A Minecraft Movie: Top 3 Reasons To See The Latest Video Game Adaptation

Director: Jared Hess (Napoleon Dynamite, Nacho Libre)

Starring Cast: Jack Black, Jason Momoa, Sebastian Hansen, Emma Myers, Danielle Brooks, and Jennifer Coolidge

TV rating: PG

Run Time: 1 hr 41 min

Released: April 7, 2025

When I first came across the world of Minecraft, I was teaching an art/exercise class at an elementary school during COVID-19. Half the students were on Zoom, and half were in the classroom. I wanted to do fun activities that would keep everyone engaged while also socially distanced. Cue the fabulous Minecraft games that kept my kids wanting more. We did everything from Minecraft yoga, Minecraft drawings, Minecraft runs, and, of course, Minecraft builds. I quickly became the favorite as kids got excited to come to my classroom for a fun “brain break.” Fast forward to the release of A Minecraft Movie, I knew I wanted to see what this movie had to offer.

From director Jared Hess, A Minecraft Movie follows misfits, Garrett, Dawn, and brother and sister Henry and Natalie as they struggle through life. In the film, the four are pulled through a magical portal and into a cubic world. A world where if you can imagine it, you can build it. To save themselves and their new friend, expert crafter Steve, the group masters the world and embarks on an epic quest. The film was written by Chris Bowman, Hubbel Palmer, Neil Widener, Gavin James, and Chris Galletta with a story by Allison Schroder (Hidden Figures), Bowman, and Palmer. 

1: If you are a kid, a kid at heart, or even have kids, you should see this film. It’s fun and light and really focuses on imagination and expressing creativity, which are great lessons to learn or be reminded of at any age.

2: The cast is fantastic! Jack Black has always had a particular brand of humor. He has a knack for making things silly and fun. His contributions as Steve in A Minecraft Movie are no exception. He brings his quintessential humor while Jason Momoa, Danielle Brooks, and Jennifer Coolidge step up their comedy game. Seeing Momoa as Garrett “The Garbage Man” Garrison is hilarious. His character is hilarious and the outfit is something Momoa pulls off very well. Fans of the actor got to witness his comedic timing thrive in Fast X, and he’s only gotten better. Jennifer Coolidge is forever a fan favorite. Her comedic timing seems to come effortlessly. While she doesn’t have many scenes, her presence does not go unnoticed. She’s such a comedic powerhouse, even with just a few words. Her body language and mannerisms add so much to the scenes. Danielle Brooks is new to the comedy/kids genre, but I can see her getting more comedic roles going forward. She adds a breath of fresh air with Henry and Natalie, played by Sebastian Hansen and Emma Myers. Unfortunately, the kids don’t have any comedic lines, so it’s up to the adults to carry that tone, and they do. They all can go a little over the top at times, but kids will love it, and adults will get a good chuckle out of it.

3: Fans of Minecraft will find that some of their favorite elements are seen in this film. First, you have Steve! Then you have your Creepers, an Enderman, Skeletons, Zombies, Villagers, Piglins, Ghasts, Sheep, Llamas, Wolves, and a Chicken Jockey. The world-building is fantastic from the game to the big screen. In the screening I attended, kids were losing their minds from seeing so many familiar characters.

Join the block party! A Minecraft Movie is now playing in theaters.