On April 4, the live action, fantasy-adventure-comedy film A Minecraft Movie is set to release. The film, distributed by Warner Brothers, has a rather peculiar premise. According to Warner Brothers, the film will depict the (mis)adventures of four misfits who find themselves in the cubic dimension of the Minecraft Overworld after stumbling upon a mysterious portal and need to find their way back. This is all the while fighting monsters and meeting Minecraft’s iconic avatar Steve, who is described by Warner Brothers as an “unexpected, expert crafter.”
The film’s cast is composed of A-listers, including Danielle Brooks, Jason Momoa, Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Kate McKinnon, and Emma Myers. Many would hazard a guess that this crack team of celebrities owes to the popularity and commercial value of Minecraft, which has since its inception inserted itself into youth culture in many parts of the world. Now, the game has over 204 million active players monthly, with individuals aged 15-21 accounting for 43% of the player base.
Though Minecraft is widely beloved and considered by many to be the greatest video game of all time, the film’s previews have received a mostly negative reception from fans. From the visuals that many users compared to AI-generated art, to the jarring blend of CGI and live-action, to the unsettling animal designs that depart from the block-like entities of the original game, the film’s previews have demonstrated a series of controversial decisions that have led many to pan it as yet another game-to-movie disaster on the level of the ‘Borderlands’ adaptation, which too had a celebrity cast. In fact, some of our fellow students here at Skyline have also voiced their opinions, with one Junior stating that she was “not pleased” with the preview.
While the concept may be interesting, the signs may not be hopeful for those seeking a satisfying execution, and the reception seems to indicate that fans are more on the fence as to whether the film will be totally forgettable, or memorable for the wrong reasons. But who knows? Maybe we will all be surprised!
For more information:
‘A Minecraft Movie’ seems destined to be the next ‘Borderlands’ with these trailer reactions
Trailer for ‘A Minecraft Movie’ starring Jack Black, Jason Momoa receives mixed reactions
