you’re looking a the 10,000 foot view this movie somewhat parallels Jumanji (any of them) in which a group gets sucked into a video game, must overcome obstacles and then get back home happily ever after. However with my lack of experience/expertise in Minecraft, I’d have to assume that there are some Easter Eggs in the film or at least some hidden references. One thing I do know is that director Jared Hess, who helmed Napolean Dynamate in 2004, put a few references in there – notably with tater tots. Have fun with that. The movie grossed nearly a billion dollars worldwide, so fear not – we’ll see at least one more installment. Movie studios don’t make movies to make money only to cut them short. I’d be very surprised if we didn’t see Jason Momoa and company (and his pink leather jacket) back in action very soon. I still don’t understand why everything is square, though…I need to check on that. At any rate, enjoy.
Video: How’s it look?
This is certainly one of the most colorful films I’ve see in a while, but I suppose when you’re dealing with a land in which chickens are square, smashed diamonds become pick axe’s and evil cohorts become a steak when killed – it should look “interesting” for lack of a better word. Warner’s 1.85:1 HEVC 4K image squeezes every ounce of real estate onto the screen giving us a look as Jason Momoa’s amazing pink, leather jacket and Jack Black’s bushy, greying beard. Take those for what you will. Nevertheless, it’s a stunning and visually aggressive transfer that’s chock full of color, strong contrast and more right angles than you can shake a stick at.
Audio: How’s it sound?
I suppose it’s a foregone conclusion that when Jack Black belts out a tune or two (yes, really, he sings more than one song) it would go without saying that we’d need to hear it in full Dolby Atmos to fully appreciate it. Relax, little birds – I’ll feed ya. Yeah, we get said track and it sounds delightful. I had no idea of the sound a bird falling from a balloon would make, but now I know and I’ll be able to sleep at night. Vocals are strong and rich and I never thought I’d hear an actor scream more than Jason Momoa’s character in this one. We’re talking a high-pitched scream here, folks. He’s oddly good at it. The aforementioned song about adding lava to cook a chicken actually went to the top 40 in the U.K. charts. It’s 34 seconds long. Let that sink in.
Supplements: What are the extras?
- Building the World of Minecraft: Block Party – Grant Major’s team brings Minecraft’s Overworld to life with blocky textures, vibrant biomes, and square props. Through practical effects and digital art, they craft a cinematic Minecraft world!
- Creepers, Zombies, and Endermen Oh My! – Explore the unique mobs in A Minecraft Movie, including Creepers, Piglins, and Zombies. The featurette features live action looks and onscreen performances, with expert designers and artists contributing.
- A Minecraft Movie: Block Beats – Music brings the film to life! Jack Black, Jason Momoa, and Danielle Brooks created fun tunes like “I Feel Alive.” Fans will love behind-the-scenes clips and insights into the film’s music.
- A Minecraft Movie: Pixel Pals – Jack Black and Jason Momoa pour boundless energy into A Minecraft Movie, from Jack’s gaming breaks to Jason’s wardrobe design. Their chemistry and behind-the-scenes fun bring joy to this film!
- Marlene + Nitwit – Marlene and Nitwit’s quirky bond shines in this film! In this piece Nitwit, voiced by Matt Berry, narrates their wild journey, parodying My Name is Earl, with hilarious moments from Jennifer Coolidge.
The Bottom Line
As of this writing I still don’t entirely know what Minecraft the game is, but I suppose it’s not of the utmost importance that I do. The movie is fun and entertaining and…weird. Then again maybe the game is as well. This thought will keep me occupied for many nights to come. What I do know is that the disc looks and sounds fabulous and we’re treated to enough supplements to warrant a purchase. Or just keep it on a loop and your kids will most likely watch it again and again.
