«Minecraft» Film Review: A Blocky Adventure with Unexpected Charm
Another film adaptation of a seemingly unadaptable video game has hit global cinemas, featuring Jack Black and Jason Momoa goofing around in a world of cubes. This big-budget production was entrusted to Jared Hess, the director of «Napoleon Dynamite.»
Steve (Jack Black), an office worker, finds himself in a magical, blocky land where imagination is the only limit to building. Here, he discovers happiness and a four-legged friend, only to be captured by Malgosha, a sorceress leading an army of war pigs. Soon, four unlikely heroes—a washed-up, middle-aged gamer known as Scavenger (Jason Momoa), the tech-savvy boy Henry (Sebastian Hansen), his older sister (Emma Myers), and their realtor (Danielle Brooks)—unknowingly follow his trail.
Given that «Minecraft» is a game without a plot, it's no surprise that the movie lacks a complex narrative. The heroes' quest to return home involves finding a magical cube they might already possess—or something like that. A multi-generational team of screenwriters (as is common with such projects, the script underwent numerous rewrites) ultimately delivered a simplified version of «The Wizard Of Oz.»
While Martin Scorsese's involvement would have been ideal, the producers wisely chose Jared Hess over someone like Shawn Levy (who was briefly attached to the project). Instead of a mindless children's adventure in a world of digital blocks, «Minecraft» evolves into an innocent and often disarming nerd comedy, albeit with elements of a silly kids' adventure.
Jack Black, a veteran of video game adaptations and a former Hess collaborator in «Nacho Libre,» delivers a full-fledged Jack Black performance. One might say he's Jack Black cubed, if his character weren't a rare round figure in a world of right angles. He's all about goofy faces, head-shaking, poor hygiene, and occasional singing. Though not the protagonist, those who dislike Jack Black should steer clear of «Minecraft.»
Jason Momoa, surprisingly, given his self-aware persona, ventures into comedy for the first time with remarkable success. His character, Scavenger, once a 1989 world champion of a fictional video game, now clings to his inflated ego and sells themed junk at a store aptly named Game Over. Momoa's flamboyant appearance (especially a pink fringed jacket) and physical comedy—getting pecked by a chicken, forming a «human sandwich» with Jack Black—suggest he had the time of his life on set.
The intelligent, curly-haired Henry and the «Wednesday» star are orphans and serve as the voice of reason (a fact disputed by the makers of a chip factory whose giant mascot falls victim to Henry's experiments). Notable supporting roles include Hess's long-time associates Jemaine Clement and Jennifer Coolidge, who plays a school principal embarking on an eccentric and thrilling romantic sci-fi adventure with an alien.
With pig-like antagonists, the film offers a barrage of pig-related jokes, alongside zombies, magic swords, and thematic gags that will likely resonate more with gamers but won't alienate casual viewers.
While not entirely an auteur film, it's more than a corporate product serving intellectual property. Hess's signature style shines through the studio directives, with humor that's absurdist, slightly archaic, and reminiscent of schoolyard internet culture, especially in the «normal» world scenes. The irony of a cube-filled world symbolizing creativity is evident, though the film itself isn't a masterclass in imaginative flair (a square chicken? a square sheep?). Yet, the fact that «Minecraft» is an enjoyable watch is more remarkable than its geometrically challenged livestock.
