Over the course of a few months, many live action films have come to the big screen, whether it be from an animated movie, or a video game. Recently, the latest movie to get the attention of many is A Minecraft Movie, based off of the game “Minecraft” made by Mojang Studios.
The movie explores the story of Steve, played by Jack Black, as he stumbles upon a cubic realm from a cube piece he combined from mining. Characters Natalie, Henry, Garett, and Dawn eventually stumble upon this dimension, and they work together with Steve to save this dimension from antagonist Malgosha, a piglin sorceress.
With many live action films receiving bad reviews lately, like Snow White and the major controversy surrounding it, this film actually had mixed reviews.
When I first went into the theater to watch this movie, I had many speculations. However, I wasn’t hoping for it to achieve such high reviews from my personal ratings. When the movie first started, what caught my eye was how they presented it, giving me a very nostalgic feeling. I felt as if I had been transported back to my childhood when I saw it.
The beginning of the movie showcased a similar vision to the “Minecraft” game startup, where it shows Mojang Studio’s watermark and its loading system. I felt as if I was actually playing the game, like I got transported back into the early years of my childhood when I transversed the world of “Minecraft.”
Throughout the movie, what also caught my eye was the visuals. The cubic realm was so detailed and very similar to the actual “Minecraft” game, and its color palette definitely kept me awake throughout the film. It encapsulated the true spirit and visuals of the actual game. It has also made many references to gaming YouTubers, crafts that you can make in “Minecraft,” and popular TV shows.
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Near the end of the film, an ongoing battle scene had occurred between Garett and a creature, best known as a “chicken jockey.” For those who aren’t well familiar with “Minecraft,” a chicken jockey is a rare inconvenience in the game when a baby zombie is sitting on top of a chicken. This has caused a wild and widespread trend through platforms such as TikTok and Instagram, where videos can be seen of people shouting at the exact scene in theaters, and performing all kinds of celebrations in regards to that particular scene.
Cardozo student Daisy Pazmino said, “In my personal opinion, the Minecraft movie was great. Their approach and interpretation on the experience of the game was truly a sight to see.”
She added that it was nostalgic and that she’s sure other kids her age can agree on that. “Nonetheless, my favorite line was obviously ‘chicken jockey,’ it was very humorous and I love how chaotic the theatre reacted to that particular scene,” she explained. “I also like how they included childhood ‘Minecraft’ YouTubers. Their audience ranges from little kids, to teens, to adults.”
Overall, although it was quite silly, I believe A Minecraft Movie is a great movie to bring your video game loving child to watch. I thoroughly enjoyed this film as it teleported me back to the significant days of my childhood where I was able to play this game.
