Black release ‘mines’ depths of cliché on quest for box office gold

Blending crucial aspects of the game, A Minecraft Movie jumped out to an incredibly successful debut that enamored, enthralled, and enchanted lovers of the 16-year-old classic of the gaming industry. Two weeks after the theatrical release, TikTok and broadcasting companies wasted no time perpetuating the trendy attributes of the movie, notably “Steve's Lava Chicken,” and the notoriously disastrous “Chicken Jockey” scene. Despite the “short” runtime (by the bloated film standards of today), cast members ranging from the likes of Jack Black (Shallow Hal), Jason Mamoa (Aquaman), and Jennifer Coolidge (The White Lotus) provide a breath of fresh air within both the film and the industry that created it.

 With all the right actorial tools, and under Jared Hess’ directing, the movie was primed for success months before release, and now the box office has soared beyond half a billion dollars. Hess has no shortage of comedic background, spearheading such classics as Napoleon Dynamite, Nacho Libre, and Masterminds. Teaming with Black’s creative autonomy, his newfound love for the game inspired him to co-write or entirely write songs, adding both to the film as well as the economic bottom line through soundtrack sales. Despite banking on cliches of a strained familial relationships and a burnt out gaming champion, on top of an array of forgettable tritagonists, the allure of shutting down the critical thinking functions of the brain for just under two hours obviously has appealed to audiences. 

Black’s complete disregard for the stereotypical hero facade, somehow satirically subverting the archetype of a quest story, manages to revitalize a paradigm lacking in genuinity. While certain techniques are excessively employed, the pacing matches the tropes closely, providing an effective scope. Steve, the social reject played by Black, yearns for the mines. Within 10 minutes the film jumps 30+ years to make that happen. In no shortage of deus ex machinas, the story piles on the clichés, with a timidly intelligent brother Henry (S. Eugene Hansen, Just Mercy) guided by his sister Natalie (Emma Myers, Wednesday), an indolent manchild Garrett (Mamoa), and the outlet for diversity with Dawn (Danielle Brooks, Orange Is The New Black). They follow Steve’s trail left for his escape, and within another 15 minutes, discover the cube that will teleport them to the Overworld, for some reason. 

Homages and cameos by the YouTubers and influencers that made the film possible are in heavy rotation, with the most hurtfully beautiful to Technoblade, a Minecraft YouTuber who passed just three years ago. He was far from the only reference, with names like DanTDM, Aphmau, LDShadowLady, and various Microsoft executives playing side characters. The references to the community that made the game so popular triggered popularity, especially given the drought of moviegoers and a diminishing fanbase. 

Despite the lack of an impactful antagonist and direction, the clichés make the film satirically humorous, as it refuses to take itself too seriously. The satirical approach has seen a drastic increase in media, ranging from political to ideological, but AMM floats in the balance between appealing to a very young audience and diehard fans since the game’s release. Absolutely breaking the minds of Baby Boomers and Gen X, the relevancy of destroying movie theaters for humorous moments like “Chicken Jockey” has opened the film to truly any range of audiences. The film hovers at a 6/10 on IMDb, with critic and public reviews heavily ranging from 10’s to 0’s, making it difficult to gauge the real reviews from mockery. Any hate has proven impotent as even the buzz of poking at Black for his appearance or acting boosts the films profit, leading to marketing tools like action figures and mods to the videogame to further ignite the flame. 

Creative choices and not so nuanced satirical elements leave AMM with a favorable disposition, leading to one of the largest opening weeks of box office history. The nigh inability to take itself seriously simply works, allowing actors to steal the spotlight whenever it’s within reach.  

Grade: B-

A Minecraft Movie blends the perfect quantity of cliché, humor, and memorable moments to deliver an effective video game movie. 

by Luis Fonseca

Published April 28th, 2025

Oshkosh West Index Volume 121 Issue VII