“I need a win!”. Yes, it’s the catchphrase of Jason Momoa’s character in ‘A Minecraft Movie’, but it could also be a caption for movie theatres in general over the last few months. With blockbuster hits few and far between, they finally HAVE that win….and it has arrived in the form of a most unusual package.
Based on the wildly popular 2011 video game, ‘A Minecraft Movie’ is a tough review for yours truly because, honestly, this movie isn’t FOR me. This one is for the legion of young gamers who, based on the screening I attended anyway, ate up every loud, bizarre second. So while I admittedly got lost in the sea of magic objects and zombies riding chickens, it’s not really up to me to say if what unfolded was good nor bad….I just held on for the ride, happy that the kids all had fun.
The film stars Jack Black, playing the usual goofy guy with manic energy. Here, he’s ‘Papa Steve’, a doorknob salesman who breaks into a mine to fulfill a childhood dream. That’s when he stumbles upon a portal to Overworld, Minecraft’s signature ‘block’ land, where Steve finds that he can build anything his imagination can conjure up.
The flip side of the Overworld is the Netherworld, home of evil pig-witch Malgosha (Rachel House), who looks to thwart Steve’s creativity. Her ultimate goal is to wreak havoc with an army of zombie pigs, because…..(sigh), I don’t know.
Oh year, as previously mentioned, Jason Momoa is in ‘Minecraft’ as well, playing a video game shop owner named Garrett the Garbage Man? That alone checks off two boxes….crowd pleasing AND silly.
‘A Minecraft Movie’ isn’t overly long (a touch over an hour and a half), it refuses to take itself seriously (I mean, zombie pigs?), and is completely transparent in its energetic approach……this gang is here to sell toys and make noise. So long as that’s what you’re expecting, it’s exactly what it delivers.
